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About

Two students in Duke's Chinese Music Ensemble. Photo by Robert Zimmerman.

Whether you want to refine your skills as a performer, explore your creative potential as a composer, or deepen your understanding as a listener, come and explore the opportunities that await you at Duke:

  • A curriculum that combines theory, history, ethnomusicology, and performance
  • A low student-faculty ratio
  • A distinguished faculty of scholars, composers, and performers with expertise in a broad range of subjects
  • Nine vocal and instrumental performing groups, open to majors and non-majors alike
  • Annual concert series focusing on a wide variety of periods and styles
  • A music library with over 100,000 books, scores, journals, and microfilms, housed in the Mary Duke Biddle Music Building
  • Superb facilities and a wide-ranging collection of historical instruments

At the graduate level the Department of Music offers programs leading to the Ph.D. in CompositionMusicology with an optional track in Performance Practice, and Ethnomusicology.

The programs include courses, seminars, and independent study in composition, ethnomusicology, music history, music theory and analysis, performance practice and interpretation, and interdisciplinary studies.

Duke students offer their thoughts on the benefits of studying music in college—no matter if you enroll in one course or major in music.
Learn more about chamber music at Duke.