Fast Facts
Mission
The mission of the Department of Performing Arts and Technology is to provide an accessible and inclusive environment where all NC State students have opportunities to develop skills and knowledge, which prepare them for a lifetime of arts engagement and a variety of careers. We cultivate this environment through excellence in teaching, performance, service, outreach, and creative and scholarly work in arts entrepreneurship, dance, music, and music technology.
Goals
- Promote diversity, belonging, and well-being in an accessible, student-centered environment through arts entrepreneurship, dance, music, and music technology
- Cultivate an understanding of artistic concepts and processes through investigation, innovation, and collaboration
- Create a dynamic department through impactful artistic and scholarly activity
- Serve as a cultural resource through performances, scholarship, partnerships, and other programming with the university and community
History
The Department of Music at NC State was established in 1924, though its origins can be traced to the first drum and bugle corps, formed in 1898 to perform for the university’s ROTC military parades. Percy W. Price – the namesake of Price Music Center – arrived at NC State in 1916 to teach in the textile school, and quickly took on duties with the college band. When the department was created in 1924, he was named as the first director.
The Dance Program was founded in 1986, organizationally housed with the other arts units under the University Student Center, part of the (then) Division of Student Affairs. At that time, a few beginning-level technique classes were offered by the Department of Physical Education (now Department of Health and Exercise Studies). The Dance Program has been the home of NC State’s two academic dance companies: the State Dance Company (formerly the NCSU Dance Company), founded in 1987 and focused on modern dance; and Panoramic Dance Project, a company that explores a range of dance styles from the African diaspora.
As dance offerings were expanded in the Department of Health and Exercise Studies, a dance minor was created in 2016. This 16-credit hour minor was designed for students who wanted to delve deeper into dance studies in an intellectual, creative and practical capacity to propel them forward in career, service and artistry.
In 2023, the dance faculty from the Department of Health and Exercise Studies and the Dance Program merged with the faculty from the Department of Music, forming the Department of Performing Arts and Technology.
People
- Ten faculty
- 26 part-time lecturers
- Three support staff
Facilities
Price Music Center (built in 1972) has 21,525 square feet that is used for:
- Classroom instruction
- Individual student instruction
- Ensemble rehearsals
- Individual student practice
- Faculty and staff offices
The department utilizes spaces in Wellness and Recreation Center and Carmichael Gym for:
- Classroom instruction
- Movement courses
- Company rehearsals
- Faculty and staff offices
The department also has office and classroom space in the south wing of Broughton Hall, including:
- Faculty and staff offices
- Music labs
- Digital audio workstations
Programs and Curricula
Last updated: August 9, 2024