有时我们会被问及音乐部门在学术机构中做什么。简单的答案是：我们训练思维型音乐家。根据您的兴趣，这可能意味着几件事。我们的许多课程都涉及详细的音乐分析与表演之间的联系，其他课程则涉及表演，世界音乐以及探索作曲风格与艺术和人文科学领域的广泛运动之间的联系。集中精力提供了很大的灵活性，并确保在课程设置中体现出我们学生的多种兴趣。作为文科课程而非专业课程，音乐系没有扩展的表演系。我们不提供常规的乐器或声乐课程，但每学期提供大量基于表演的课程。哈佛大学还与新英格兰音乐学院和伯克利音乐学院共同运营一个非常有竞争力的双
Occasionally we are asked what a music department does in an academic institution. The simple answer is: we train thinking musicians. This can mean a several things, depending on your interests. A number of our courses are concerned with the connection between detailed music analysis and performance, others with performance, with musics of the world, or with the exploration of the connection between compositional styles and the wider intellectual movements in the arts and humanities such as sound studies, creativity, or politics. The concentration offers a great deal of flexibility and ensures that the many diverse interests of our students are represented in its course offerings. As a liberal arts program rather than a pre-professional program, the music department does not have an extended performance faculty. We do not offer regular instrumental or vocal lessons, but do offer a large number of performance-based courses each semester. Harvard also runs a very competitive dual degree program (AB/MM) with both the New England Conservatory and Berklee College of Music that provides its participants with both a broad-based liberal arts education and specialized music training.