Music - Meadows School of the Arts, SMU
Source: https://www.smu.edu/meadows/areasofstudy/music
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:09
Music - Meadows School of the Arts, SMU
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Music
SMU Meadows' Division of Music provides a professional and comprehensive education devoted to the advancement of music performance and the preparation of the next generation of music professionals. In addition to this full range of music-major options, the Division of Music provides opportunities for the general university student to pursue a love of music. If music is a must for you, Meadows offers a place to do what you love and garner tools to fulfill your dreams.
Music
Departments
SMU Meadows' Division of Music is comprised of departments that offer instruction from internationally recognized faculty in a wide variety of musical pursuits. Students may choose from several undergraduate and graduate degree programs that most fit their interests. Learn more about each of the departments within the Division below.
Brass
Brass
Learn More
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Learn More
Composition
Composition
Learn More
Music Theory
Music Theory
Learn More
Musicology
Musicology
Learn More
Music Education
Music Education
Learn More
Music Therapy
Music Therapy
Learn More
Organ
Organ
Learn More
Percussion
Percussion
Learn More
Piano
Piano
Learn More
Strings
Strings
Learn More
Voice
Voice
Learn More
Woodwinds
Woodwinds
Learn More
Undergraduate Majors
B.A. in Music
B.M.
in Performance
B.M.
in Composition
B.M.
in Music Therapy
B.M.
in Music Education (Teacher Certification)
Dual Degree (Performance/Education)
Undergraduate Minors
Minor in Music
Music Minor in Songwriting
Music Industry Practices Minor
Graduate Majors
M.M.
in Composition
M.M.
in Conducting
M.M.
in Music Education
M.M.
in Musicology
M.M.
in Performance
Master of Sacred Music
M.M.
in Theory/Pedagogy
Performer's Diploma
Artist Diploma
Meet Our Faculty
The distinguished music faculty at SMU Meadows are internationally recognized performers, scholars, and educators dedicated to mentoring the next generation of artists. With expertise spanning performance, composition, music education, and more, they bring real-world experience and artistry into the classroom. Together, they foster a vibrant, collaborative environment where students thrive both as musicians and as individuals.
View Faculty
Video
SMU Music is For You!
Piano Student Selected to Perform in Prestigious Cliburn Competition
Piano performance and Artist Diploma student Korkmaz Saglam will compete in the Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition next month.
Read more
Featured Courses
MUHI 1313
Critical Reasoning Through Music
Examine music as a global practice shaped by culture, history, and society while developing skills in research, critical reasoning, and effective writing. Students learn to build strong arguments, evaluate evidence, and communicate ideas persuasively through the lens of music studies.
MUTH 1320
Introduction to Film and Game Scoring
Discover the art and craft of scoring for film and games through lectures, projects, and demonstrations. Students learn to score to image, location, and emotion using techniques such as synchronization, looping, layering, and editing, while also gaining experience with the collaborative practices that define today’s scoring industry.
PERE 5122
Meadows Opera Theatre
Explore opera and musical theatre through role preparation, dramatic coaching, and live performance. Undergraduates as well as graduate students are cast in main-stage productions, gaining professional-level stage and musicianship experience.
Ensembles
This is a carousel with auto-rotating slides. Activate any of
the buttons to disable rotation. Use Next and Previous buttons
to navigate
Meadows Symphony Orchestra
The Meadows Symphony Orchestra, praised by audiences and critics alike, showcases the exceptional talent of student musicians from across the U.S. and around the world. Performing in venues from Caruth Auditorium to the Meyerson Symphony Center, the orchestra is celebrated for its artistry, with members recognized as international soloists and competition prizewinners.
Meadows Wind Ensemble
The Meadows Wind Ensemble, composed of the finest wind, brass, and percussion students, is recognized for its dynamic performances. Celebrated by contemporary composers for its artistry, the ensemble performs a wide range of repertoire and has released five acclaimed recordings, including an international award-winning album.
Meadows Jazz Orchestra
The Meadows Jazz Orchestra is an 18-piece ensemble that brings together students to perform a wide range of jazz repertoire. From the traditions of great big bands to contemporary works, the group showcases both classic and forward-looking styles. Since its founding in 1998, the MJO has collaborated with acclaimed guest artists and ensembles while engaging audiences on campus and beyond.
Meadows Choirs
The Meadows choral program has a 40-year tradition of excellence and features the Meadows Chorale, Meadows Chamber Singers and Concordia ensembles. Performing a wide range of repertoire—from classical to contemporary, folk, jazz, and world music—our choirs appear regularly in concerts, university events and international festivals.
Meadows Opera Theatre
Meadows Opera Theatre (formerly known as Meadows Lyric Theatre) presents bold and diverse productions spanning opera, operetta, and musical theatre, offering extensive performance opportunities for vocal students at all levels. With a focus on acting technique, audition preparation, and professional partnerships, the program stages both intimate works and full productions with the Meadows Symphony Orchestra.
Meadows Percussion Ensemble
The Meadows Percussion Ensemble has achieved national recognition through its performances at the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, as well as its critically acclaimed recordings on the Gasparo label.
SYZYGY – Contemporary Music Ensemble
Meadows’ contemporary music ensemble SYZYGY is dedicated to performing works of living composers alongside recent repertoire. Known for its bold and innovative programming, the group creates engaging performance experiences that connect audiences with pressing social and cultural themes.
Meadows World Music Ensemble
The Meadows World Music Ensemble explores music from cultures around the globe, blending traditional instruments from Africa, Asia, and Latin America with Western orchestral sounds. Known for energetic drumming and creative improvisation, the group performs unique interpretations of folk traditions alongside original compositions.
Music News
Figure 1:
Scott spent the 2024–25 academic year in the Meadows Young Artist Program before beginning his undergraduate studies in the Division of Music.
Meadows Pianist Selected for Prestigious Gina Bachauer International Competition
Students
From Dallas to an international stage, first-year Division of Music student Matthew Scott earns a place among the world’s most promising young artists.
April 17, 2026
Figure 2:
Music alum Neeki Bey (M.M. ’07) has built a diverse career in the arts, from producing performances at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Lincoln Center to launching new creative ventures.
Alumni Spotlight: Neeki Bey
Alumni
Music alum Neeki Bey (M.M. ’07) has built a career spanning performance and production, drawing on his Meadows training to lead creative work on national stages.
March 30, 2026
Figure 3:
Brianna Woods
Meadows on the Mic: Brianna Woods – Theatre M.F.A. and “Ragtime”
Alumni
Meadows alumna Brianna (Bri) Woods discusses her time in the Theatre M.F.A. program and playing a lead in the upcoming production of “Ragtime.”
March 23, 2026
The Cliburn Announces 20-Year Partnership With SMU and Dallas Symphony Orchestra for International Competition for Young Pianists
Applications are now open for the fourth edition of the event, for pianists aged 13 to 17, taking place June 9–19, 2027, in Dallas, Texas, with Sa Chen as jury chair.
March 06, 2026
More News!
Upcoming Music Events
Search the SMU website
Search
Submit
Skip to main content
Music
SMU Meadows' Division of Music provides a professional and comprehensive education devoted to the advancement of music performance and the preparation of the next generation of music professionals. In addition to this full range of music-major options, the Division of Music provides opportunities for the general university student to pursue a love of music. If music is a must for you, Meadows offers a place to do what you love and garner tools to fulfill your dreams.
Music
Departments
SMU Meadows' Division of Music is comprised of departments that offer instruction from internationally recognized faculty in a wide variety of musical pursuits. Students may choose from several undergraduate and graduate degree programs that most fit their interests. Learn more about each of the departments within the Division below.
Brass
Brass
Learn More
Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Learn More
Composition
Composition
Learn More
Music Theory
Music Theory
Learn More
Musicology
Musicology
Learn More
Music Education
Music Education
Learn More
Music Therapy
Music Therapy
Learn More
Organ
Organ
Learn More
Percussion
Percussion
Learn More
Piano
Piano
Learn More
Strings
Strings
Learn More
Voice
Voice
Learn More
Woodwinds
Woodwinds
Learn More
Undergraduate Majors
B.A. in Music
B.M.
in Performance
B.M.
in Composition
B.M.
in Music Therapy
B.M.
in Music Education (Teacher Certification)
Dual Degree (Performance/Education)
Undergraduate Minors
Minor in Music
Music Minor in Songwriting
Music Industry Practices Minor
Graduate Majors
M.M.
in Composition
M.M.
in Conducting
M.M.
in Music Education
M.M.
in Musicology
M.M.
in Performance
Master of Sacred Music
M.M.
in Theory/Pedagogy
Performer's Diploma
Artist Diploma
Meet Our Faculty
The distinguished music faculty at SMU Meadows are internationally recognized performers, scholars, and educators dedicated to mentoring the next generation of artists. With expertise spanning performance, composition, music education, and more, they bring real-world experience and artistry into the classroom. Together, they foster a vibrant, collaborative environment where students thrive both as musicians and as individuals.
View Faculty
Video
SMU Music is For You!
Piano Student Selected to Perform in Prestigious Cliburn Competition
Piano performance and Artist Diploma student Korkmaz Saglam will compete in the Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition next month.
Read more
Featured Courses
MUHI 1313
Critical Reasoning Through Music
Examine music as a global practice shaped by culture, history, and society while developing skills in research, critical reasoning, and effective writing. Students learn to build strong arguments, evaluate evidence, and communicate ideas persuasively through the lens of music studies.
MUTH 1320
Introduction to Film and Game Scoring
Discover the art and craft of scoring for film and games through lectures, projects, and demonstrations. Students learn to score to image, location, and emotion using techniques such as synchronization, looping, layering, and editing, while also gaining experience with the collaborative practices that define today’s scoring industry.
PERE 5122
Meadows Opera Theatre
Explore opera and musical theatre through role preparation, dramatic coaching, and live performance. Undergraduates as well as graduate students are cast in main-stage productions, gaining professional-level stage and musicianship experience.
Ensembles
This is a carousel with auto-rotating slides. Activate any of
the buttons to disable rotation. Use Next and Previous buttons
to navigate
Meadows Symphony Orchestra
The Meadows Symphony Orchestra, praised by audiences and critics alike, showcases the exceptional talent of student musicians from across the U.S. and around the world. Performing in venues from Caruth Auditorium to the Meyerson Symphony Center, the orchestra is celebrated for its artistry, with members recognized as international soloists and competition prizewinners.
Meadows Wind Ensemble
The Meadows Wind Ensemble, composed of the finest wind, brass, and percussion students, is recognized for its dynamic performances. Celebrated by contemporary composers for its artistry, the ensemble performs a wide range of repertoire and has released five acclaimed recordings, including an international award-winning album.
Meadows Jazz Orchestra
The Meadows Jazz Orchestra is an 18-piece ensemble that brings together students to perform a wide range of jazz repertoire. From the traditions of great big bands to contemporary works, the group showcases both classic and forward-looking styles. Since its founding in 1998, the MJO has collaborated with acclaimed guest artists and ensembles while engaging audiences on campus and beyond.
Meadows Choirs
The Meadows choral program has a 40-year tradition of excellence and features the Meadows Chorale, Meadows Chamber Singers and Concordia ensembles. Performing a wide range of repertoire—from classical to contemporary, folk, jazz, and world music—our choirs appear regularly in concerts, university events and international festivals.
Meadows Opera Theatre
Meadows Opera Theatre (formerly known as Meadows Lyric Theatre) presents bold and diverse productions spanning opera, operetta, and musical theatre, offering extensive performance opportunities for vocal students at all levels. With a focus on acting technique, audition preparation, and professional partnerships, the program stages both intimate works and full productions with the Meadows Symphony Orchestra.
Meadows Percussion Ensemble
The Meadows Percussion Ensemble has achieved national recognition through its performances at the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, as well as its critically acclaimed recordings on the Gasparo label.
SYZYGY – Contemporary Music Ensemble
Meadows’ contemporary music ensemble SYZYGY is dedicated to performing works of living composers alongside recent repertoire. Known for its bold and innovative programming, the group creates engaging performance experiences that connect audiences with pressing social and cultural themes.
Meadows World Music Ensemble
The Meadows World Music Ensemble explores music from cultures around the globe, blending traditional instruments from Africa, Asia, and Latin America with Western orchestral sounds. Known for energetic drumming and creative improvisation, the group performs unique interpretations of folk traditions alongside original compositions.
Music News
Figure 1:
Scott spent the 2024–25 academic year in the Meadows Young Artist Program before beginning his undergraduate studies in the Division of Music.
Meadows Pianist Selected for Prestigious Gina Bachauer International Competition
Students
From Dallas to an international stage, first-year Division of Music student Matthew Scott earns a place among the world’s most promising young artists.
April 17, 2026
Figure 2:
Music alum Neeki Bey (M.M. ’07) has built a diverse career in the arts, from producing performances at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Lincoln Center to launching new creative ventures.
Alumni Spotlight: Neeki Bey
Alumni
Music alum Neeki Bey (M.M. ’07) has built a career spanning performance and production, drawing on his Meadows training to lead creative work on national stages.
March 30, 2026
Figure 3:
Brianna Woods
Meadows on the Mic: Brianna Woods – Theatre M.F.A. and “Ragtime”
Alumni
Meadows alumna Brianna (Bri) Woods discusses her time in the Theatre M.F.A. program and playing a lead in the upcoming production of “Ragtime.”
March 23, 2026
The Cliburn Announces 20-Year Partnership With SMU and Dallas Symphony Orchestra for International Competition for Young Pianists
Applications are now open for the fourth edition of the event, for pianists aged 13 to 17, taking place June 9–19, 2027, in Dallas, Texas, with Sa Chen as jury chair.
March 06, 2026
More News!
Upcoming Music Events
Search the SMU website
Search
Submit