Music
Welcome to the Department of Music
Music — that reverberant sounding stuff that energizes, soothes, entertains, shapes identities, and makes us dream — is something you can study at the U of A in its infinite shapes. We offer instruction in performance, composition and courses exploring music’s social, cultural and sounding realities, which will enrich any degree and career dream you have. Whether you want to make music your profession, or you are just curious about how music functions, communicates emotions, heals, and much more, you are in the right place.
Programs of Study, Concerts + Events
Concerts + Events
Find information about performances and events featuring faculty, students, staff and visiting artists, including the Mainstage Concert Series, the Questions about Music Colloquium Series, Masterclasses and more.
Undergraduate Programs
Whether you dream of performing, studying the music of other times and cultures, or creating groundbreaking compositions of your own, the Department of Music offers a variety of programs and courses to suit your passion.
Graduate Programs
The Department of Music offers four distinct programs of graduate study, MA, MMus, PhD and DMus, with specializations in performance, conducting, composition, music theory, musicology and ethnomusicology.
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Sound Studies Institute
The at the 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø supports research and creative activities that centralize sound in any way.
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Canadian Centre for Ethnomusicology
is a world music archive that serves as a research and teaching resource for musical and cultural traditions.
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Questions About Music Colloquium Series
The conversation series is a forum for the Music Department (and beyond) to come together and chat about what makes us curious.
News + Events
Simone Willmann receives 2025 George Proctor Prize - 19 June 2025
Music PhD student Simone Willmann has received the prestigious George Proctor Prize for the best graduate student paper at the Canadian University Music Society (MusCan) Annual Conference 2025.
Giving
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