Oct 31, 2025  
2025-2026 Western Washington University Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Western Washington University Catalog

Music


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Introduction

The Department of Music advances artistry, creativity, pedagogy, and scholarship as modeled and guided by faculty and realized by the undergraduate and graduate population. We are a collaborative community where the love of music is acted upon with vibrancy and unity.

Our undergraduate majors include the Bachelor of Arts in Music (BA), a general music studies major without a concentration, and the professional-level Bachelor of Music (BMus), which offers four concentration options: Composition, Musicology, Music Education P-12, and Performance. The BMus in Music Education major results in two endorsement areas: P-12 instrumental and general music with a band or strings track, and P-12 choral and general music. Students will apply to the Woodring College of Education after beginning the BMus in Music Education major. Students admitted to Woodring will complete state certification while also enrolled in advanced music coursework. In addition, we offer two music minors: the Minor in Music, which is a general music studies program without a concentration, and the Jazz Studies minor. Interested students are encouraged to review the catalog pages followed by the Prospective Music Students webpage.

We offer a Master of Music degree with concentrations in Composition, Conducting, Musicology, Music Education, and Performance. The MMus program at WWU emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and scholarship, preparing advanced students for a career in music or providing a solid foundation for doctoral studies. Interested students are encouraged to review the Master of Music webpage.

Western Washington University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.

Scholarships

Returning Music Student Scholarships, and Emergency Scholarships. Students are strongly encouraged to review the scholarship criteria on our website to see if they are eligible.

Faculty

TIMOTHY FITZPATRICK (2006) Chair and Professor. BM, Western Washington University; MM, University of Texas-Austin; MM, Western Washington University.
PAUL BAIN (2023) Associate Professor. BME, Pacific Lutheran University; MM, University of Washington.
CHRISTOPHER BIANCO (2006) Dean and Professor. BME, Northwestern University; MM, University of Montana; DMA, the University of Texas-Austin.
PATRICIA BOURNE (2012) Professor. BME, Murray State University; MME, University of Oklahoma; Ed. D, Arizona State University.
GUSTAVO CAMACHO (2014) Associate Professor. BME, New Mexico State University; MM and DMA, Arizona State University.
GRANT DONNELLAN (2000) Professor. BM, Oberlin Conservatory; MM, Yale University.
HEATHER DUDENBOSTEL (2022) Assistant Professor. BM, Western Washington University; MM, New York University.
RYAN DUDENBOSTEL (2014) Professor. BM, Western Washington University; MM, University of Missouri-Kansas City; DMA, UCLA.
MEHRDAD GHOLAMI (2023) Assistant Professor. DMA, MM Texas Christian University; MM, Tehran University; BM, Tehran University.
JEFFREY GILLIAM (1992) Professor. BMus, Eastman School of Music; MMus, University of Michigan.
CHARLES HALKA (2018) Associate Professor. BM and MM, Peabody Conservatory; DMA, Rice University.
BRUCE HAMILTON (2002) Associate Professor. BM, MM, DM, Indiana University.
RICHARD HODGES (2022) Assistant Professor. BM, North Carolina Central University; MM, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; DMA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 
MILICA JELAČA JOVANOVIĆ (2004) Professor. BM, University of Belgrade; MM, Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory; DMA, University of Michigan.
JAMES RAY (2019) Associate Professor. BM, Central Washington University; MA, Western Oregon University; DMA, Boston University.
PATRICK ROULET (1994-2004; 2014) Professor. BM University of Michigan; MM Boston University; DMA, University of Washington.
KEVIN WOODS (2015) Associate Professor. BA, Western Washington University; MM, University of Colorado-Boulder.

Affiliate Music Faculty

HOLLY ALCORN, Senior Instructor, Voice
LAURA CAMACHO, Senior Instructor, Violin
CONNER EISENMENGER, Instructor, Trombone
JOSEPH GOTTESMAN, Instructor, Viola
VINCE GREEN, Senior Instructor, Trumpet
AMY KAVANAUGH, Instructor, Tuba and Euphonium
PEDER MACLELLAN, Instructor, Tuba and Euphonium
REBECCA MANALAC, Collaborative Piano
PAT NELSON, Instructor, Bassoon
HALEY NUTT, Instructor, Musicology
DYLAN PALMER, Instructor, Double Bass
MELISSA PLAGEMANN, Instructor, Voice
HEATHER RAY, Instructor, Musicology
RACHEL ROULET, Collaborative Piano
JAY ROZENDAAL, Senior Instructor, Voice and Opera
ELI SCHILLE-HUDSON, Instructor, Guitar, Music Theory
LUCAS SENGER, Senior Instructor, Online Hip Hop
TODD SMITH, Senior Instructor, Musicology, Composition, Music Theory
LESLEY SOMMER, Senior Instructor, Music Theory
JANET STEINBERG, Instructor, Cello
CAT TOREN, Instructor, Jazz Piano and Ensembles
JENNIFER WEEKS, Instructor, Oboe
JILL WHITMAN, Instructor, Harp
JEANETTE WICKELL, Instructor, Online Survey of World Music
JUDITH WIDRIG, Senior Instructor, Piano, Organ
FRED WINKLER, Senior Instructor, Saxophone
RACHEL YODER, Instructor, Clarinet
KAY ZAVISLAK, Senior Instructor, Piano

Programs

    Undergraduate MajorUndergraduate MinorGraduate

    Courses

      Music

      Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400, 500 are described in the University Academic Policies  section of this catalog.

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