Division of Music

The most satisfying careers in music evolve and deepen over a lifetime. You’ll need a firm curricular base and hands-on experience to excel as a musician. The University of Central Missouri’s undergraduate and graduate Music programs prepare you to succeed in any sector of the music industry or music education. We welcome all musicians — majors, non-majors and community members — to participate in our music offerings, in keeping with our philosophy that music is valuable for everyone to enjoy.

UCM Music programs prepare you for a variety of career options:

Music Education: Our 150+ year tradition of training music educators has established us as a leader in the state of Missouri. UCM provides you with a grounding in musical traditions as well as the tools music educators need for the classrooms of the future, including conducting skills, musicology studies and Kodály certification.
- Music Education, BME - Instrumental Area
- Music Education, BME - Vocal Area
Music Technology: Prepare to succeed on the ever-expanding frontier of sonic creativity in our state-of-the-art facilities. You could become an audio engineer, produce live events, create sound for film or video games or run your own recording studio.
Music Performance: If you want to be an outstanding vocalist or instrumentalist and enjoy a career as a recording, composing and touring artist, we’ll help you hone your skills so you can share your talents on stage, in the studio or via technology.
Jazz-Commercial Music: If you want to perform, compose, arrange or produce jazz or commercial music, you’ll have opportunities to hone your musical skills with your peers in numerous UCM ensembles as you develop your artistry to its fullest potential.
Piano Pedagogy: If your goal is to have your own studio or classroom, we provide the education, research and teaching methods to prepare you for success in teaching piano to students of all ages.

Mission Statement:

The Division of Music provides students with the foundation, experience, and specialized instruction necessary for success in a variety of music careers, advanced studies, entrepreneurship, and life-long learning.

Vision Statement:

The Division of Music aspires to be recognized nationally as a music school providing a broad and rich foundation of training and experience, developing flexible musicians who are ready to engage with the world of music today.

Contact

David Aaberg
Chair of Music
Paul R. Utt 202E
Tel: 660-543-4909 | aaberg@ucmo.edu

College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

School of Visual and Performing Arts

Box Office

Live Concert Streaming (Hart Recital Hall Only)

Application, Scholarships, Auditions

UCM Summer Arts Camps

UCM Ovation Series

Areas and Ensembles

Bands
Choral and Vocal Studies
Jazz-Commercial
Music Technology
String and Orchestral Studies

Studios

Percussion
Piano

Upcoming Events

World-class equipment and facilities

Small classes and personalized attention

First All-Steinway School in Missouri

Wide diversity of performance ensembles

NASM-accredited since 1947

American Kodály Educators accreditation

Find your future in Music at UCM

A student-focused curriculum is the hallmark of our undergraduate and graduate Music programs.

Music coursework

As the most progressive Music program in Missouri, we emphasize both innovative and traditional approaches to the study of music. In addition to your core music courses, you can take classes ranging from theatre and creative writing to business and marketing to help you achieve your personal career goals.

Music faculty

As you design your course of study, our Music faculty will guide you in choosing where to concentrate your interests. They are internationally renowned performers, producers, composers, arrangers, technologists, researchers and educators, and our small classroom settings and one-on-one advising sessions give you direct access to them.

Music facilities

Our state-of-the-art music technology facilities are equipped with the same gear and equipment used in the finest professional studios. You’ll benefit from UCM’s unparalleled assets by mastering these technology tools in your coursework or using them to create high-quality recordings of your performances.

Student and community activities

Music builds bridges of cross-cultural communication among diverse interests and communities. UCM’s numerous ensembles help you translate what you’ll learn in your courses and private lessons into real-world experiences. Camps, workshops and festivals, as well as a robust lineup of concerts, recitals and guest artist appearances, offer more opportunities to broaden and deepen your music studies. Click here to learn more about UCM Summer Arts Camps.

Ensembles Open to All UCM Students

UCM offers a variety of ensembles available to Music majors and non-majors. Most ensembles require an audition, and it is recommended that students contact the directors listed below if they are interested in joining, or for more information. Visit the ensemble page for more information.

What can you do with a degree in one of UCM’s Music programs?

A degree in Music from the University of Central Missouri can lead to an exciting career in the music industry — as a performing artist, composer, conductor, recording engineer or entrepreneur. Our Music Education degree programs will prepare you to teach music, privately or in your own classroom. In their careers, many musicians choose to combine performance, composing, arranging, recording and teaching into a satisfying mix that touches upon several aspects of music.

A person playing a violin

Undergraduate Majors and Minors

A person editing music on a computer

Graduate Programs

Music, MA

Degree Programs, Scholarships, and more

Ensembles (Open to all UCM students)

Ensembles at the University of Central Missouri are open to all students regardless of major. Most ensembles require an audition and it is recommended that students contact the directors listed below if they are interested in joining, or for more information.

BANDS

Chamber Winds and Wind Ensemble

The Wind Ensemble is UCM’s premiere concert band and is open to all UCM students by audition. Auditions are held prior to the first day of classes each fall semester. The Wind Ensemble performs contemporary repertoire for wind ensemble and concert band as well as some of the most important core literature; they are also actively involved in commissioning and premiering new works for winds and percussion by both established and emerging composers.

The Wind Ensemble performs at least two concerts each semester in Hendricks Hall, a Chamber Winds recital in Hart Recital Hall, and at university commencements at the end of each semester. In addition, the Wind Ensemble frequently tours throughout the region. Significant performances include the 2014 Southwest Division Conference of the College Band Directors National Association at the University of Arkansas; 2008, 2011, and 2015 performances at the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference; featured performances in New York's famed Carnegie Hall (2010 and 2016); and the UCM President's Concert at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

For more information, please contact Dr. Corey Seapy, Director of Bands, seapy@ucmo.edu

Symphonic Band

The UCM Symphonic Band performs three concerts annually and is open to all UCM students. Chair placement auditions are held during the fall semester for participation in the November Winter Bands Concert, with rehearsals beginning at the conclusion of the Marching Mules season. Students who join only for the spring semester will complete their chair placement audition before classes resume after Winter Break.

Performers in the Symphonic Band are students from all the colleges on UCM campus and members of the surrounding community. The ensemble offers music education majors the opportunity to fulfill scholarship obligations in the spring semester, and it serves as a home for those in the Wind Ensemble to perform on a secondary instrument through audition. The music performed comes from many sources stemming from standard literature of the mid-late twentieth century to modern works composed recently.

For more information, please contact Dr. Mark Bonner, Assistant Director of Bands, mbonner@ucmo.edu

Marching Mules

The UCM Marching Mules have a tradition of serving the institution as the musical ambassadors for the university community. Consisting of students from almost every department and major on campus, the Marching Mules provide excitement on and off the field during the football season. All members of the Marching Mules receive a $600 service award for their participation, and additional scholarships may be available depending on the student's performance ability and availability to audition for other UCM Music ensembles.

To audition for the Marching Mules, incoming freshmen should complete the prospective member form by clicking here. Once completed, students will be contacted about setting up an audition date on campus or through an acceptable platform (unlisted YouTube link, Skype audition, etc.). Students who wish to audition during their summer orientation session are allowed to do so; however, scholarship funds will likely be completely depleted by that time.

Auditions usually consist of the student performing one or two scales, two contrasting excerpts (something technical and something lyrical), and a short sight-reading excerpt. In many cases a student will simply audition on something they have already prepared for solo/ensemble or an honor band audition. Students are recommended to audition prior to the UCM Music’s February Audition Days, as scholarship funds are assigned quickly after that date.

For more information, please contact Dr. Mark Bonner, Director of Athletic Bands, mbonner@ucmo.edu

JAZZ BANDS

The UCM Jazz Bands provide an opportunity for all UCM students to experience performing Jazz at a high level. The program has two big bands, both which serve the campus and regional community in entertaining programs consisting of classic big band charts and contemporary literature.

For more information on Jazz-Commercial offerings, please contact Dr. David Aaberg, Director of Jazz-Commercial Music, aaberg@ucmo.edu

CHOIRS

University Chamber Singers

With approximately 28 singers, Chamber Singers is the University of Central Missouri's most advanced choral ensemble. This ensemble has frequently performed in prestigious regional, national, and international venues, and tours. The choir recently completed a four-concert tour to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and performed live on “Good Morning, Lithuania” in March of 2024. In addition to local and regional tours, Chamber Singers have performed at the Xi'an International Choral Festival in Xi'an, China, Carnegie Hall in New York City, and the Missouri Music Educators Association Annual Convention. On campus, Chamber Singers presents an extraordinarily diverse repertoire in several performances each semester, including a choral masterwork annually. Chamber Singers is open to all UCM students by audition.

Chamber Singers meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 2:00-3:20 pm. To schedule an audition or receive more information, email Dr. Jackson Thomas, Director of Choral Activities (jthomas@ucmo.edu).

University Concert Choir

UCM’s largest mixed chorus, Concert Choir is open to any UCM student. The choir performs diverse repertoire individually at concerts, as well as combining with all three UCM choral ensembles for an annual choral masterwork. This ensemble is perfect for singers who want to dive into a collegiate-level experience without the extra commitment of Chamber Singers.

Concert Choir meets Monday and Wednesday from 3:30-4:45 pm. For placement in the ensemble, please reach out to Dr. Jackson Thomas, Director of Choral Activities (jthomas@ucmo.edu).

Collegiate Choir

Collegiate Choir allows UCM students an opportunity to explore a variety of excellent choral music with the least amount of commitment - perfect for beginners to advanced singers wanting to keep music in their lives. Collegiate Choir performs individually and with the other UCM choral ensembles throughout the year, and is open to any UCM student without audition.

Collegiate Choir meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:00-12:50 pm. Please reach out to Dr. Jackson Thomas (jthomas@ucmo.edu) with any questions.

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The UCM Symphony Orchestra is open to students of all majors by audition.

For more information on the orchestra, please contact Dr. John Rutland, String Area Coordinator rutland@ucmo.edu

PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

All students who are in the percussion studio are required to participate in percussion ensemble as part of their service to the PAS Student Organization; non-majors are also invited to participate. Students are placed into chamber ensembles with which they work on a single piece throughout the entirety of a semester, and they receive coachings from Prof. Smith. Students present their work on the UCM Percussion Ensemble Concert that occurs every semester.

For more information on the percussion ensemble, please contact Dr. Alex Smith, jasmith@ucmo.edu

NEW TECHNOLOGIES ENSEMBLE

An ensemble comprised of technology-based instruments. This ensemble is open (via audition) to any UCM student who performs on laptop, turntables, or other technology-based instrument. The group performs new compositions, arrangements of traditional works, and pieces for indeterminate instrumentation. Each year, the group issues an international call for works, selecting pieces for performance written by living composers from around the world.

For more information on the New Technologies Ensemble, please contact Dr. Elisabeth Stimpert, stimpert@ucmo.edu