School of Music

The School of Music transforms lives through excellence in music teaching, performance, creative activities, research and service.

The Power and Promise of Music

We prepare musicians for professional careers and leadership in music teaching, performance, composition, research and related fields, by offering more than 20 degree programs.

The School of Music enriches the musical life of the university and the Midlands by offering more than 300 concerts and recitals a year. Orchestras, choirs, opera, chamber ensembles and guest artist concerts — most are free to attend — take place in beautiful venues like the Koger Center for the Arts, the School of Music’s Recital Hall and Johnson Performance Hall in the Darla Moore School of Business.

The School also boasts one of America's most robust and inspiring community engagement programs, MUSIC FOR YOUR LIFE, where folks of all ages and from all neighborhoods can study and experience the beauty of music and music-making through accessible and affordable opportunities for music enrichment made available by School faculty, students, staff, alumni and friends including workshops, classes, camps, lessons, and clinics.

music for the public good We believe music is an essential component of the human experience. Our mission is to prepare our students to be skilled music leaders to ensure that they advance the quality of life in their communities by helping to make others happier, healthier, more hopeful and more fulfilled through the power of music. We do this not only by advancing musical instruction at the highest level for students' professional preparation but also by leveraging the actual daily work done by students and faculty in the teaching and learning of music to unlock music’s unlimited potential to improve lives throughout the Midlands and beyond.

Transforming Lives

At the University of South Carolina School of Music, we pride ourselves on our engagement with the public, with students and faculty engaged in curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular Public Music activities. These include classes such as Public Music Theory and the Sounds of Columbia, ensembles like the Spark Collective and Fuse Ensemble, and our Master’s degree in Performance with a concentration in Community Engagement.

Short-term projects with community partners, such as the Lourie Center, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, and Oliver Gospel Mission, provide further opportunities to use music to meet community needs.

Announcing the USC Music Teaching Artist Certificate Program

Acknowledging South Carolina's current music teacher shortage and the deficit in opportunities for some students to learn musical instruments, we’re excited to announce a new certificate program for musicians who wish to support music learning for all South Carolina schools.

The Music Teaching Artist Certificate Program (MTAC) is a three-year pilot project. The first cohort includes coursework, mentoring, individual observation, and paid attendance to the SC Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference.

The program also seeks to expand music learning opportunities that promote the heritage of South Carolina communities. Learn more.

School of Music News

Enriching lives through music

When a bold idea meets the right partners, lives can change. That belief came to life in early 2025, when the University of South Carolina School of Music launched a groundbreaking initiative to bring high-quality music education to communities across the state that have long gone without it. Thanks to the visionary support of the Gretsch Foundation, twelve passionate musicians became the inaugural graduates of the new Music Teaching Artist Certificate (MTAC) Program -- a first-of-its-kind effort designed to equip working artists to fill critical gaps in arts education, particularly in South Carolina's rural and underrepresented areas.

Southeastern Piano Festival: A cultural destination that showcases musicians and USC's School of Music

With an impressive lineup of guest artists, the 2025 Southeastern Piano Festival offers participants and audiences an opportunity to sample a variety of musical contexts from classical and to jazz.

Musical Feast returns May 17 to celebrate 100 years of music at Carolina

Hosted by the Friends of the School of Music, this annual celebration supports scholarships that enable talented students to pursue their musical dreams.

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Upcoming Events

Summer Chorus Concert

Friday, Jul. 25, 2025

Location: School of Music 206 Recital Hall

Cost: Free

Jones/Butterfield Duo - Craig Butterfield, Double Bass, with Guest Artist Jesse Jones

Friday, Aug. 22, 2025

Location: School of Music 206 Recital Hall

Cost: FREE

Clifford Leaman Faculty Saxophone Recital

Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025

Location: School of Music 206 Recital Hall

Cost: FREE

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