Music Technology Program Allows Students to Blend Passions for Music, Engineering

The newly-minted Music Technology program, housed within the Department of Performing Arts and Technology, and the first degree-granting major within the Division of Academic and Student Affairs’ University College, offers students a unique opportunity to explore the worlds of both music and electrical and computer engineering.

Over the past several years, NC State has received growing recognition for the opportunities it affords its students in both STEM disciplines and the arts, be that visual, performance or literary arts.

More recently, the university’s STEM programs and the Department of Performing Arts and Technology (DPAT) have made continued efforts to bring the two together. As of the start of the 2024-25 school year, students were given the opportunity to officially wed the two as part of their academic journey.

The newly-minted Music Technology program, housed within the Department of Performing Arts and Technology, and the first degree-granting major within the Division of Academic and Student Affairs’ University College, offers students a unique opportunity to explore the worlds of both music and electrical and computer engineering.

“It’s the perfect fusion of electrical and computer engineering and audio/music studies. Each of these disciplines focuses on technical systems that require expertise, artistry and know-how. It really is an ideal program for someone who has an interest in the technical side of sound,” said Daniel Turk, a fourth-year student who transferred into the program in its first year. 

Pioneering a Major

Justin Mathew, an associate teaching professor and the Music Technology program’s director, received a doctorate in Computer Science at the University of Paris-Saclay, a master’s degree in Music Technology at New York University and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Rochester.

Before coming to NC State, he worked in research and development on audio and music technology in the tech industry, while also working as an adjunct professor in the University of Miami’s music engineering program. 

“The design of the program and the ideas around it really match the education path that I took growing up,” Mathew said. “I had always wanted to get back into academia. The main reason I wanted to do it here at NC State was because of the rich history of the university when it comes to the engineering school itself, the music school and how many people that came from NC State found ways to combine music and engineering in their lives and professions.”

For the first group of students in the major, it’s an opportunity to walk a brand new path, and help set a foundation for future generations of students. 

“We’re trailblazing,” said Mackenzie Hurst, a second-year student. “It’s both nerve wracking and exciting. We don’t really know what to expect, but, at the same time, we’re pushing for something new and that’s exciting.” 

For students such as second-year Zach Hanspal, in making the decision between NC State’s new program and a further established music technology program at a school such as Georgia Tech, being part of something brand new was part of the appeal. 

This summer, some students in the program even got the opportunity to help design and construct the program’s new lab in Price Music Center. 

“I wanted to come somewhere local and help pioneer the major,” Hanspal said. “I like to take the lead, and with this being a new program, it’s been really fun to take as many leadership opportunities as I can and do as much as I can to influence the program as well as change it for the people who are going to come into it.”

A Unique Blend of Disciplines

Mathew explained that undergraduate students in their first two years of the program will take courses that give them a base foundation in electrical and computer engineering, including math and physics prerequisites in the first year, and then 200-level engineering courses. 

“I feel like, at NC State, the Music Technology program is very unique because of its focus on engineering,” said Julia Chiu, a second-year student. “We take a lot of engineering classes in addition to our music theory and our music technology classes. So I feel like we’ll have a very diverse skillset with all of our classes when we graduate.”

At the same time, students will take music classes such as keyboard theory, piano skills and musical history. 

Additionally, these students are expected to come into college with an ability to play a musical instrument, and participate in one of DPAT’s several music ensembles. 

“I have a musical background,” Turk said. “I am mainly a guitarist, but my mom was a music director when I was a kid. Music was always really important in my life.”

Students in this major will also take design theory and arts entrepreneurship before moving into courses that begin to combine the music and engineering courses. 

The bulk of the courses are taught by Mathew, but Mehmet Ozturk, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, is also involved in the curricular design and teaching courses. 

“In their second year, they learn the physics, biology and science of sound (acoustics and psychoacoustics), as well as fundamental ideas of how mixing and recording systems and spaces are built,” Mathew said. “And then they start in-depth learning about audio electronics, where they use their skillsets from electrical and computer engineering to help them understand that.”

In their fourth year, the students will begin to learn higher-level design concepts such as understanding how and why musical instruments are designed, how new types of instruments can be designed and how to analyze sound.

“It’s awesome to have the opportunity to take classes that focus on fascinating topics while also getting hands-on experience with professional audio and engineering tools. I get to take courses that I’m really excited about,” Turk said. “It’s a level of technical learning that I’m very satisfied with. These programs often teach you skills that are limited to how to work a sound board or record and mix and master. But we’re doing things that are very technical like engineering tasks related to audio. So I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to actually learn those sorts of things, because otherwise I don’t think I really would have found that stuff out myself.” 

Creating Diverse Skillsets

Mathew explained that the music technology industry itself presents opportunities for a wide variety of interests, such as working with live venues, recording studios or labels, software such as Spotify or Apple Music, sound for movies or working with pro audio and sound systems. 

“I’ve really enjoyed it so far,” Hurst said. “I’m starting to take the Music Technology classes where you’re combining it. I’ve taken the engineering classes and the music classes separately. But I think it’s very interesting talking to (Mathew) and starting to work as one of the student technicians on putting everything together, acoustics, I’ve done some reading on that and how we perceive sound, the way that the field is changing, is very exciting.”

The business and arts entrepreneurship classes that are part of the major also give the students an ability to learn how to design and market various music products such as instruments, sound systems, ear phones and more that are attractive to buyers across the industry. 

“The skillsets these students acquire are quite unique. It’s going to be really empowering for them to navigate the world, their jobs, their careers and their futures,” Mathew said. “I have no idea what the students are going to end up doing in particular within the music and technology industry, but one thing I’m quite confident in is that they’re going to have the skillsets to be successful at whatever they choose. 

“A major emphasis in our curriculum is not just understanding foundational math or music, but also the critical thinking skills that are necessary to do really well in this and the future economy. It’s going to be really interesting to see. I think that’s what’s exciting about this field in particular. You get very creative students, and they come up with some really interesting ideas for the future.” 

Building an Alumni Network 

With the major being in its second academic year, the group of students enrolled remains relatively small, which offers a tight-knit community as they pursue this new path. 

“We’re very small right now,” Chiu said. “We just got a new class of people, so that’s very exciting. Since it’s small, we all have that connection with each other and the professors, so we can really interact with each other, and it’s nice.”

Going forward, Mathew hopes to see the program continue to grow in its participation numbers, and, down the road, he’s excited to see it form its own alumni network similar to other NC State colleges or units. 

“What we end up doing is building this amazing network and community of people that have unique and similar interests,” Mathew said. “You find a lot of people that are interested in music or engineering. Every now and then, you find a small batch of them that are very passionate about both. This program helps build upon this community, allowing them to be successful anywhere in the country or the world.”

As the first groups of students go into the world of music technology and build successful careers, sharing those success stories can become part of the learning experience of future students. 

“I’m looking forward to when we have alumni and we can highlight their success and showcase the capabilities of this program. It’ll also be their connection back to the program, where they can give talks and connect with current students to describe their paths,” Mathew said. “I really think of it in the context of the community. It’s a justification of all the work the faculty and staff in this department are doing, and the support of our deans, provost, chancellor and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has been very important. Everyone has done a lot to get this program up and running. It’s going to be a sense of pride when we can look back and see this thriving community.”