Musicians on Mission

What can you do with a music major?

For over ninety years, our graduates have been impacting lives for Christ in a variety of music-related careers and ministries. Here are just a few of the opportunities you'll have as you join their ranks.

Private music instructor
Freelance or contract performer
Music minister
Concert promoter
Arts management or administration
Artist representation
Music librarian
Military ensemble musician
Recording artist
Composer and arranger
Public school music teacher (with BME degree & licensure)
University music professor (with graduate school)
Music Therapist (with graduate school)

See ONETOnLine for more information on careers and employment opportunities.

Graduate Success Highlights

Stephanie Allen (BS Music Education, '07) completed a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Minnesota on May 4, 2019.

Pianist Jacob Bernhardt (BMus Keyboard Performance, ’17) completed a master’s degree in collaborative piano at the Cleveland Institute of Music. 

Alana Carithers (BMus Violin Performance, ’97) is a violinist in the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and is a regular member of the Oberon Quartet, Atlantic Chamber Ensemble, and ClassicalRevolutionRVA.

Lydia Carroll (BMus Flute Performance, '12) completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in Flute Performance from James Madison University.

Catherine Collins (BMus Voice Performance, '16) completed a Master of Music in Opera Performance from the Manhattan School of Music on May 10, 2019.

Caleb Cox (BMus Viola Performance, '15) completed a Master of Music in Viola Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Benjamin Downs (BMus Piano Performance, '03) was appointed Director of the Pre-Conservatory Music Program at Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, Minnesota.

Captain Joel DuBois (BMus Orchestral Instrument Performance, ’98) is Associate Bandmaster at the United States Army Field Band at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. 

World-renowned composer Dan Forrest (BMus Piano Performance, ’99) recently marked the first release of his music on a major record label: “The Sun Never Says” is included on VOCES8’s new album, Enchanted Isle, on the Decca label.

Tim Garcia (BS Music Education, '12; MME, '14) has accepted the position of Director of Bands at Morrison Academy Taipei, in Taipei City, Taiwan. Tim will begin teaching 5th-12th grade band and chorus in the fall of 2019.

Phil Golson (BS Music Education, ’93) is President and Director of Garden Route Arts, Communication and Education (GRACE, Inc.) in Knysna, South Africa, where he leads arts education outreach efforts in collaboration with Knysna Hope and other charitable organizations.

Stephen Hawkey (BMus Cello Performance, '18) recently won a chair in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra cello section. Stephen is pursuing a master's degree in cello performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Stephen studied with Yuriy Leonovich at BJU. 

Dan Kreider (BMus Piano Performance, ’03), minister of music at Grace Immanuel Bible Church, recently published Sing the Wonders: Hymns and Psalms for the Church.

Daniel Minnick (BMus Keyboard Performance, ’13) completed a Master of Music in organ and is pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts in organ performance and literature at Eastman School of Music.

Matthew Odell (BMus Piano Performance, '01) teaches piano and vocal arts in The Julliard School pre-college and evening divisions. Odell frequently presents master classes, workshops, and lectures at professional conferences and universities throughout the U.S. and Europe. In May 2010, he graduated with a DMA from Juilliard, where he studied with Margo Garrett, Jonathan Feldman, and Brian Zeger. He also studied with Marian Hahn at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Karl-Heinz Kämmerling at the Mozarteum Sommerakademie, Ann Schein at the Aspen Music Festival, and Laurence Morton at Bob Jones University.

Daniel Overly (BMus Piano Performance, ’12) is Visiting Assistant Professor in the Chamber and Collaborative Music department at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He also recently joined the collaborative piano staff at the Aspen Music Festival and School. He was formerly a Collaborative Piano Fellow at the Yale School of Music.

Nathan Phillips (BS Music Education, '14) completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance from UNC-Greensboro on May 9, 2019.

Music educator Kathryn Polley (BS Music Education, ’15) was recently named Teacher of the Year at August Circle Elementary School.

Baritone Timothy Renner (BS Music Education, '09) debuts with the Kansas City Lyric Opera in La bohème in the role of Marcello, November 2019. Recent engagements include Alidoro in La cenerentola at Bob Jones University, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus at Vero Beach Opera, Germont in La traviata with Opera Columbus, Escamillo in Carmen with the New National Theatre Tokyo, and Zurga in Les pêcheurs de perles with Opera Tampa.

Stephanie Shelburne (BMus Voice Performance, '19) was accepted into the master's degree program in voice performance at University of Illinois--Urbana Champaign.

Ethan Vincent (BMus Voice Performance, '13) was recently awarded 1st prize ($10,000) and the audience favorite award at the Young Patroness of the Opera Competition in Miami, FL.