A degree from the School of Music and Dance is foundational for any number of professional pursuits in the arts and beyond. The process of developing an artist teaches leadership, teamwork, planning and project management, verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as creative and critical thinking.
Programs We Offer
MUSIC
Music Performance (BMus)
Jazz Studies (BMus)
Music Composition (BMus)
Music Education (BMME)
Popular Music (BA/BS)
Music (BA/BS)
Music Performance (MMus,DMA,CERT)
Conducting (MMus)
Data-Driven Music Performance & Composition (PhD)
Intermedia Music Technology (MMus)
Jazz Studies (MMus)
Music Composition (MMus,PhD)
Music Education (MMus,PhD)
Music Theory (MA,PhD)
Musicology (MA,PhD)
SPECIALIZATIONS
Collaborative Piano
Ethnomusicology
Historical Performance Practice
Jazz Pedagogy
Music Theory Pedagogy
Piano Pedagogy
Violin/Viola Pedagogy
Spotlight Scholarships
Come for the Beauty, Stay for the Bounty
Situated within the beauty and splendor of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the UO School of Music and Dance offers the unrivaled acoustics of Beall Concert Hall, cutting-edge technology, and a one-of-a-kind multidisciplinary Dance BFA. Our welcoming community embodies the spirit and tradition of a performing arts conservatory, while benefiting from the academic resources of a large liberal arts college.”
A.T. Moffett, Dance MFA ’10, recently was honored as the 2025 Distinguished Alumna for the UO School of Music and Dance. Her advice to students, “Spend time telling your arts story. Hone it and own it because it matters—how you got there, who helped you, how participating in your art form enables you to contribute to your community.”
Dennis Llinás, director of bands, describes the community at the School of Music and Dance, "SOMD is a welcoming place. That’s one of the great things about music and dance. That someone doesn’t have to speak the same language as the other person but when they have that language of dance or that language of music, they instantly have a connection."
Performance and Practice Spaces
SOMD has state-of-the-art recording studios, as well as numerous private practice rooms, while our performing spaces are unrivaled for the acoustics and performer comfort and safety. From the world-renowned sound balance in Beall Hall to the state-of-the-art sprung floors in all our dance studios, the SOMD provides students with incomparable support for their artistic pursuits.
Community Programs
Community is at the heart of the School of Music and Dance, which is why we provide a variety of enrichment activities that are available to community members of all ages.
