Classically
Oriented

The Department of Music Performance, Education and Composition offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Western classical music, with undergraduate majors in all three divisions of the department—a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in performance, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in composition, and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in music education.

The four-year undergraduate curriculum prepares students for professional success in an ever-changing musical world, combining practical training and individual study with the development of theoretical and historical context and artistic imagination. The majors, designed for students who seek to combine fine musicianship with academic excellence, center on a core curriculum of academic music courses, one-on-one work with artist-teaching faculty, and opportunities to collaborate with peers in large and small ensembles.

In addition to these foundational music studies, the Music Education major offers professional preparation leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree and teaching credential in just four years. Students develop pedagogical skills and innovative insights into theories and practices essential to teach music to California’s diverse student population and provide leadership in the field of arts education.

At the graduate level, specialized studies lead to Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in composition and Master of Music (M.M.) and Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degrees in all classical solo instruments, voice, and conducting. Jazz performance (M.M.) is also offered at the graduate level, in partnership with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA.

Students interested in music history and literature should consider the major in Musicology, and those interested in world music should consider the major in Ethnomusicology. Students interested in an undergraduate jazz major should explore the interdepartmental program in Global Jazz Studies.

The Department of Music Performance, Education, and Composition, aligned with the departments of Ethnomusicology and Musicology in The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, fosters creative collaboration between performance and scholarship; a cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of musical expression in many forms; and transformative engagement with fellow artists, audiences, and communities both local and global. In short, we strive to prepare students to make and teach the music our world needs now and into the future.

Explore Music Degrees

Conducting
Graduate study and training in choral, orchestral, or wind conducting
Music Composition
Mentorship in the creation and realization of music for concerts, opera, and visual media
Music Education
Preparation for music educators leading to a B.A. and teaching credential in just four years
Music Performance
Study and training towards professional performance careers in Western classical music
Music Performance Jazz
A highly selective M.M. program in partnership with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz
Train with Guest Artists

Each year, dozens of guests from Los Angeles and around the world work with our students in masterclasses and performances, helping them further develop their talents. Recent guests have included John Adams, Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer; Tim Buzbee, Principal Tuba, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra; Placido Domingo, internationally renowned tenor; Hershey Felder, pianist, actor, playwright and composer;  Gilbert Kalish, pianist, pedagogue and recording artist; Matthew Howard, principal percussionist LA Philharmonic; Kronos Quartet; Esa-Pekka Salonen, composer and conductor of London’s Philharmonia Orchestra; David Starobin, critically acclaimed jazz guitarist; and John Williams, composer.

John Williams Guest Artist Mask C Left Mask Image John Williams John Williams
Music Partnership Program Connects Students with the Community
Founded in 1994, the Music Partnership Program has brought music lessons to young students in the Los Angeles area. The program is supported entirely through generous philanthropy, including from the
Justin McManus to Lead UCLA Marching Band
On July 1, the Solid Gold Sound welcomes a new leader. Justin McManus, most recently the director of athletic bands at the University of Connecticut, will join The UCLA Herb
Kay Rhie's "H'on" Receives its World Premiere by the LA Philharmonic
(San Francisco Classical Voice): Kay Rhie’s piece is called H’on, which “means ‘spirit’ or ‘soul’ in Korean,” she explained. “For me, it’s [asking the question] ‘What does the spirit of Korean sound
Julio Frenk's Inauguration Ceremony is Music to His Ears
With vocals and instruments echoing through Royce Hall, The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music helped bring to life the June 5 inauguration ceremony for UCLA’s seventh chancellor, Julio Frenk.
Kay Rhie's Piece H'on to Premiere with LA Philharmonic
Composition professor Kay Rhie’s most recent work was commissioned by the LA Philharmonic and will premiere on June 6, 2025.
Composing Her Path: Meet Mia Ruhman, 2025 Undergraduate Commencement Speaker
On the morning of January 7, 2025, a fire had started in the Santa Monica mountains and Mia Ruhman, a fourth-year music composition major at The UCLA Herb Alpert School

Explore Our Degrees

Conducting
Graduate study and training in choral, orchestral, or wind conducting
Ethnomusicology
The study of global musical traditions through performance training, research, and field work
Global Jazz Studies
Jazz performance and musicianship courses are paired with African American Studies
Music Composition
Mentorship in the creation and realization of music for concerts, opera, and visual media
Music Education
Preparation for music educators leading to a BA and teaching credential in just four years
Music Industry
A leadership-focused professional degree which prepares students to transform the creative, entrepreneurial, and executive structures of the music industry
Musicology
The scholarly study of the histories, cultures, and critical interpretations of music and music-making
Music Performance
Study and training towards professional performance careers in Western classical music