University of Minnesota, School of Music

Experience the Alexander Technique, a method of re-educating the kinesthetic sense, July 20 - 24, 2026. This workshop is a condensed version of our popular Alexander Technique class. Participants discover habit patterns found in musicians that cause pain and are obstacles to optimal performance. The workshops are intended for adult-age musicians of all levels and music teachers of all kinds. Details and registration information can be found at the link in our bio!

Congratulations to Assistant Professor of Double Bass and Contemporary Performance Dr. Kyle Motl for being awarded a 2026 McKnight Foundation Fellowship!

MacPhail Center for Music is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 McKnight Foundation Fellowship for Musicians: Helen Chang Haertzen, Kyle Motl, Michael Ward-Bergeman, and Room3.

Administered by MacPhail for the past 30 years, the McKnight Fellowship for Musicians is one of Minnesota’s most significant awards for mid-career musicians. https://macphail.org/2026-mcknight-musician-fellows/

Mark your calendars for the University of Minnesota School of Music 2027 audition & interview dates! 🗓️ 🎶

➡️ December 5, 2026 (Spring 2027 undergraduate admission only.)
➡️ January 30, 2027
➡️ February 13, 2027

Prospective undergraduate students are invited to join us for Discover Music Day on October 16, 2026! More details will be shared soon on this exciting event. All 2027 applications, both undergraduate and graduate, are due on December 1, 2026.

Photo: Yuhao Zhang

This week, we joined the International Centre 4 Prince Studies for Dance On!, a two-day academic and fan conference honoring the legendary artist Prince. Thank you to faculty member Sumanth Gopinath for presenting, everyone who made it to the conference, and a special thank you to several international presenters and attendees!

Student saxophonists in grades 6 - 12 are welcome to join us August 5 - 8, 2026 for the annual Twin Cities Saxophone Camp! All styles are welcome, as the course will focus on intermediate and advanced fundamentals of saxophone performance. The culmination of the program will feature a concert showcasing student soloists, chamber groups, and an all-camp saxophone ensemble. Find more details and registration at the link in our bio!

Brand new music production courses will make their debut at the University of Minnesota School of Music in Fall 2026 and Spring 2027! These courses are open to all University of Minnesota undergraduate students, no matter their major. In a digital landscape focused on streaming, these music production courses offer a glimpse into the fascinating world of modern music production. Students will develop a skill set that supports their own entrepreneurship as artists, music creation, and even songwriting. With support from our faculty experts and industry guest lecturers, students will step onto this trending career path and gain important insights to support their future careers.

➡️ These courses are open to students of all majors.

For Fall 2026:
MUS 3950/5950: Music Careers & Entrepreneurship (Jenny Klukken)
MW 11:15 AM - 12:40 PM

Students will learn the foundational concepts of entrepreneurship and career development in the music industry, gain an understanding of careers within the music industry, and evaluate their skills and aspirations in order to craft an actionable career plan.

MUS 3950: Electronic Music Productions and Composition (Hugh Simons)
MWF 10:10 AM - 11:00 AM

Students will learn the techniques used in popular and electronic music production including beat making, recording, sequencing, and arranging original music using the Ableton Live software.

For Spring 2027:
MUS 3950: Song Writing
Coming Spring 2027

This course helps student songwriter-performers hone their music and learn about songwriting practices. Topics include lyrics, text setting, genres, forms, melodies, harmonies, and grooves in historical and recent musics, and songwriting vis-à-vis recording engineers, music PR experts, instrumentalists, videographers, etc.

The School of Music is thrilled to announce that Dean Sorenson, Director of Jazz Studies, has been promoted to the rank of Professor! Sorenson has made a significant impact on the School of Music as the Director of Undergraduate Studies and oversees a highly successful and industry-recognized Jazz program. Please join us in congratulating him on this significant accomplishment!

The University of Minnesota School of Music is thrilled to announce that Dr. Emily Threinen has been simultaneously promoted to the rank of Professor within the School of Music and named the College of Liberal Arts' Paul W. Frenzel Land Grant Chair. Dr. Threinen will hold the chair appointment from January 2027 through June 2029. Please join us on congratulating her for this incredible accomplishment!

The Paul W. Frenzel Chair in Liberal Arts, an endowed chair of the College of Liberal Arts, is intended to support and encourage innovative and distinctive scholarship and teaching in the liberal arts. The chairholder represents unique intellectual vitality in a balance of distinguished teaching, research, and scholarly writing. The award comes with an annual funding allocation of $50,000 for a total of $150,000 in support of scholarly research or creative work, teaching and advising, and other professional activities, including support to advance the mission and initiatives of the University Band Program.

Read more at the link in our bio!

The School of Music announces that Professor of Composition, Dr. Alex Lubet, will retire from the University of Minnesota at the end of the 2025–26 academic year. Read about Lubet's accomplished career from his students and colleagues at the link in our bio.