HPUMC to Shape Young Musicians in College
With roughly 20 students and a campus across from a church, Visible Music College is anything but traditional.
Described as “an accredited music industry and worship arts college,” the new Dallas campus is the third in the Visible Music family — the first opened in 2000 in Memphis, while the second found its home in Chicago last year.
“We were looking at where our students were coming from, and there were many from the Midwest and lots from Texas. It was the logical next step,” said director of academics
Tommy Lozure.
The campus centers around Munger Place Church in Lakewood, a satellite campus of Highland Park United Methodist Church.
In terms of academics, Visible Music College offers a four-year bachelor’s degree that focuses in one of three areas: music production, music business, and modern music performance. Using classroom space on the church’s campus across a driveway from the sanctuary, there are no dormitories, library, laundry facilities, or dining hall. But each of the college’s campuses arranges partnerships with apartment complexes close to the campus, and Lozure hopes that a library is in the campus’ future.
A key part of the Visible Music College experience is spiritual — after all, the college is founded in music’s tie to Christian worship. But the program isn’t just for students who want to become worship leaders or youth group leaders for churches; it’s for anyone with a passion for music. The college is not associated with any certain denomination, though faculty and staff feel that the spiritual growth of each student is an important component of their education.
“I really want to train people to help them get off to a stronger and more capable start,” said Christian artist Todd Agnew, who will teach theology of worship and worship-leadership specialization.
Classes begin on Aug. 26. Lozure said the campus hopes to grow to 150 students in the coming years. But for now, it’s starting small and spreading the word. Some students will head off to music careers, while others may go on staff with a church or continue to a seminary.
“Visible has the unique opportunity to equip these students who have a dream and a goal that God wants to use them in the music field,” Agnew said. “We want to help you on your journey.”
