FAMU rebuilds commercial music program

FAMU’s Department of Music has celebrity-level recognition in the song industry. Grammy recipients Prince and Kanye West are just two of the chart-topping artists who’ve asked FAMU’s Marching 100 to perform with them on national television.

However, on-campus opportunities to learn about the music business have been severely limited since the 1990s, when the recording equipment from FAMU’s commercial music program was stolen.

That’s changing now. The university recently purchased more than $50,000 of new professional recording hardware and software in order to revitalize the program.

"We are very excited,” said Lindsey B. Sarjeant, director of jazz and commercial music studies. "This will be one of the most successful majors in a long time."

Sarjeant said that he plans to have the program approved by the fall of this year. Interviews are being conducted to fill a faculty position for the technological aspect of the program, he added.

Diron T. Holloway, a professor of applied saxophone and a professional jazz musician, shares Sarjeant’s high hopes. "I think it will attract people to the school and bring notoriety," he said. "It is an excellent addition to the department."

As planning continues, the faculty will decide whether to split jazz studies and commercial music into two degree paths. However, if that does occur, Sarjeant said both will remain "married to each other," because of an emphasis on musicianship. "People must be musicians first and technicians second," he said.

The new degree will add courses to the existing curriculum such as studio recording techniques, midi synthesis, film scoring and a course in hip hop. Present music facilities will undergo minor renovations to accommodate for the new program. The school's music library will be converted into a master lab studio, and other vacant rooms will be used as editing facilities.

Patrick Nunn, a senior jazz studies/commercial music student, said he is happy to see FAMU update the facilities. "I'm glad future students can have somewhere to record without having to go across the tracks," he said.

Besides updated facilities, the new program will afford students internship opportunities at music companies that include LaFace, Arista and Universal Records. Sarjeant confirmed that the program is also “in the process of rekindling” a relationship it previously had with Disney.