Music Department
Mission Statement
The Music Department of Bethel College endeavors to assist students in the development of their talents so they may glorify God by enjoying the great gift of music and by using that gift to worship and serve Him.
Believing music to be a gift from God which reflects His goodness to us, we seek to foster musical and spiritual growth in a nurturing environment for all members of the college community and the community at large. We strive to prepare qualified individuals for servant leadership in church music, music education and music performance.
Whether performing or teaching, leading or following; whether private or public, sacred or secular, music can be a vehicle for drawing people to God and into an acute awareness of His presence. To this end we dedicate ourselves.
Music Importance
Historically, music has always been an important component in educational curricula. To the ancient Greeks, the function of education was to develop the mind, the body, and the soul. To accomplish these goals, early Greek education required oratory for the mind, gymnastics for the body, and music for the soul. Pythagorus believed that musical "laws and ratios" were the same as those controlling the universe. Music was also viewed as a moral force that affected the character of men. The "Doctrine of Ethos" stated that certain types of music could positively (or negatively) change the will and character of people. Music was considered a force that affected everything which existed, and as a result one can find in Greek mythology many feats and miracles attributed to musicians. Later, during the Middle Ages, music assumed its place in the quadrivium which constituted the higher division of the seven liberal arts (arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, and music).
