Not only can you study privately with outstanding faculty on your instrument for credit, but you can play with a variety of groups, including the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the University Orchestra and the University Jazz Ensemble. We also offer students the opportunity to play with numerous chamber groups and small ensembles, such as jazz combos,woodwind quintets, brass ensembles, percussion ensembles, and many others, all taught and coached by our artist faculty on a weekly basis. If Marching Band is what you enjoy, the Pride of Dayton Marching Band is open to all students, not just music majors. And, if you enjoy music of different cultures, check out the Javanese Gamelan, an ensemble of hand-made instruments that plays compelling music from the Pacific Rim. As a matter of fact, all of our ensembles are open to all students, although some do require auditions.

These auditions take place during the first week of class, and you can indicate your interest in performing in one or more of these groups by contacting the ensemble directors. We encourage non-music majors to participate as well, as many of our groups have students of all majors as members. You will find that playing in one of our music ensembles is a wonderful way to make music as well as meet others who have similar interests.

In addition, we often host special concerts for our instrumentalists such as master-classes and guest solo appearances by prominent artists. The city of Dayton boasts a very active arts community, including the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra which performs at their world-class facility, the Schuster Center. Other musical groups include the Dayton Opera and the Dayton Ballet, and UD students can attend performances with student-discounted tickets. The Schuster Center is also the venue for touring companies of major Broadway shows, such as "Wicked", "Chorus Line", and "The Lion King". Aficionados of modern Jazz can find live performances through-out Dayton, sponsored by CityFolk and other organizations.

We have an instrumental faculty who are engaged in teaching and active as performers. For more information about them, visit our faculty by area page.

Your growth and success as a musician is our top priority. As a piano student at the University of Dayton you will take weekly private lessons with a member of our artist faculty, with regular opportunities to perform and get helpful feedback from piano faculty and your peers in our weekly Wednesday at One seminars. In addition, from time to time we bring in visiting concert artists for master classes. These have included such distinguished names as Emanuel Ax, Jon Kimura Parker, Earl Wild, Charles Rosen and Awadagin Pratt.

We offer specialists in the full range of keyboard music, from Classical to Jazz, Gospel, and Popular styles, not to mention Harpsichord and Organ. And of course you'll have the chance to follow your interests and develop your skills working with our various instrumental and vocal ensembles, which include small Jazz combos, Dayton Jazz Ensemble, Ebony Heritage Singers, and many others.

If you are interested in accompanying and chamber music, opportunity awaits you! Many of our pianists earn extra money while gaining valuable experience collaborating with other musicians.You can experience the joy of collaborating with other pianists in the University of Dayton Piano Ensemble, where you'll have the chance to perform and get regular coaching as part of a piano duo.

You'll find successful UD pianists in many places, in competitive graduate programs across the country, performing and accompanying at the Metropolitan Opera, colleges, schools, and churches, as well as teaching at all levels from conservatory to private studio. Many UD pianists are using their skills as successful Music Educators and Music Therapists. We hope you will become part of this proud procession!

Private and class voice instruction is offered each semester and is open to music majors as well as non-music majors. Voice students have regular opportunities to perform and receive helpful feedback from voice faculty, guest artists and your peers in our weekly "Wednesday at One" seminars.

Please visit our faculty by Area listing where you will find links to more information on our voice faculty. As you will see from faculty backgrounds and experience, we enjoy a variety of musical styles! Many of our former students are enjoying successful careers in music performance, church music, arts management, music therapy, and music education. UD students have also pursued advanced study in competitive graduate music programs across the country. Many of our voice students participate successfully off-campus in various performances and student auditions sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Bach Society of Dayton, Dayton Opera, The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, and community theatres, among others.

Vocal performance opportunities on campus are diverse and include nine auditioned and non-auditioned groups, ranging from traditional choral ensembles to opera, gospel, jazz, and world music. Musical theatre performance opportunities include the annual musical production and related courses in musical theatre acting, history and literature. Visit UD's Theatre, Dance and Performance Technology Program.

Other vocal performance opportunities include choirs for campus ministry services, recitals and annual master classes with exciting visiting artists, including Dayton Opera professional singers, and in the past have included Metropolitan tenor Lawrence Brownlee, tenor George Shirley (Metropolitan Opera, University of Michigan) as well as Howard Watkins (Metropolitan Opera coach, and UD graduate). Come pursue your passion for singing here at the University of Dayton.