Casper College has a robust Music Department with many more opportunities than a typical two-year school and rivals many four-year programs as well. Hone your skills on your primary instrument with one-on-one lessons, be a vital part of excellent ensembles directed by top-notch faculty and get the foundational training that you need to successfully transfer and complete a bachelor’s degree in either music performance, education, or composition. The first two years at Casper College includes the entire music core courses in music theory, history, and piano skills, fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Our associate degrees have been tailored to transfer easily to four-year programs. The A.A. degree offers multiple concentrations based on your goals—choose from Vocal or Instrumental Performance, Music Education, or Composition. We also offer a certificate program in the Art of Sound Recording that can be completed in as little as one year or completed alongside another degree.
Casper College is a national leader in “affordable excellence,” consistently ranking as one of the best values for higher education in Wyoming. We are committed to helping you understand the investment you are making in your future by providing transparent cost information and personalized support. While individual costs vary based on residency and course load, many students use a combination of federal grants, the Hathaway Scholarship, and other funding sources to help manage their educational expenses.
We encourage you to use our net price calculator and contact our financial aid office for a customized estimate of your costs and aid eligibility.
An associate’s degree in music develops your skills and disciplines to become a professional in the field of music. Many of the careers require additional training at the bachelor’s level, but quite a few paths are available with no further training.
At Casper College, we continuously evaluate our Music A.A. degrees to keep them transfer-ready into four-year institutions. By starting at CC, you can benefit from participating in the top ensembles right away, saving money while building your skills to make you competitive when you transfer. Learn more at Transfer Agreements.
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Open to all students with experience on brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments.
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
This laboratory group is open to all students with previous instrumental music experience. The jazz ensemble performs at assemblies, concerts, shows, and on tour.
Prerequisites: Experience in music, preferably jazz. Students should be proficient on one of the following instruments: saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, drums, or piano.
Collegiate Chorale (MUSC 1400) is a non-auditioned ensemble made up of music majors, scholarship singers, other CC students from all over campus, and community members. It rehearses on Monday evenings and performs 2-3 times a semester. In addition to standard choral repertoire, Chorale regularly performs in collaborations like the annual Christmas Tapestry, Music of the Masters, and with the Wyoming Symphony. Directed by Dr. Zachary Vreeman, vreeman@caspercollege.edu
Chamber Singers (MUSC 1412) is the auditioned flagship ensemble of Casper College Choirs. It is the primary ensemble for music majors and scholarship singers but is open by audition to anyone in the CC community. Chamber Singers rehearses 4 times a week and performs 2-4 times a semester, including occasional regional touring and regular collaborations in Christmas Tapestry, Music of the Masters, and Wyoming Symphony performances. Directed by Dr. Zachary Vreeman, vreeman@caspercollege.edu
A performance-based class designed to provide experience and opportunities for singers interested in exploring the genre. Students will learn basic performance techniques and will improve their dramatic abilities through the performance of an operatic scene.
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Vocal Ensemble/Contemporary Singers (MUSC 1410) is an auditioned ensemble for students who enjoy singing in jazz and contemporary styles. They participate in Jazz Night concerts each semester and perform at the Kinser Jazz Festival each February. Though not required, most singers in “Triple-C” are also members of Chamber Singers. Rehearsals twice a week, performances 2-3 times per semester. Directed by Dr. Zachary Vreeman, vreeman@caspercollege.edu
A performance class open to all string players on campus. This course is designed to cover a variety of literature from primarily the Baroque era.
Open to all students on campus, BOCES students and community members regardless of their field of study.
Designed to provide students with training in the ideal medium of chamber music (small ensembles, such as trio, string quartet, etc…), where they can apply and integrate all elements of their musical knowledge.
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Nathan Baker - Music Theory, Low Brass Instructor
Larry Burger - Sound Design & Audio Engineer Educator
Eugenie Burkett - Adjunct Percussion Instructor
Gary DePaolo - AdjunctViola Instructor
Jennifer DePaolo - Violin Instructor, Chamber Orchestra Director, NASM Coordinator
Paula Flynn - Class Piano, Piano Adjunct Instructor, Accompanist
Jane Hamman - Adjunct Harp Instructor
Joshua Mietz - Clarinet and Saxophone Instructor, College Band Director, Jazz Ensemble Director, Executive Director of Kinser Jazz Festival
Eirik Haugbro - Adjunct Bass Instructor
Delores Thornton - Adjunct Flute Instructor
Veronica Turner - Adjunct Voice Instructor
Zachary Vreeman - Academic Chair, Music, Theatre, and Dance, Collegiate Chorale Director, Chamber Singers Director, Contemporary Singers Director, Instructor
Don Williams - Adjunct Trumpet Instructor
Tim Jones - Adjunct Cello Instructor
Ethan Lorentz - Adjunct Guitar Instructor
Fill out our simple Music Activity scholarship form, and set up an in-person audition by contacting us at music@caspercollege.edu, or directly with one of the ensemble directors. If you are unable to come to campus, you can alternatively upload a video with the scholarship form.
Not at all! Activity Scholarships are regularly awarded to full-time students studying in a wide variety of programs, not just music majors.
Activity Scholarships are available to students from any major and are awarded in exchange for participating in our ensembles and taking private lessons, and there is no closing date on the application. CC Foundation scholarships are often program-specific, so the music scholarships there generally require a student to be a music major. Any incoming student should apply for scholarships through the Foundation as well, and the fall application closes March 1.
Activity Scholarships for the upcoming Fall Semester are awarded beginning December 1, and the awards are first-come, first-served. We encourage students to complete their applications before the end of November for full consideration. That said, there is typically money available and Activity Scholarships can be awarded at any time, so we will accept applications throughout the spring and summer months also.
Yes! Music Activity Scholarships are renewable if you meet the requirements outlined in the contracts. Most recipients receive the scholarship for all four semesters of their programs, and with approval, you can be eligible for additional semesters beyond four.
Requirements are various depending on the ensemble and ensemble director. Basic information is included in the catalog description of each ensemble. Some are open with no audition, but several require instructor permission—reach out to the ensemble director directly for more information or email music@caspercollege.edu.
Absolutely! We have specifically scheduled Collegiate Chorale, College Band, Chamber Orchestra, and Jazz Ensemble in the evenings to make it more possible for community members to take part. Some ensembles meet during the day and are less likely to work with schedules, but even those are open to participation from the community.
Compared to our peers, Casper College has world-class music facilities, including the acoustically stunning, 417-seat Wheeler Concert Hall. There are three large ensemble rehearsal rooms customized to the needs of choral, instrumental, and percussion rehearsal. Students also have access to practice rooms, a fleet of excellent pianos and a piano lab, and a state-of-the-art recording studio.
Yes! Students enrolled in studio lessons or ensembles have the opportunity to rent instruments from the college for reasonable fees. Contact the Music Office for availability.
Casper College is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, which means that our program is constantly measured against national standards for quality and rigor. For students, this means that you can be sure that CC’s program continues to meet a high bar, and your degrees often transfer more readily into Bachelor’s degree programs, especially to other NASM-accredited schools.
Dr. Vreeman continually challenged me to take on repertoire I never imagined I could learn or perform, pushing me to a higher level than I thought possible. My experiences in Triple C and the other choirs at Casper College remain some of my best musical and college memories.
Director of Bands
Sound and Recording Instructor
Academic Chair for Music, Theatre and Dance
Adjunct Faculty — Piano Instructor
Music Instructor
Fine Arts and Humanities Academic Assistant
Adjunct Faculty — Voice Instructor
Music Instructor
Dean, School of Fine Arts and Humanities
