Department of Music

Students participate in the piano lab led by Michael Serio, a keyboard instructor in the department of music.

The Department of Music offers a community where creativity thrives and musical talent is nurtured at every level. Whether you dream of performing center stage, composing bold new works or exploring the world of music history and theory, you’ll learn from faculty who are accomplished performers, composers, scholars and innovators. Here, your passion for music becomes a path to lifelong growth.

Experiential Learning

The Department of Music isn’t just about what happens in the classroom—it’s about bringing music to life:

  • Join a performance group. Play, sing or collaborate with talented peers in UB’s dynamic ensembles.
  • Take private lessons. Grow as a musician with personalized instruction from renowned faculty.
  • Perform and attend concerts. Experience live music in our beautiful 700-seat Lippes Concert Hall.
  • Intern with a local organization. Get behind-the-scenes insight into the business, technology and production of music.
  • Build in-demand skills. Explore our fast-track micro-credentials in sound recording and production or piano technical service.

Career-Focused

At UB, you’ll study music through a cultural, historical and practical lens, preparing for a range of exciting careers. Many of our graduates go on to advanced study, while others thrive as soloists, composers, teachers or music industry professionals. If you’re thinking bigger, UB is your launchpad for careers in conducting, music librarianship, arts administration and beyond.

Degrees

  • BA in Music
  • MusB in Performance
  • BA/EdM in Music Education
  • MA in Composition 
  • MA in Music History 
  • MA in Music Theory 
  • MM in Performance 
  • PhD in Composition 

Minors

  • Minor in Music
  • Minor in Performance
  • Minor in Jazz Performance
  • Minor in Sound Recording and Production