Press Release
Contact: Katryn Conlin, Communications Director
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Office: 651-385-6343

Southeast Technical's Band Instrument Repair program adds two-year degree option

Students now have options to earn an A.A.S. in Band Instrument Repair, connect with McNally Smith College of Music for 4-year degree

Red Wing, MN (September 2, 2014) --  Beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year, students in Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical's Band Instrument Repair (BIR) program will have the option to earn either a one-year diploma or a two-year Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. In addition, a new partnership has been forged between Southeast Technical and McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, MN to facilitate transfer to degree programs offered at McNally Smith College of Music. 

• Students come from across the United States and around the world to take the one-year, 42-credit BIR diploma program at Southeast Technical in Red Wing, gaining an expanded skill set that will help them find reliable employment within the music field. They learn the fundamentals of repairing clarinets, trumpets, flutes, trombones, saxophones, French horns, oboes, bassoons, and large brass instruments.
  
  
• The new two-year, 60-credit A.A.S. degree will expand students' technical education to include transfer-level general education classes such as math, English and humanities, as well as coursework specific to small business development and marketing. The A.A.S. is designed for those wanting previously earned college credits to apply toward a degree, and for those interested in coursework that will lead toward eventual management or ownership of a business.

• Students who graduate with a diploma or associate's degree from the BIR program can continue their studies and earn a bachelor's degree by applying all of their credits toward a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree from McNally Smith. The partnership agreement also allows current McNally Smith students to pursue this four-year degree option utilizing the instruction at both colleges.
  
  
• Southeast Technical's agreement with McNally Smith also includes the articulation of up to 36 technical credits earned in Southeast Technical music instrument repair programs (Guitar Repair, Violin Repair, or BIR) toward degree programs at McNally Smith. 

"We are excited to partner with McNally Smith because we share a mission of training musicians to create a life utilizing multiple income streams. Even extremely talented musicians may find it's not easy to make a living solely as a performer. Becoming an instrument repair technician is a life-long skill that can create a solid livelihood within the realm of music," says Jo Poncelet, Southeast Technical Dean of Academics.

"We're thrilled to offer Southeast Technical students a pathway toward earning a bachelor's degree and the opportunity to expand on their instrument repair training with an education from McNally Smith," says McNally Smith President Harry Chalmiers. "This agreement is an example of the shared commitment of both institutions to provide a real-world education and give students a marketable skillset for a sustainable life in music."

For more information about Southeast Technical's Band Instrument Repair program, visit southeastmn.one or redwingmusicrepair.org.

For more information about McNally Smith College of Music's B.A. in Music degree, visit www.mcnallysmith.edu.

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About Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical

With a clear mission of "Education for Employment," Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical provides students a strong foundation for acquiring the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they will need for a lifetime of learning. Its Winona and Red Wing campuses merged in 1992, becoming Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical in 1999. For more information, visit www.southeastmn.one.

About McNally Smith College of Music

For nearly 30 years, McNally Smith College of Music has helped students make and sustain a life in the music and audio industries. The College offers a unique curriculum designed to prepare students for careers in music through a combined emphasis on artistry, technology and entrepreneurship. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, McNally Smith offers a variety of degrees and programs for study -- including a Masters of Music degree, as well as Bachelor degrees, Associate degrees, and Diploma programs. Learn more at www.mcnallysmith.edu