Major Projects in Music

Dear SNC Music Community,

The music students and faculty of St. Norbert College have returned to campus this Fall with great energy and a renewed sense of purpose. I am proud to relay that our most recent alumni in music education once again secured positions upon graduation to maintain our record of 100% job placement. Last year, we built on our tradition of excellence in band, choir, orchestra, and jazz by pioneering the pep band and jam band. We also invigorated our curriculum with new courses in music entrepreneurship, and music technology. This year––we are sharpening our focus on the areas where our faculty, resources, and Catholic mission intersect to serve our current and future students better than ever before.

First, we plan to further establish St. Norbert College as Wisconsin’s premiere center for Catholic sacred music. In addition to yearly staples such as Festival of Christmas and choral Sacred Music Concerts, we are adding more opportunities for students, such as our touring Sacred Music Ensemble and Sacred Composition Initiative. In collaboration with our campus parish, we just hosted our first ever Sacred Music Day for high school students; in addition, our annual High School Choral Festival will feature a new commissioned work on a text of St. Hildegard von Bingen by renowned composer Ryan Main. We remain committed to serving our local Catholic schools: on top of our alumni and faculty holding regular teaching positions in the GRACE system, we recently hosted our first GRACE Band Day in May and will host GRACE Choral Day this Fall. Finally, our proposed Sacred Music Major will go before the Board of Trustees for final approval this October (update: approved).

Secondly, SNC is leading the way in popular music performance and pedagogy. Since starting up in Spring 2025, the Jam Bands have been immensely popular amongst students from all over campus. Taught through the “modern band approach,” students learn to play and teach music they are passionate about that doesn’t typically find a home in the traditional band, choir, and orchestra classrooms. To supplement the instrumental and vocal music education programs, SNC students have the option to perform in the Jam Bands and learn teaching techniques that will help them reach the broadest range of students.

If you are one who shares our vision for the future of music at SNC, there are many ways to partner with us. The most important way you can help is to let prospective college students, particularly those interested in music education, know that the music department at SNC is moving forward and guiding our students towards meaningful lives of service to the world. If you are moved to donate, we will be grateful for your gift to the SNC Music Fund.

I hope to see you at a concert soon,

John Hennecken, DMA

Music Program Director

Dear SNC Music Community

Although St. Norbert College is facing challenges, our music students and faculty are continuing to make great progress. We are accomplishing more than ever, with exciting new initiatives and ongoing growth.

I would like to share some of our successful ongoing initiatives. Our students continue to benefit from our growing curricular portfolio; this past fall, we started a Pep Band that performed at football, basketball, and volleyball games. We also pioneered our Music Entrepreneurship class, educating students in a range of business topics essential to their future careers. This spring, students interested in popular music and technology are exploring their creativity in new courses such as Jam Band and Beatmaking and Production. Always true to our mission, we will host the first GRACE Honor Band for our local Catholic school music students later this spring.

At last year’s Honors Recital, Dr. Natasha Verhulst (class of 2015) was presented with our first SNC Music Distinguished Alumni Award for her outstanding contributions to the field of music education and exemplary teaching. This year, we are seeking nominations from you––please nominate an SNC music alumnus who should be recognized for their achievements. We hope you will consider joining us on May 5 at 7pm in Birder Hall for this year’s Honors Recital to help us celebrate our students both past and present. Our full spring concert season is available here.

This academic year marks our first fundraising campaign in the academic music department. We exceeded our goal during the fall and have been able to make key investments in music education instructional materials, pep band equipment, orchestral instruments, and music technology. Thank you to all who have supported our program! You can partner with us in our shared mission to educate our students at the highest level and bring great music to the SNC community by giving to the SNC Music Fund. Our goal is to raise $5,000 by the end of the spring semester to continue improving the Walter Theater for our student performing groups and community.

Please reach out with any insights or questions you may have, and I hope to see you at a concert soon,

John Hennecken, DMA

Music Program Director

St. Norbert College