Music offers a full range of educational opportunities as well as solo and ensemble performances to support individual growth and meaningful collaboration.
Students have numerous performance opportunities in varying genres. Ensembles include Symphonic Winds, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Vocal Jazz, Philharmonic Orchestra, Northern Chorale, Chamber Choir, Opera Workshop, Brass Choir, Jazz Combos, Steel Band and Percussion Ensemble. Ensembles perform on campus and around town throughout the academic year and have toured nationally and internationally.
Graduates of Music pursue successful careers as professional performers, college and university faculty, public school music teachers, private studio instructors and in allied fields within the music industry. They are pursuing graduate studies at The Juilliard School, Indiana University–Bloomington, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Iowa State University, the Eastman School of Music and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Watch these quick videos to learn about how to apply to NKU, the audition process for Music, and available scholarship opportunities.
Check out this virtual tour with SOTA Director Matt Albritton and Music Program Head Kimberly Lazzeri. Learn more about applying, auditioning, scholarships, and programming as current music students share their experiences.
Does music set your heart on fire? Are you passionate, driven, and curious? Then SOTA is the destination for you. The NKU String Area is home to amazing faculty, successful students, and the award-winning NKU String Project - a program dedicated to growing the next generation of string players and teachers.
The Percussion Area promotes learning on a variety of instruments in diverse styles to help cultivate well-rounded musicians. The most successful percussionists and music educators have a great balance of musical knowledge.
The foundation of the Jazz Area is in African-American art music, however, students also learn how to apply Jazz techniques to professional careers in commercial and popular music. Jazz has a long history of inclusivity and diversity and the NKU SOTA Jazz Area honors that rich tradition.
Adam talks about how he prepares future music educators and what classroom models may look like moving forward.
Kimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri
Music Program Head
gelbwassek1@nku.edu | (859) 572-1563
Joan Brummer
Music Program Advisor
brummerj1@nku.edu | (859) 572-5902
