music.stanford.edu

music.stanford.edu is the official website of the Department of Music at Stanford University. It serves as the public hub for the department's academic programs, faculty, performances, and events. If you are a prospective student, current student, researcher, or concertgoer looking for information about studying music at Stanford or attending its performances, this is the primary source.

What the department covers

The site describes the department as bringing together music-making and scholarly research across a wide range of areas:

• Composition and conducting
• Performance
• Music history and ethnomusicology
• Music theory
• Cognitive science
• Intermedia and computer-based technologies

This breadth means the website is relevant to both performers and researchers, and to interdisciplinary work that connects music with science and technology.

What you can find on the site

The homepage surfaces several main entry points:

Events and performances

The events listings show the department's public programming. Examples from the calendar include:

• Noon Concert Series — student performances such as guitar, violin, and piano students, held in Campbell Recital Hall at the Braun Music Center.
• Lectures — the Ron Alexander Memorial Lectures in Musicology, featuring speakers from Stanford and other institutions.
• New works — performances of compositions by Stanford graduate composers, sometimes at the CCRMA Stage.
• Guest and ensemble performances — such as the Stanford Flute Ensemble and visiting groups.

Most events list a date, time, and location, with many taking place at the Braun Music Center (541 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA 94305) or other campus venues.

News and opportunities

The news section highlights current department activity, including open faculty positions (for example, Assistant Professor of Composition and Assistant Professor of Musicology) and audition announcements for ensembles and music lessons. This makes the site useful not only for prospective students but also for academics watching for job openings.

Who this site is for

• Prospective students evaluating the minor, major, or lessons
• Current students looking for ensembles, auditions, or event schedules
• Researchers and academics interested in faculty, lectures, or job postings
• Audiences seeking concert and lecture dates

The site does not publish tuition, lesson fees, or ticketing prices in the material shown; for those details you would need to follow the relevant program or event pages. For directions and campus planning, the site links to Stanford's Maps & Directions page.

The Stanford Department of Music offers an undergraduate major and minor, with coursework spanning composition, conducting, performance, music history, ethnomusicology, music theory, cognitive science, intermedia, and computer-based technologies. If you are planning a course of study, the department's site is organized around four main entry points: the major and minor, lessons, and ensembles. The site does not publish degree requirements directly on the homepage, so you will need to follow the "Explore the Minor & Major" link for specifics.

Program areas

The department describes itself as bringing together music-making and scholarly research. Its stated areas of study are:

• Composition
• Conducting
• Performance
• Music history
• Ethnomusicology
• Music theory
• Cognitive science
• Intermedia
• Computer-based technologies

This range means a student can pursue both performance-oriented and research-oriented work within the same department.

Undergraduate study: major and minor

The homepage features an "Explore the Minor & Major" section, which is the starting point for undergraduate degree planning. The site itself does not list the required courses, unit counts, or declaration procedures on the page reviewed here — those details live behind that link. If you need to know what a major or minor actually requires, treat the homepage as a signpost rather than a source of requirements.

Lessons and ensembles

Two further program components are highlighted on the homepage:

• Take Lessons — individual instruction, with auditions announced for music lessons.
• Find an Ensemble — participation in departmental ensembles, with auditions open for ensembles and lessons.

Both are relevant if your interest is performance rather than a formal degree track.

Related academic activity

The department hosts lectures, concerts, and events that reflect its research and performance areas, including:

• The Ron Alexander Memorial Lectures in Musicology
• The Noon Concert Series (guitar, violin, and piano students)
• CMEMS lectures, such as "Songs of the Sea"
• Performances of new works by Stanford graduate composers at the CCRMA Stage

These are not degree programs, but they indicate the department's active research and performance culture, including graduate-level composition work.

How to use the site

1. Start at the department homepage.
2. Select "Explore the Minor & Major" for undergraduate degree information.
3. Select "Take Lessons" or "Find an Ensemble" if you are interested in performance participation.
4. Check the news and events sections for audition announcements and lecture schedules.

Note that the site does not state tuition, fees, or whether lessons and ensembles carry credit; confirm those details with the department directly.

The Stanford Department of Music lists its faculty through the "Meet the Faculty" section of music.stanford.edu, and the department describes its work as bringing together music-making and scholarly research across composition, conducting, performance, music history, ethnomusicology, music theory, cognitive science, intermedia, and computer-based technologies. If you are looking for an advisor, collaborator, or simply want to know who works on what, the practical approach is to start from the faculty directory and then match each person's listed area to your own interest. The site itself does not publish a single consolidated table of every faculty member with their specializations, so you will need to open individual profiles to confirm details.

What the site tells you about faculty coverage

The department's own description of its scope is the most reliable starting point for guessing where a given interest might sit:

This list is the department's framing of itself, not a per-person directory, so treat it as a map of where to look rather than a definitive assignment of any individual.

How to locate a specific faculty member

1. Go to music.stanford.edu and open the "Meet the Faculty" entry point from the main navigation.
2. Scan the faculty listing for names and any short research descriptors shown.
3. Open the individual profile page for anyone whose area overlaps with yours.
4. Check the profile for research interests, courses taught, and contact information before reaching out.

Expected result: you end up on a personal or department profile page that states the person's area and how to contact them. If a profile is thin on detail, the department's news and events listings often reveal what faculty are actually working on — for example, the site's news section has announced a faculty position in composition and a faculty position in musicology, which signals the department's active hiring priorities in those areas.

Using events and news as a faculty-finding shortcut

Faculty research shows up in the department's event calendar, which is often more current than a static profile. Examples drawn from the site's listings:

• The Ron Alexander Memorial Lectures in Musicology series has featured speakers including Matthew D. Morrison (Stanford) and Joy H. Calico (UCLA).
• Noon Concert Series programs are tied to specific faculty studios, such as "Guitar Students of Charles Ferguson," "Violin Students of Robin Sharp," and "Piano Students of Ory Shihor" — these names indicate who teaches those instruments.
• A concert of "New Works by Stanford Graduate Composers" at the CCRMA Stage points to the composition and computer-music side of the department.

If you want to know who teaches your instrument or supervises a genre, scanning the concert listings for studio names is a fast way to find out.

Before you contact anyone

• Confirm the person's current area from their own profile rather than assuming from the department's broad list.
• Check whether the department has posted relevant openings or news, since hiring announcements indicate where faculty capacity is growing.
• Note that the site links to Stanford visitor information for maps and directions; it does not publish faculty email addresses in the general listing, so use the contact details shown on individual profile pages.

For prospective students, the same faculty pages are the natural companion to the "Explore the Minor & Major," "Take Lessons," and "Find an Ensemble" sections, since lesson instructors and ensemble directors are drawn from the same faculty and staff pool.

The Stanford Department of Music website lists upcoming lectures, noon concerts, student recitals, and guest artist performances, each with a date, time, and campus location. The listings below come from the department's events section and cover October 2026. If you are planning to attend, check the site's calendar again before you go, since schedules can change and new events are added throughout the term.

Types of events listed

The department's calendar mixes several formats:

• Lectures and talks — musicology lectures and guest speakers, often in Braun Music Center or Pigott Hall.
• Noon Concert Series — free midday performances by student musicians, held in Campbell Recital Hall.
• Student and ensemble performances — recitals and group concerts, including graduate composer showcases.
• Guest artist and special events — visiting performers and cross-department collaborations.

October 2026 event listings

Key venues

Most events take place at a small set of campus locations:

• Braun Music Center — 541 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA 94305. Houses Campbell Recital Hall and lecture rooms.
• The Knoll (CCRMA Stage) — 660 Lomita Court, Stanford, CA 94305. Hosts computer music and intermedia performances.
• Pigott Hall — 450 Jane Stanford Way, Building 260, Stanford, CA 94305. Used for some lectures and colloquia.

How to confirm details before attending

1. Open the department's events calendar on music.stanford.edu.
2. Check the date, start time, and room, since some events share a day and venue.
3. Look for a "Read more" or event detail link for program notes, ticketing, or access information.
4. Recheck close to the event date — the site also posts news items such as audition announcements and faculty position openings, which can push event updates to different pages.

What the listings do not tell you

The event entries provide date, time, and location, but they do not consistently state admission cost, ticketing requirements, or whether registration is needed. The site links to a Maps & Directions page for planning travel, but no pricing or payment information appears in the event listings themselves. If cost or access matters for your plans, confirm it through the individual event page or the department office rather than assuming an event is open or free.

The Stanford Department of Music offers two main paths for hands-on music-making: individual lessons and ensembles. Both are accessed through the department website at music.stanford.edu, where the homepage features dedicated Take Lessons and Find an Ensemble entry points. The key practical step is timing: the department announces auditions for ensembles and music lessons as news items, so you need to watch for those openings rather than assuming you can sign up at any time.

Taking Music Lessons

The department's Take Lessons section is the starting point for individual instruction. Based on the site's structure, lessons are organized around instrument and voice areas taught by faculty and affiliated instructors.

What to do:

1. Go to music.stanford.edu and select Take Lessons.
2. Review the lesson offerings and any stated requirements or fees (the homepage excerpt does not list pricing, so check the lesson page directly).
3. Watch for the audition announcement. The department posted a news item titled "Auditions Open for Ensembles and Music Lessons" — this is the signal that the sign-up window is open.
4. Follow the audition or placement instructions given in that announcement.

A reasonable expectation: lessons are not a walk-in service. The department pairs students with instructors, and the audition notice is how that process begins.

Joining an Ensemble

The Find an Ensemble entry leads to the department's performance groups. The site's news and events show the range of activity:

• Stanford Flute Ensemble — performed at a national convention (news item).
• Guitar students, violin students, and piano students of named faculty — featured in the Noon Concert Series.
• Low Frequency Trio — new works by Stanford graduate composers, performed at CCRMA.
• Zozulka Trio — a Slavic languages and literatures event at Campbell Recital Hall.

These examples indicate ensembles span classical instrumental groups, student performance studios, and contemporary/computer-based music at CCRMA.

What to do:

1. Go to music.stanford.edu and select Find an Ensemble.
2. Identify the ensemble(s) matching your instrument or interest.
3. Check the "Auditions Open for Ensembles and Music Lessons" news item for the audition window.
4. Prepare and attend the audition as instructed.

Key Dates and Where to Find Them

The department publishes auditions and performances through its News and Events sections. The relevant pattern from the site:

Most performances and auditions take place at Braun Music Center, 541 Lasuen Mall (Campbell Recital Hall, Room 103) or The Knoll, 660 Lomita Court (CCRMA Stage).

Practical Notes

• Timing matters most. The department announces auditions as news, so check the site's News section regularly rather than only at the start of a term.
• Lessons and ensembles share one audition announcement. The same news item covers both, so one check covers both paths.
• Contact and location details are on the site; the homepage lists Braun Music Center and CCRMA as the primary venues.
• Pricing is not stated in the available homepage content. Check the specific lesson or ensemble page for any fees or enrollment conditions.

If you are a current or incoming Stanford student, start at music.stanford.edu, open Take Lessons or Find an Ensemble, and look for the current audition notice before the term begins.