Music Industry | SUNY Oneonta

About the Major

Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, SUNY Oneonta’s Music Industry program will prepare you for a career in a variety of fields in the music, media and entertainment industries. Such fields include management, marketing, promotion, merchandising, publishing, production and performance.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes specialized music industry studies in the recording industry, entertainment industry, business affairs, intellectual property law, music products, and music theory, performance and history/literature. You can also take business courses on topics such as business law, marketing, management and accounting. Internships, field experience and several related minors — audio production with Pro Tools certification, performance, music theory and music literature — allow you to tailor the program to your interests.

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Course Topics Include

Some Music Industry courses include:

Basic Musicianship
Music Theory
Music for Listeners
Learning About Music
History of Rock Music
Jazz Improvisation
Pop and Jazz Piano Styles

Applied Music
Music Ensemble
Contemporary Issues in the Music Industry
Music Industry Communication
Music Marketing and Merchandising
Legal Issues of the Music Industry

Special Talent Admissions

Auditions are not a requirement for acceptance into the Music Industry program. However, prospective music industry majors who wish to have their talent considered during the admissions process may submit a special talent application as a supplement to the regular application.

Accolades

SUNY Oneonta is one of 38 colleges and universities in the United States, England and Spain featured in Billboard magazine’s 2022 list of “Top Music Business Schools.”

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Facilities

Music Industry majors gain hands-on experience with recording hardware and software used by professional recording studios all over the world including:

Four studios for recording and post-production
A fiber optics system that allows simultaneous recording from multiple spaces in the Fine Arts Center
Two digital keyboard/MIDI/theory labs equipped with sequencing and recording capabilities
A large library of sampled sounds. Software includes Pro Tools, Reason, Live, Garageband and Practica Musica

Learn More About our Facilities

Student Clubs

Audio Production and Engineering Club (APEC)
Apollo Music Club
Drag’n Rolls Drum Line
Jazz Appreciation Society
Oneonta A cappella Council
Pitch Slapped
Music Industry Club (The MIC)
Songwriters Club

National Association of Music Merchants Show

The Music Department has a long-running tradition of taking students to Los Angeles every winter for The NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Show—the largest music products show in the world. Students get special access to see the latest products, attend demonstrations and panel discussions, and network with professionals in the field. The cost to attend is minimal, thanks to support from the college’s Caroline (’67) and David D’Antonio Student Travel for Excellence Fund. Internships You’ll get resume-worthy experience through a required internship in the field you want to pursue. Oneonta students have put their classroom learning into practice at internship sites all over the country, including Paradigm Records, The Royalty Network, Pearl Drum Corporation, Zenbu Media, ObliqSound, Wonderlous Music, Chung King Studios and many more!

Learn more about NAMM

Profiles

Students

Luke Mock

One of the biggest lessons senior Luke Mock has learned in college is that being successful in the music industry is all about who you know and how those people know you. SUNY Oneonta has been the perfect fit for him because of the connections he’s been able to make.

Luke Mock >>

Students

Hannah Goldberg

The program for Music Industry is unique at SUNY Oneonta. It is an umbrella of a lot of different avenues of the industry, which is interesting to me because I was interested in audio production, and I’m also a song writer and I love playing my saxophone as well. I think that being at a college that doesn’t just focus on one avenue when they talk about music is important - so this program was perfect for me.

Hannah Goldberg >>

Students

Gideon Dean

Growing up in Maryland with parents who loved country music, Music Industry major Gideon Dean became a fan of the genre at an early age and soon began dreaming of a career in country radio. As one of just 41 college students from across the country selected for a yearlong mentorship program offered by the Country Music Association (CMA), he is one step closer to that goal.

Gideon Dean >>

Alumni

Julia “Goolia”

If you’ve ever wondered how to cook spaghetti inside a meatball or wanted to see a giant Cheetos mozzarella stick being made, SUNY Oneonta alumna Julia “Goolia,” Class of 2012, is your girl.

Julia “Goolia” >>

Students

Cynthia Lambertson

I chose SUNY Oneonta because they had a music industry major and also because I was always very into theater. A lot of the other schools I applied to that had music industry wouldn’t allow non-theater majors to audition for shows. I wanted to have the option to do a bunch of different things.

Cynthia Lambertson >>

Alumni

Noah Rakoski

Noah Rakoski’s love affair with music began as a 3-year-old clanging pots and pans. By about age 13, he knew he wanted to be a record producer. And after stints as a SUNY Oneonta Funk Band saxophonist, talent manager, marketer and entrepreneur, that’s exactly what he became.

Noah Rakoski >>

Alumni

Scott Harris

The most important lesson for any aspiring songwriter is networking. You might meet someone in college who’s a freshman when you’re a senior, and that might end up being the most talented person you’ve ever met. I have a friend I graduated with who works at Columbia Records now, and we work together. Never count anybody out.

Scott Harris >>

My Major in 4: Music Industry: Riley Brown

Performing Arts Showcase: Music & Music Industry

Contact Us

Music Department
115 Fine Arts Center
E-mail: music@oneonta.edu
Telephone: 607-436-3415

Key Links

Department Website

Internships

Music Industry Club

Virtual Campus Tour

Virtual Tour