Fredonia School of Music

08/31/2026

Happy First Day of Classes, everyone! It's great to have you back on campus.

Pictured here: last week's New Student Welcome! 💙
📸 Lori Deemer

08/03/2026

Audition Request Form opens September 1. Plan a visit this fall and see what makes Fredonia such a special place 💙

Schedule your visit today:
https://explore.fredonia.edu/portal/campus-visits

SUNY Fredonia has once again been named one of Money’s "Best Colleges in America"!

With over $24 million in scholarships awarded each year, 94% of first-year students receiving grants or scholarships, and a 63% graduation rate, Fredonia continues to deliver strong outcomes at an affordable price.

We're proud to be recognized for over a decade!

07/30/2026

Go, Audrey! We love seeing our doing amazing things 💙

06/30/2026

☀ It's one of our favorite weeks of the year!

Fredonia Summer Music Festival is happening now and we LOVE having Mason Hall filled with these amazing young musicians!

There's still time to register for String Camp (starting July 19)!

Details:
fredonia.edu/summermusic

06/12/2026

Join the !

Full-Time Lecturer:
Vocal Conductor

The State University of New York at Fredonia is seeking a full-time Lecturer in the Voice and Choral areas, with expertise in Voice studio teaching and choral conducting. In addition to conducting our University Chorus, a 100+ person ensemble with both music majors and non-majors, the successful candidate will be prepared to teach applied lessons and recital seminar.

Get the details:
https://fredonia.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp;jsessionid=033274C2E570990C5DFF56683A7B1D71?JOBID=201456

06/10/2026

☀ Spend a week with us this summer!

Fredonia Summer Music Festival is FANTASTIC and the deadline for our first week of camps is extended to June 20.

[Strings Camp deadline is July 6]

Don't wait! Reserve your spot today:
fredonia.edu/summermusic

Registration deadline extended to June 20 for bands, choral, piano, and songwriting!

Fredonia Summer Music Festival Alumni Quote:
"The counselors and teachers made this the best week ever. I loved it!" - Kayleah M.

Join us for a wonderful week of music and memories! Secure your spot today: fredonia.edu/summermusic

05/19/2026

We are thrilled to be hosting The Golandsky Institute at SUNY Fredonia this summer!

Whether you're coming to grow your technique, musical insights, or simply be inspired, here's what a week at the Golandsky Institute Summer Symposium will give you:

Presentations by Faculty & Guest Artists

Gain deep insight into the Taubman Approach through lectures and presentations from Golandsky Institute faculty and guest artists.

Masterclasses

Watch, listen, and learn as faculty and guest artists work with participants and demonstrate the diagnostic and transformative power of the Taubman Approach in real time.

Technique Clinics

In small-group settings designed for close interaction, technique clinics give you focused, personalized attention and the chance to work through specific challenges with an expert by your side.

Pedagogy Sessions

Whether you're a teacher or aspiring to become one, pedagogy sessions offer practical tools and insights for bringing the Taubman Approach into your studio with confidence.

Private Lessons

Work directly with a Golandsky Institute faculty member in three 30-minute private lessons scheduled throughout the week and included for in-person participants.

Concerts by Guest Artists

Be moved and inspired by evening performances featuring Symposium guest artists, Logan Skelton and Sebastian Issler, the perfect complement to a week of deep learning.

Register by May 15 to take advantage of early pricing!
With limited room and board available, don't wait until the June 30 in-person registration deadline to secure your spot.

https://www.golandskyinstitute.org/event/2026-golandsky-institute-summer-symposium/

05/17/2026

Congratulations to our Class of 2026! 💙💙💙

05/14/2026

SUNY Fredonia Jazz has done it AGAIN!

The 49th annual DownBeat Student Music Award winners were announced today, and we are celebrating THREE prizes. That makes 9 awards in the last 8 years. Incredible!

Please join us in congratulating the Fredonia Jazz Orchestra and the Fredonia Jazz Flextet, along with Dr. Nick Weiser (head of jazz studies), and all of our jazz students and faculty.

This is the first year the Fredonia Jazz Orchestra has been recognized by the DownBeat Student Awards, and they are receiving TWO honors: WINNER of the Latin Group (Undergrad/College), a category we have not won yet, and OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE in the Blues/Pop/Rock Group (Undergrad/College).

Fredonia Flextet is no stranger to the DownBeat Awards, this year bringing home an OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE award in the Blues/Pop/Rock Group (Undergrad/College).

The DownBeat Student Music Awards are highly competitive and considered among the most prestigious honors in jazz and contemporary music education. Founded in 1976, they attract submissions from students worldwide, with recordings blind-judged by professional musicians and educators on musicianship, creativity, and technique.

Stay tuned for more details about these fantastic achievements and the people who make it all happen.

Read more:
https://www.downbeat.com/?/sma/

05/13/2026

Congratulations, Caitlyn Derrick (Music Education, '18)!

Caitlyn has been named one of School Band & Orchestra Magazine’s “50 Music Teachers Who Make a Difference.” This honor recognizes one educator from each state who is shaping both musicianship and character 💙

We are proud of Performing Arts Instructor Caitlyn Derrick, who has been named one of School Band & Orchestra Magazine’s “50 Music Teachers Who Make a Difference.” This honor recognizes one educator from each state who is shaping both musicianship and character!

Ms. Derrick’s approach focuses on student ownership. “When my students have developed the agency to make musical choices in the repertoire we are working on,” she says, “that is what makes me most proud. It is so inspiring to see students take ownership of the music they love… I love seeing students’ faces light up when they realize they are the ones making the creative decisions — not me, the teacher.”

Her goal goes beyond the classroom: “I hope I have provided my students with multiple ways for music to be part of their lives both inside and outside of school. Wherever students fall on the musical spectrum, I want them to feel like music is a part of their lives in whatever way they choose.”

Congratulations, Ms. Derrick!