University of South Carolina launches bachelor concentration and certificate tracks for teaching artistry

The University of South Carolina School of Music announced a new bachelor of music performance degree with a concentration in teaching artistry and said it is developing a separate certificate for community-based practitioners.

Hassan Anderson, assistant professor of oboe and coordinator of teaching artistry at the University of South Carolina School of Music, told the webinar hosted by the South Carolina Arts Commission that the undergraduate concentration requires 12 credits, with six designated as required courses, and will be the first program of its kind in the nation, aimed at preparing performance majors with classroom and community teaching skills.

Anderson said the program grew from a 2019 Yale symposium discussion about teaching artistry and a subsequent internal effort at USC to create an “artist training track” that combines performance training with pedagogical skills, curriculum planning and classroom management. He described two existing courses: MUSC 5660, an introduction to teaching artistry, and MUSC 5661, a teaching methods and practicum course. He said those courses informed the development of the concentration.

Anderson also described a planned certificate for community practitioners — pastors, retirees and other professionals — that would total 12 credits and be offered in flexible terms (fall, spring or summer). He said the certificate is intended to credential community members who deliver arts instruction and to support rural music education through donor-backed funding currently under discussion.

The University is also planning a statewide teaching artist forum for Sept. 7, 2024, hosted at USC. Anderson named Glenys Redmond as keynote speaker and said the forum intends to attract teaching artists from across South Carolina for professional learning and networking.

Anderson invited interested non-degree learners to audit the courses or attend as guests and offered to share syllabi on request. He said the program’s goals include bridging the gap between conservatory performance training and skills needed to teach in both classroom and community settings.

The announcement came during a panel on resources for teaching artists that included state, regional, national and international organizations.

Looking ahead, Anderson said USC will continue refining the curriculum and asked for input from practicing teaching artists about gaps in training so graduates are ready to work on “day one.”