The music program at Howard University has a rich history which may be traced to 1870, when a few courses were offered. In 1892, the program was organized as a stable department of the Normal School, and in 1914 it was established as an independent conservatory.

The School of Music (now Department of Music), under the dynamic leadership of Dean Warner Lawson, was admitted to membership in the National Association of Schools of Music in 1942, the first music program in the Washington area to gain such membership. In January, 1974, the program was reorganized as a department of the College of Fine Arts. Since the merger of the College of Fine Arts and the College of Arts and Sciences in August, 1998, the Department of Music has functioned as one of three arts areas of the Division of Fine Arts of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Howard University Charter, as enacted by Congress and subsequently approved by President Andrew Johnson on March 2, 1867, designated Howard University as "a university for the education of youth in the liberal arts and sciences." The mission of Howard University as a comprehensive, research-oriented, predominantly African-American university is to provide an educational experience of exceptional quality at reasonable cost to students of high academic potential. Particular emphasis is placed upon providing educational opportunities for African-American men and women and for other historically disenfranchised groups. Furthermore, Howard University is dedicated to attracting, sustaining, and developing a cadre of faculty who, through their teaching and research, are committed to producing distinguished and compassionate graduates who seek solutions to human and social problems in the United States and throughout the world.

The mission, goals and objectives of the Department of Music, which are stated below, harmonize with the mission of the University.

Mission

The Howard University Department of Music is a professionally oriented fine arts unit within a historically black private university. Its purpose is to provide musical experience of exceptional quality to students of high artistic and academic potential, with particular emphasis on the provision of educational and cultural opportunities for individuals of African ancestry.

Goals

• To prepare students for professional careers as performers, creators, educators, therapists, scholars, and music industry leaders.
• To provide a wide range of musical activities for the University and the larger community.
• To research, preserve, publicize, and disseminate music of people of African ancestry.

Objectives

• To attract gifted students to the Department of Music through the distinctive quality of curricula and faculty.
• To attract outstanding teachers, performers, and scholars to the faculty of the Department of Music.
• To encourage interdisciplinary relationships within the University through elective courses and musical performances.
• To encourage music students to take advantage of a broad university education.
• To stimulate research in music with emphasis on the African-American musical contribution.
• To maintain and expand the physical facilities and equipment necessary to achieve departmental goals.

Facilities

The Department of Music occupies the third floor and the basement of Lulu Vere Childers Hall, the former College of Fine Arts. The building is a three-story brick and cinder block structure located on the north side of the main campus.

The third floor houses administrative offices of the Department, a 100-125 seat recital hall (containing two grand pianos), 19 faculty offices/studios (each having one or two pianos and a computer), an organ studio, four classrooms for courses in theory, history, education, therapy, and a Smart Room (a 43-seat state-of-the-art classroom that features a console containing a computer, overhead projector, VCR, DVD player, slide projector, and laptop computer; there is also a MIDI keyboard instrument in the room).

In addition, three laboratories are located on the third floor:

• A Keyboard Laboratory consisting of nine electronic pianos.
• A Music Education/Music Therapy Laboratory which consists of a three room suite that houses offices, a material bank, and a viewing room for role playing. The material bank contains books, periodicals, cassette tapes, games, music, recordings, computers, software, overhead and opaque projectors, and musical instruments.
• A Jazz Studies Digital Music Laboratory consisting of multiple work stations that include a computer, keyboard/synthesizer, stereo speakers and headphones. In addition, the laboratory contains recording and playback equipment.
  

The basement area houses a band room, band offices, band storage rooms, five studios, an organ room, and 30 practice rooms, most of which are equipped with an upright or grand piano. The practice rooms are adequate in size, and the ventilation system (forced-air) is satisfactory. A modest amount of sound abatement material is installed on the cinder block walls.

Recent improvements in the Department of Music’s facilities include new heating/air-conditioning units, carpeting, computers in each office, a security system, a Smart Room, window replacement, asbestos removal, painting, new restrooms, and improved lighting.

The Department of Music owns 20 grand pianos, 39 uprights, 10 electronic pianos, two harpsichords, and two organs. Furthermore, the Department receives support from the area of University Services (Office of Choirs and Bands) which provides a wide range of musical instruments that music majors and non-music students throughout the University may be permitted to use. Departmental recitals are usually presented in the third-floor recital hall, and occasionally in Andrew Rankin Chapel where a concert grand and a three-manual organ are available. In addition, the Department of Music may schedule major or large-scale performance activities in 1500-seat Cramton Auditorium or 300-seat Ira Aldridge Theater.