Mr. Michael T. Schmidt, Interim Dean
Room 2004, Fine Arts Building
The College of the Arts at Valdosta State University includes the Department of Art and Design, the Department of Communication Arts, and the Department of Music. This organization of the disciplines of the performing arts, communication arts, and visual arts into one academic unit reflects a traditional and continuing commitment by Valdosta State University to provide cultural enrichment in the lives of the students and other citizens of Georgia. The College of the Arts maintains a calendar of performing arts, visual arts, television, and radio programming, and other arts activities that are available to students, faculty, and the general public.
In addition, many of the performances and exhibitions created by the College of the Arts are presented off-campus in schools and communities of the region. Every Valdosta State University student is invited to explore membership in performance activities such as band, theatre, and other student organizations associated with the academic departments of the College and to enroll in courses, regardless of major.
Academic programs of the College of the Arts include professional preparation in music, art, theatre, speech, public relations, organizational communication, and media production. Liberal arts programs with majors in arts disciplines are also available in several areas. Minors are offered in art, dance, music, speech, and theatre. Degree offerings include the Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Bachelor of Music, the Master of Arts in Communication, the Master of Music Education, and the Master of Music Performance degrees. The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in art or in music is offered in conjunction with the College of Arts and Sciences. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in art education is offered in conjunction with the Dewar College of Education and Human Services.
Valdosta State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and of the National Association of Schools of Theatre. Also in the College of the Arts, programs in music are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.The B.F.A. in Communication focusing in Public Relations is accredited by the Public Relations Student Society of America Certificate in Education for Public Relations. Teacher preparation programs at Valdosta State University meet Georgia certification requirements of the Professional Standards Commission and are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
Activities Sponsored by the College of the Arts
Fine arts activities in each department of the College are open to participation by all students. These include:
The Wind Ensemble is VSU’s premiere wind/percussion ensemble and is open to all students by audition. The Wind Ensemble presents several concerts each year with repertoire ranging from traditional to contemporary music for full instrumentation or large chamber ensemble. It meets both fall and spring semesters. The Concert Band is open to all VSU students. An audition is not required for participation, but a chair-placement audition may be held at the beginning of the semester. It meets only during spring semester.
The Blazin’ Brigade Marching Band is one of the largest and most spirited student organizations on campus. In addition to performing at Blazer football games, the Blazin’ Brigade is often invited to perform as an exhibition group at high school marching contests around the state and at other special events. The band is open to all brass and woodwind players without audition and to all percussionists with a camp in early summer to determine part assignment. Auditions for color guard and dance line are held each year in the early summer. This class meets only during the fall semester.
The Jazz Ensemble and New Jazz Ensemble are the premier performing ensembles in the jazz area and are open to all students by audition. The groups perform repertoire ranging from big band era standards to contemporary and original compositions. The Jazz Combos are small performing groups composed of five to eight players open to all students by audition. The combos perform materials from the traditional and contemporary jazz repertoire with emphasis on small group performing skills and jazz improvisation.
The Valdosta Symphony Orchestra is a professional orchestra in residence at VSU made up of resident artist-faculty, VSU students, and carefully selected professionals from a five-state region. All qualified students are eligible through audition. The orchestra annually presents a subscription season of four concerts, a youth concert series, regional performances, and special concerts for the community. The String Ensemble is open to any VSU student by permission of the instructor.
The Concert Choir is open to all university students and does not require an audition. The Chamber Singers is the premier auditioned choral group at VSU and performs the highest level of choral music. The Chamber Singers is the primary choral ensemble, touring throughout Georgia annually and internationally every three years.
The Spotlighters is VSU’s vocal jazz ensemble open to students by audition. This group specializes in vocal jazz and collegiate a cappella works. All three choral groups perform several times throughout the year and often combine to present large-scale works with the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra.
Valdosta State University Opera presents one main stage production with orchestra and one scenes production annually. Innovative productions of major repertoire are mounted in collaboration with the Communication Arts Department and the Art Department. Faculty and guest professionals appear along with students, and participation is open by audition to students of all majors.
The Pan-American Ensemble allows students to become acquainted with the folk music of various cultures of the western hemisphere such as Argentine tango, Brazilian choros, Bluegrass, music from the Andean Mountains, Afro-Cuban music, salsa, and Mexican mariachi. These experiences culminate in semester-ending concerts and other performances. Open to students of all majors.
Woodwind ensembles, brass quintets, and string quartets and other string chamber ensembles are also offered for credit. Participation is open by audition to students of all majors.
VSU Theatre presents seven full-scale theatrical productions each year including period drama, musical theatre, theatre for youth, dance concerts, chamber theatre, original plays, and recent important works from the world of theatre. Participation in all aspects of VSU Theatre is open to all students.
The VSU Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery, located on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building, presents an ambitious program of eight to nine exhibitions each academic year. Among the exhibits are works by artists of national and international rank, group exhibitions, a national juried show, Valdosta National, several student shows, and the annual art faculty exhibition. Openings and receptions are generally held for each exhibit; all university students are invited to attend the openings, meet the artists when they are present, and view the exhibitions during the scheduled hours of the gallery. Many students find the gallery a stimulating and exciting place to learn about art and its representation of life.
