Photo of Church Music

B.Mus. Church Music

Major
132 credit hours
100% career outcome rate1

13:1
Student-to-faculty ratio

81%
Faculty with terminal degree

Music is your passion. You are an advocate for the musical arts and a bold and faithful witness for Christ. Combine your heart for service and your love of music with a degree in church music from Concordia University, Nebraska!

A church music degree will hone your craft to help you navigate a multitude of music styles and modes of worship. Through this degree, you will learn to serve Jesus Christ through music, sharpen your skills as a musician and help others encounter God through the talents He has given you. At Concordia Nebraska, you’ll study with artist faculty who are inspiring performers and passionate teachers, perform in ensembles and have the opportunity to lead and participate in chapel and praise services. Your church music curriculum will include classes in religion and private study of piano, organ and voice, as well as conducting and composing music.

A degree in church music from Concordia University, Nebraska prepares you to lead and direct music in both traditional and contemporary worship settings. The degree also leads to rostered status in The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod as a director of parish music for individuals who are members of an LCMS congregation. The church music program at Concordia can also prepare you with the aptitude and proficiency necessary for pursuing music ministry beyond church and school settings, as a performer, composer or publisher of sacred music.

If you feel the tug of ministry and want to use your musical talent to glorify God, then a degree in church music from Concordia Nebraska may be the right choice for you.

Church Music Courses

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Program Differentiators

Core Concepts

The church music degree program at Concordia University, Nebraska prepares students to lead and direct a comprehensive music ministry in a variety of parish settings. Emphasis is placed upon leading the song of the congregation through the organ, the piano, the choirs and the instrumentalists. The church music program seeks to help students glorify and share the word of God through music.

Dr. Jeffrey Blersch - Music

Dr. Jeffrey Blersch, professor of music, loves helping students find and develop their inner musicians. Learn more about Dr. Blersch in this Faculty 5 video.

Concordia University - Music Department

Learn More about Concordia Nebraska’s Music Department.

Resource Articles

Concordia NebraskaChurch Music: Learning Objectives

Students will learn about the vocation of church musician from the ground up, including the philosophy of church music; the role of a church musician working with children, youth and adults; ensemble directing and available resources and professional organizations.

In more advanced courses, students will study hymns of western Christianity, the intersection between literature, design and music history and theological, textual, musical and cultural issues in the Christian Liturgy.​​​

Practical, hands-on courses will help students learn to teach church music, use their instrument or voice to perform, lead and write church music, and create a comprehensive church music program.

Students will complete a service project in church music, designing, carrying out and assessing projects for a local church under the direction of a faculty supervisor.

Concordia NebraskaChurch Music: Program Goals

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Students in the church music program will be able to perform, create, analyze and understand music in its historical, cultural and religious context.

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Students will be able to lead music in a church or worship setting.

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Students will demonstrate an understanding of form, dynamics and style.

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Students will be able to engage members of a congregation to share and hear the word of God through music and worship in order to create a vibrant life of faith.

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Church Music Faculty

As experts in church music, our faculty and instructors bring years of experience to the classroom.

Meet the faculty

Concordia NebraskaChurch Music: FAQs

Concordia Nebraska Church Music: Career Outcomes

Recording Artist

If you love to perform and record music, then you may choose to use your church music degree to pursue a career as a recording artist. You would record worship or Christian songs, either of your own creation or that someone else has written for you. You would likely also perform in live shows. A church music program can help you develop your God-given musical talent into a career.

0.1% Annual Growth Rate2
$30,000 Entry-Level Salary2
$46,744 Mid-Level Salary2
$72,000 Late-Level Salary2

Choir Director

Choir directors compose music and lead performances of vocal and instrumental music, depending on your church or school. As a choir director, you would use your church music degree to select music, conduct rehearsals and encourage your choir to be the best they can be. You may also have administrative tasks, such as scheduling performances, maintaining a calendar, recruiting new members and scheduling practice times. Some choir directors also teach music education classes for their organization.

1% Annual Growth Rate2
$21,640 Entry-Level Salary2
$49,630 Mid-Level Salary2
$112,820 Late-Level Salary2

Composer

Composers write and direct original music. They may also lead an ensemble in a recording session or live performance. With a degree in church music, you would be in a perfect position to create new songs for worship, either hymns or contemporary church music or songs that glorify God. The songs you write might be instrumental, vocal or both. Composers of church music often collaborate as well, to create masterpieces of music that last for a long time. 

1% Annual Growth Rate2
$21,640 Entry-Level Salary2
$49,630 Mid-Level Salary2
$112,820 Late-Level Salary2

Concordia NebraskaChurch Music: Related Programs

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Christian Education Leadership

The Christian education leadership major from Concordia University, Nebraska can help you serve Christ’s church through education as a Director of Christian Education (DCE), youth or camp ministry leader, Christian teacher or as a national or international missionary by equipping you to bring Christian values and leadership to God’s people in a church or school.

Discover the Christian Education Leadership Program

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Music

As a music major at Concordia University, Nebraska, you will participate in ensembles, either choral or instrumental or both, as part of the requirements for your major. Since ensemble participation doesn’t necessarily factor into your official course load, you may find that you have more opportunities within your schedule to take additional electives that interest you to help round out your career options.

Discover the Music Program

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Music Education

A degree in music education from Concordia University, Nebraska prepares you to teach vocal and instrumental music to students K-12 in Lutheran, Christian, private or public schools. Some music teachers instruct students in a certain instrument, while others teach general music classes.

Discover the Music Education Program

1 Recent graduates attending graduate school or employed within six months of graduation.

2 Career salary and wages sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.