Welcome to the University of Kentucky School of Music!

Internationally recognized for excellence in Performance, Music Education, and Research in Music

For almost 100 years, the University of Kentucky School of Music has helped thousands of musicians prepare for careers as performers, educators, researchers, and a wide array of leadership positions both in and outside of the musical realm. More than four hundred music majors in Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral programs come from throughout the United States and six continents, and benefit from world-class teaching and the broad academic offerings of a major university.

Integral to a top-flight School of Music is a great faculty. The UK School of Music is comprised of over 50 full-time faculty in residence that include internationally acclaimed performers, scholars, and teachers who have dedicated their lives to nurturing young talent, guiding and inspiring students to attain success in a wide range of professional realms. Students benefit from special care offered by the faculty as well as the many guest artists and conductors, clinicians, and lecturers who visit campus each year.

Students in the UK School of Music have abundant opportunities to participate in prestigious large ensembles that have performed throughout the United States and the world including choral ensembles, symphonic wind groups, symphony orchestra, opera, and jazz ensembles. There is also a wide range of chamber music groups such as AcoustiCats, Niles and Verdi String Quartets, World Music Ensemble, Bluegrass Brass Quintet, Paws and Listen, MegaSax, New Music Ensemble, and many more.

Most on-campus performances presented by the School take place in the Singletary Center for the Arts in either the 1,487 seat Concert Hall or the 383 seat Recital Hall. Adjacent to the Fine Arts Building is the Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library and Learning Center that houses collections and services dealing with art, arts administration, music and theatre and is home of the John Jacob Niles Center for American Music.

Located in the vital arts community of Lexington, Kentucky, the UK School of Music plays a leading role in the arts with over 200 performances and public lectures annually. Please explore our web pages, our performances on YouTube, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Better yet, come join us as a student and experience the Award-Winning Tradition of great music making!

Skip Gray
Interim Director
UK School of Music