Northwestern University Bienen School of Music

Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music offers conservatory-level music training amidst one of the nation’s best academic and research universities.

What You Can Study

• Undergraduate music majors: Performance (classical and jazz), music cognition, music education, music composition, musicology, music theory, general music

• MM/DMA music majors: Performance (jazz MM only), conducting, music education, musicology, music theory

• PhD music majors: Composition & music technology, music education, musicology, music theory & cognition

Career Preparation
• Northwestern Career Advancement Office

• Advice and audition/career preparation from faculty

• Concerto Competition

• Gig service provides opportunities to play for special events and weekly church/synagogue services, teach private lessons, and tutor

• Weekly studio classes

• Multidimensional curricula designed to prepare graduates for a variety of career paths

• 14 ensembles as well as chamber music program and jazz small ensembles

• Over 340 concerts per year

Internationally-Recognized Faculty
• 125 faculty members, including:

• Members of major ensembles including Chicago and Boston symphony orchestras; Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Lyric Opera of Chicago orchestras

• Music studies faculty who have published, presented, and researched throughout the world

State-of-the-Art Facilities
• 152,000-square-foot Ryan Center for the Musical Arts

• 134 practice rooms

• 7 performance venues

• Smart classrooms, recording/mix-down studio

• One of the nation’s largest music libraries

Institute for New Music
• Residencies and master classes with today’s best composers and contemporary ensembles

• Opportunities to perform commissions and world premieres

Academic Opportunities
• Interdisciplinary research opportunities

• Present academic papers at regional, national, and international conferences

• Pursue personalized specialties

• Graduate assistantships and fully-funded DMA and PhD programs

• Opportunities to teach courses and private lessons

Chicago: An Artist’s Home
• Located 10 miles north of Chicago

• Close proximity to dozens of ensembles, music festivals, jazz clubs, choirs, and 100+ regional orchestras

• Connections to teachers and prominent arts leaders citywide

Quick Facts

• 400 undergraduate and 200 graduate students

• Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1

• Ranked a 2022 top-ten college by U.S. News & World Report

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