The Shepherd School of Music

The Shepherd School of Music Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Mastering the art of musical performance. music.rice.edu Our alumni include Pulitzer Prize and Grammy winners.

At Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, we cultivate the mastery of musical performance, combining a conservatory experience with the educational opportunities of a leading research university. Guided by the belief that talent manifests along unique paths, we limit our student body to 275 uniquely gifted young musicians. We give each music major access to world class teachers—all accomplished artists in their own right—dedicated to cultivating talent and professional success. Our faculty is known for their individualized instruction and for equipping musicians with the skills and experience necessary to develop their own esteemed careers. They have debuted at Carnegie Hall, appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera, and hold positions in orchestras and chamber music groups around the country and the globe. In just over four decades, we have become a leading international music school, making us both one of the youngest and one of the most prestigious university-level programs in the country. The Shepherd School presents more than 400 concerts a year. Learn more at music.rice.edu

Join us for our first performances of the 26/27 school year at the Shepherd School of Music! Faculty Recital: Sharing th...
09/06/2026

Join us for our first performances of the 26/27 school year at the Shepherd School of Music!

Faculty Recital: Sharing the Spotlight
Nick Platoff, Trombone
Tue, Sep 8 at 7:30pm in Duncan Recital Hall

Rice Chorale: In Memoriam: 9/11/2001
Fri, Sep 11 at 7:00pm in Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall

Faculty Recital: Sharing the Spotlight
David Chan, Violin & Friends
Sun, Sep 13 at 5:00pm in Duncan Recital Hall

Explore all events, including student and class recitals, at music.rice.edu/events

Community Spotlight! 🌟 The Shepherd School of Music has so much to celebrate with these recent accomplishments from stud...
09/05/2026

Community Spotlight! 🌟 The Shepherd School of Music has so much to celebrate with these recent accomplishments from students and alumni:

Andy Liu (BM student of Elizabeth Freimuth): Won First Place Overall in the University Division and the supplemental award for Best Artistry (Round 2) at the International Horn Competition of America

Anna Thompson (MM ’25, student of Nova Thomas): Joined the prestigious Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera

Benjamin Krause (DMA ’14): Named Thomas Ediger Distinguished Composer of the Year by the Music Teachers National Association for his piece “Spaces Real or Imagined”

Isabel Signoret (MM ’20, student of Stephen King): Awarded the Opera Verace Young Artist Career Development Grant of $10,000 and appointed Artist in Residence at the world-renowned Wiener Staatsoper

Jaylin Vinson (BM ’25): Won the 2026 Hermitage Prize in Composition at the Aspen Music Festival and School with a $10,000 prize valuation

Michael Clark (DMA ’21, student of Robert Roux): Edited a brand-new Urtext volume of composer Florence Price’s works with Edition Peters: "Piano Works: Preludes, Waltzes, Songs Without Words and Others"

Sean Terada Yang (DMA student of Jon Kimura Parker): Selected as a 2026 Young Artist in Residence for the American Public Media program

Tessa McQueen (MM ’24, student of Nova Thomas): Signed a management contract with leading classical artist agency Opus 3 Artists

SSM students and alumni, share your good news with us: https://ow.ly/N98450ZJLP6

Different stages, same familiar faces 🫶Seeing our Shepherd School students, faculty, and alumni reunite at summer festiv...
09/01/2026

Different stages, same familiar faces 🫶

Seeing our Shepherd School students, faculty, and alumni reunite at summer festivals nationwide will never get old! 🥳🦉

Fall 2026 Non-Music Major Course Offerings 🎼THREE-CREDIT CLASSESMUSI 117 | Fundamentals of Music (3 credits)Perfect for ...
08/29/2026

Fall 2026 Non-Music Major Course Offerings 🎼

THREE-CREDIT CLASSES

MUSI 117 | Fundamentals of Music (3 credits)
Perfect for beginners with minimal music prep. Covers pitch, duration, scales, chord structures, and more.

MUSI 125 002 | Remix, Cover & Parody (3 credits)
Explore how artists adapt existing music across popular & classical genres to reflect new cultural and artistic perspectives.

MUSI 307 | Composition for Non-Majors (3 credits)
Learn to develop your musical ideas into complete works using Western staff notation and key music concepts.

MUSI 317 | Theory for Non-Majors (3 credits)
An introduction to harmony, melody, rhythm, and form in Western classical music.

MUSI 403 | Basic Electronic Music (3 credits)
Learn electronic/computer music production, sound design, and composition at the Rice Electroacoustic Music Labs.

LESSONS & ENSEMBLES

MUSI 334 | Campanile Orchestra (1 credit)
Symphony orchestra performing once a semester.

MUSI 335 | Rice Chorale (1 credit)
Choral ensemble performing once a semester.

MUSI 141–197 | Private Lessons (2 credits)
Weekly one-on-one instruction with a graduate student or faculty member.

MUSI 345 | Applied Studies in Jazz Improvisation (2 credits)
Private lessons covering specific jazz improvisation techniques.

🔗 Learn more at courses.rice.edu

08/26/2026

What makes Rice’s O-Week so special? Seniors Christian and Diego share their perspective as student advisors 🦉

Through a blend of academic support and vibrant campus traditions, O-Week introduces incoming students to the community and culture of care that will define their college experience.

To our 35 new undergraduate Owls at the Shepherd School: a huge welcome to Rice! 👐

Kicking off the year on a perfect note! 🎶On Monday, Shepherd students, faculty, and staff gathered in Brockman Hall for ...
08/26/2026

Kicking off the year on a perfect note! 🎶

On Monday, Shepherd students, faculty, and staff gathered in Brockman Hall for Opera to reconnect and celebrate the first day of the 2026-27 school year.

Calling all non-music majors! 📣Want to join a musical ensemble, learn how to compose, or dive into some fascinating musi...
08/24/2026

Calling all non-music majors! 📣

Want to join a musical ensemble, learn how to compose, or dive into some fascinating music history—AND earn Distribution I credits while doing so?*

Rice's Shepherd School of Music is delighted to offer a variety of classes just for you this fall. Visit courses.rice.edu for more information.

*Applies to certain 3 credit hour courses

It's TIMEEEEE! 👀 🎫Tickets for fall performances in Stude Concert Hall are on sale today! Get yours online: https://ow.ly...
08/21/2026

It's TIMEEEEE! 👀 🎫

Tickets for fall performances in Stude Concert Hall are on sale today! Get yours online: https://ow.ly/MH7U50ZBwQK

Shepherd School Orchestras:
∙ Beethoven 5 & Hannigan’s Debut – Fri, Sep 25, 7:30 PM
∙ Symphonic Transformations – Sat, Sep 26, 7:30 PM
∙ Mahler’s Titan – Sat, Oct 24, 7:30 PM
∙ Shepherd Spotlight: Bartók 3 – Sat, Nov 7, 7:30 PM
∙ Parker Plays Brahms – Fri, Dec 4, 7:30 PM

Other performances:
∙ Shepherd School Chamber Players: The Art of Shifting Colors – Thu, Dec 3, 7:30 PM
∙ Campanile Orchestra – Sun, Nov 22, 4:00 PM

📣 Just Announced! 📣 Tony winner and ‘Hamilton’ star Renée Elise Goldsberry will perform at Brockman Hall for Opera on Sa...
08/19/2026

📣 Just Announced! 📣

Tony winner and ‘Hamilton’ star Renée Elise Goldsberry will perform at Brockman Hall for Opera on Sat, Jan 23!

“Rice is delighted to welcome the extraordinary Renée Elise Goldsberry for this special one-night-only performance,” said Rice President Reginald DesRoches. “As an internationally acclaimed artist and a proud Houstonian, Renée brings a remarkable talent and energy to our campus, creating an opportunity for audiences across Rice and throughout our community to experience her artistry in a truly special setting."

Goldsberry originated the role of Angelica Schuyler in “Hamilton,” winning the 2016 Tony Award for best featured actress in a musical. Her Broadway credits also include the original cast of “The Color Purple” and “Rent,” and she is known to television audiences for “Girls5eva” and “The Good Wife.”

The performance is a homecoming for Goldsberry, who spent much of her childhood in Houston and first stepped onstage at age 8 during a summer camp at HITS Theatre. Her Rice ties run deeper still: Her mother, Betty Sanders, an industrial psychologist, earned her doctorate from Rice in 1984.

Tickets will go on sale for the performance on Fri, Oct 16. Learn more: https://ow.ly/OmtH50ZB3Re

Please join us in welcoming the Class of 2030 to Rice University! 🦉We recently gathered our new undergraduate students f...
08/18/2026

Please join us in welcoming the Class of 2030 to Rice University! 🦉

We recently gathered our new undergraduate students for a special Shepherd School of Music orientation. They're kicking off their Rice journey with Orientation Week activities alongside their residential colleges – including some of our first students from the brand-new Chao College!

Owls, enjoy your first week here on campus, and we can't wait to see all you'll accomplish here at Rice 👐

Address

6100 Main Street
Houston, TX
77005

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+17133484854

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Shepherd School of Music posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category