Otterbein Launches Commercial Music Major for Today’s Musicians

By Kennedy Berry ’27

Otterbein University is expanding its music offerings with the launch of a new Commercial Music major within the Bachelor of Arts in Music program. The major is designed for students whose musical interests go beyond traditional ensembles and who want a flexible path that reflects how music careers work today.

The Commercial Music track gives students a clear way to study performance, songwriting, production, and other areas of modern music within the existing music program.

Associate Professor Michael Yonchak said the program builds on work the department has been doing for years. Otterbein has long offered rock bands, jazz ensembles, and popular music opportunities, but until now those experiences were spread across different courses without a dedicated major.

“We have always had students doing this kind of music,” Yonchak said. “They just did not have a title for it.”

This new path grew out of an earlier Music and Business program that combined music study with business-focused courses like accounting and marketing. While the idea was strong, Yonchak said the program functioned like a double major and became difficult for many students to manage.

The Commercial Music track streamlines that approach by placing it within the B.A. in Music. Students still complete the core requirements all music majors take, including piano, ear training, music theory, and history, while shaping their coursework around commercial and popular music.

One of the defining features of the program is its focus on starting with what students already know. Rather than asking musicians to fit into a single mold, the program builds on their current skills and interests.

“If a student comes in playing drum set or singing cover songs, that is where we start,” Yonchak said. “Then we build from there.”

Students can focus on performance, songwriting, sound production, or engineering, with room to adjust their path as their interests develop. Seminar courses rotate based on student needs and may cover topics like songwriting, music marketing, social media, recording, or live sound.

Hands-on learning is a major part of the experience. Students perform in ensembles, take private lessons, and can gain production experience by running sound for campus performances. These opportunities are meant to reflect how musicians learn on the job, often by working alongside experienced professionals.

“You have to be adaptable,” Yonchak said. “That is just how the music world works.”

Outside the classroom, Otterbein has built relationships with arts organizations across central Ohio, including the Columbus Symphony, Columbus Children’s Choir, Jazz Arts Group, and local radio stations and venues. Through internships and professional experiences, students gain real world exposure while building connections in the regional music community.

The Commercial Music track already includes students in guitar, voice, piano, and percussion, with the first official incoming class beginning in fall 2026. Faculty hope the program will appeal to students who love music but may not have seen themselves represented in traditional music degrees.

“We are training musicians,” Yonchak said. “We give them the tools, and what they do with them is up to them.”