Music

The CU Boulder College of Music inspires artistry and discovery, together.

The College of Music provides specialized training designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in music. The college offers seven undergraduate and graduate degrees in 24 fields of study, along with an array of interdisciplinary opportunities, including certificates in music technology and entrepreneurship.

Established by the Regents of the University of Colorado in 1920, the College of Music is a fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music.

The widely varied functions of music in the world today present many challenging and interesting opportunities for teachers, performers, creative artists, technicians and commercial personnel. While these different pursuits require specialized emphases, the faculty of the College of Music recognize the musical and educational experiences that are common to all. Therefore, each curriculum of the College of Music is designed to present music as an integrated whole. Solo performance and technique, ensemble performance, historical and theoretical studies, concert and recital opportunities and elective courses both inside and outside the college are intended to give students a balanced approach to musical understanding and musicianship.

The college maintains a ratio of approximately one tenure-track faculty member for every eight students. This close interaction inspires and equips students to develop their talents, refine their passions and ultimately succeed in their professional endeavors.

In addition to training in the various professions of music, the college provides general music studies and activities for the non-major; broad cultural programs (concerts, recitals, lectures) for the university and Boulder communities; favorable conditions for research in music; and service activities to the state and nation.

The Bachelor of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees are granted by the university, upon recommendation of the faculty of the College of Music, to those who have successfully completed prescribed requirements.

Students must complete an online graduation application and schedule a final checkout appointment by December 15 for May/August graduation and by October 1 for December graduation.

Entrepreneurship Center

The Entrepreneurship Center for Music (ECM) is a national leader in professional development for musicians. The ECM equips today's music students with the skills and tools they need to create sustainable careers in the arts. ECM students are encouraged to develop entrepreneurial skills to explore the vast opportunities inherent in a changing marketplace, and to develop plans to implement career-enhancing ventures across the artistic spectrum. Offerings include courses for credit, an undergraduate certificate in music entrepreneurship, workshops and internships with a wide range of arts organizations and businesses nationwide.

Facilities

The College of Music has several beautiful performance halls, including the 2,000-seat Macky Auditorium, the 500-seat Grusin Music Hall, the 270-seat Music Theatre and the 111-seat Recital Hall. The college is located primarily in the Warner Imig Music Building, a large complex of practice rooms, faculty studios, offices, ensemble rehearsal areas, seminar facilities and classrooms. An addition to the east side of the building features a 4,300 square foot rehearsal space with a 35-foot ceiling and acoustical draping. Additional rehearsal and classroom facilities are located in Macky Auditorium.

The college's outstanding Howard B. Waltz Music Library is considered to be among the nation's most comprehensive. The library contains over 150,000 volumes, scores, recordings and periodicals. Computerized facilities are provided for listening to recordings and work stations are available for computer-based reference searching.

The college also features extensive facilities for music technology and electronic music study. The Computer-Assisted Music Laboratories (I and II) are multi-purpose labs designed primarily for classroom instruction. They feature numerous workstations, each with a Musical Instrument Digital Interface, sampling keyboard and a computer. The CRUNCH Lab is a fully-featured electronic music project studio. This lab is optimized for computer music research (including live interactive performance systems), as well as sound recording and editing projects and audio/video production. The Class Piano Laboratory is equipped with 12 digital pianos.

Performances

Each year the College of Music presents over 400 concerts by students, faculty and guests. In addition to individual musical pursuits, students at all levels have the opportunity to perform in a variety of outstanding ensembles including orchestras, choirs, bands, world music ensembles, chamber and early music groups, jazz ensembles and combos, opera productions and musicals. Many of these groups have been invited to perform at prestigious national and international events. Recitals by students and faculty are supplemented by visits from world-class guest artists, all of which provide the Boulder community with the chance to hear some of the finest music being performed today. The vast majority of these excellent performances are free and open to the public.

Other music programs presented by CU Presents include:

• Artist Series
• Eklund Opera Program
• Takács Quartet Series
• Holiday Festival

For a schedule of all College of Music performances, visit the college's Events webpage.

Student Organizations

The student body of the College of Music has its own government, represented by the College of Music Student Government. Honorary music fraternities are Sigma Alpha Iota, Mu Phi Epsilon and Kappa Kappa Psi. Pi Kappa Lambda, a national music honor society, and the Music Teachers National Association both have active chapters within the College of Music. Music education majors are eligible for membership in student chapters of the National Association for Music Educators, the American Choral Directors Association and the American String Teachers Association. Additional organizations include CU Trombone Society, CU Trumpet Alliance and Diverse Musicians Alliance.

Additional organizations include CU Trombone Society, CU Trumpet Alliance and Diverse Musicians Alliance.

Major Fields & Degrees