School of Music

The program of study encourages students to expand their versatility by investigating topics such as extended piano techniques, harpsichord, jazz, improvisation and pedagogy. Students further refine their practice through experimentation and cross-disciplinary exploration, acquiring the creative versatility and global cultural awareness to apply their individual musical voices to a broad spectrum of professional opportunities and settings.

Undergraduates participate in a rigorous pre-professional training program of study while graduate students are encouraged to experiment and expand beyond their métier. At both the BFA and MFA levels, students explore a broad spectrum of repertoire, from Baroque to the very newest music, and enjoy numerous opportunities to perform classical and contemporary music in solo recitals and as part of chamber music groups and large conducted ensembles, including the School’s principal conducted faculty-student collaborative unit, The Ensemble at CalArts.