COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS : Degree in Music to Be Offered

Music lovers at College of the Canyons will have an opportunity to transfer their passion into a degree next fall when the school will begin offering an associate of arts degree in music.

The creation of the degree program is the culmination of years of trying to make the community aware that the Santa Clarita Valley college has a music program, said Bernardo Feldman, the college’s music department chairman.

“That’s part of the problem,” he said. “People say, ‘COC? Forget it!’ They don’t know we have it. That’s why it took four years to get it off the ground. But it’s definitely moving.”

When Feldman took over the position in 1989, the music department offered five classes. Since then, he has slowly been adding classes.

With the addition of the two-year degree, the department will have 21 classes next fall, including two advanced keyboard classes that will complete the degree requirements.

“Since we’ve been adding classes, the number of students interested in a degree has been increasing dramatically,” Feldman said. “Many of them didn’t even know a degree in music was possible.”

Ricanne Durang, 20, is one of those music students who will benefit from the new degree program.

“It better prepares me for a four-year university,” she said. “You have more musical background to work with.”

Even though the more advanced classes for the degree will not be available until next fall, Feldman said interested student should enroll in music classes during the spring semester.

“If you’re going to take a degree program that takes two years, there’s no reason to wait. Courses are already available in the major,” he said.

The program has been able to expand despite state budget cuts for community colleges because of administration and community support. Feldman said the Santa Clarita Youth Orchestra Foundation has donated thousands of dollars to the department to help pay for everything from scholarships to teaching assistants.

In return for the support, Feldman is planning a musical thank you for the community and is recruiting local musicians to play in the new College of the Canyons Symphony Orchestra, forming in January.

“People in the community or students who are qualified to play in an orchestra, we’re dying to get our hands on them,” Feldman said.