Cline School of Music

About the Cline School of Music

North Greenville University offers professional degrees within a strong liberal arts setting with the bachelor of arts in music worship studies, music education, and music performance. In addition, the University offers the liberal arts bachelor of arts in music, which has a large number of elective courses available to give the student freedom to explore other areas of interest. The four components of theoretical skills, style recognition, basic keyboard proficiency, and performance proficiency are inter-related, working together to provide the experiences necessary for the development of effective musicians. Additional components are found in the specialized areas of church music, music education, and performance.

All students in the music program are required to complete a core curriculum that ensures a broad exposure to our intellectual heritage. The studies include English language and literature, communication (via student recital performance requirements), mathematics and/or computer science, foreign culture, humanities, natural and/or physical sciences, history, religion, social science, physical education, and cultural experiences. The program is intended to integrate liberal arts background study with music studies to develop well-qualified musicians.

North Greenville University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music. In addition, the University is an “All Steinway” institution.

Our Mission

The mission of the music program is to enrich the cultural experiences of the general student body and to prepare students for the professional practice of music. Included is the desire to develop musicians who possess the knowledge, skills, and behavior that foster competence in the field. 
To this end the school of music has the following goals:

• To be a vital, contributing member of the local and campus community.
• To assist students to develop cognitive skills in order to be successful musicians in the field or in graduate school.
• To provide opportunities for solo and ensemble performances utilizing a wide range of repertoire.
• To provide concerts, recitals, and master classes that include guest artists in order to expose students to high levels of artistry.
• To work toward strong relationships between the music program and area schools and churches.

Our Facilities

The Hayes Christian Fine Arts Center was completed in 2001 and renovated in 2024.  The facility houses faculty offices, a choral rehearsal hall, band rehearsal hall, and the Hamlin recital hall. Student practice rooms in the rear of Turner Chapel received renovation in 2024 as well. Turner Chapel is also home to a 52 rank Reuter organ.

Hamlin Recital Hall seats approximately 260. The choral room seats approximately 65. The instrumental rehearsal hall seats approximately 100.

During the spring of 2024 the CSOM also opened a state of the art, thirteen-station, Apple Mac lab. The room is equipped to function as both a piano lab as well as a technology lab with many current software titles including Finale, Dorico, Pro-Tools, and many others.

NASM Accreditation

National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) accreditation is among the most highly respected in higher education. It was founded in 1924 for the purpose of securing a better understanding among institutions of higher education engaged in work in music; of establishing a more uniform method of granting credit; and of setting minimum standards for the granting of degrees and other credentials.

NASM has been recognized by the United States Department of Education as the agency responsible for the accreditation of all music curricula. The Association has also been recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation and is a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors.

National Association of Schools of Music
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21
Reston, Virginia 20190
Phone: 703.437.0700

All-Steinway Institution

The music program of North Greenville University continues to grow in excellence and commitment. North Greenville University has been designated as an “All Steinway” institution. NGU is the first Baptist institution, and the second institution in South Carolina to attain this honor.

Dr. Martha Cline made this possible through her continued support of the musical mission of the university. Dr. Cline was steadfast in her commitment to a quality musical education for future church musicians, music educators, performers, and composers. She understood that quality education not only relies on quality teaching but on quality equipment and that the piano is the backbone of any music program.

North Greenville University has pursued the “All Steinway” status because it strives to provide students and faculty with the best equipment possible for the study of music. This commitment reflects the institution’s commitment to its mission  – “academic excellence in a Biblically sound, Christ-centered environment,” and its vision for the future.

Pianos are the basic tool of any music program. They are needed for teaching, practice, and performance. Prospective music students visiting our campus are always interested in seeing the practice rooms, for they know much of their time will be spent there. They can rest assured that the Steinway inventory reflects NGU’s commitment to excellence and to its mission, as well as its desire to invest in the music leaders of the future.

Students benefit more than anyone when an institution has quality professors and equipment. At NGU students come first, and what better way to express the mission of the institution than to be an “All Steinway” school. The university would never send its athletic teams on the field with inferior equipment. Neither does it want to do that in any academic discipline. NGU wants our students to have the best education possible and to give them the best equipment with which to train. Steinways have long been known for their quality and durability.

Steinway instruments are important to performance. Steinways are still handcrafted and display a quality that allows students and faculty to artistically perform the music of the past, present, and future. Professors and students prefer the Steinway above all other performing instruments because of its quality, durability, and tradition. They realize that when they play a Steinway, they are playing the finest piano in the world.

From the practice room to the recital hall, incomparable sound and performance make Steinway the piano of choice for schools like North Greenville University.