Center Stage at Barnard

For those young women seeking an excellent education, with a strong emphasis in the liberal arts, at a small, top-rated private institution of higher learning, Barnard ranks high, a fact borne out by the increasing number of applicants each year.

For those who are seeking all the above, as well as a potential path to a career in the performance arts of theatre, music, or dance, the College is irresistible. In the following several pages we offer an overview of these three departments and show why Barnard lures so many potential students to its jewel-box of a campus: The combination of the College’s outstanding offerings and its location in a world-class performance arts capital is electric.

Theatre

Alice Brady Pels Professor in the Arts and Chair of the department W. B. Worthen readily cites the advantages of studying theatre at Barnard: Not only is there an emphasis on performance and artistry, but there is demanding course work in the history and theory of performance that includes theatre history, dramatic literature, and global traditions.          Read more...

Music

Musicianship is a life skill one can enjoy forever, says Barnard’s Director of Music Gail Archer, a choral performer and a professional organist as well as a conductor. Making her way in fields largely dominated by men, she describes herself as “determined, but joyful,” and has high praise for the “energizing camaraderie of music.” Read more...

Dance

Mary Cochran, chair and artistic director of Barnard’s dance department and a former soloist with the Paul Taylor Dance Company (1984-1996), is a dynamic and energizing presence—one whose influence on the program since joining the Barnard faculty, in 2003, has been profound. Read more...

- Annette Kahn