University of Iowa School of Music

The UI School of Music has long been recognized as one of the excellent university-based schools of music in the US and celebrated its 100th birthday in 2006 (read about its detailed history).

It has about 50 full-time and 10 part-time faculty members and approximately 450 music majors, including both undergraduate and graduate students. The school is large enough to have strong programs in all areas of specialization, but small enough to provide personal attention. There is a comprehensive array of courses for majors, and many opportunities for nonmajors to play and study music. The faculty consists of highly-trained artist-teachers in each area of specialization and scholars of international distinction (for faculty bios, see www.uiowa.edu/~music/bios/faculty. See Quick Facts about the School.

The atmosphere (in the Music School in general and the Horn Studio in particular) is friendly and the students are very supportive of each other.

Note: as we wait for a brand new School of Music to be built, we are very comfortably settled in excellent new studios in the 2nd floor Old Cap Mall in downtown Iowa City (the ground floor is shops and restaurants; the 2nd floor is occupied by the University). The instrumental studios are roomy, completely acoustically isolated, and have a built-in digital recorder + playback, plus adjustable reverb (from dry practice room to something on the order of the Astrodome). The new studios (and recital hall, classrooms, breakroom, and chamber music rooms) are frankly a step up from the old building; we all be completely content here until the new state-of-the-art building is finished (we move in Fall 2016) which takes up a city block downtown at the corner of Clinton and Burlington Streets downtown (just a block away from where we are now). Below is the architect’s sketch of the exterior of the new school that will be built about a block away from where we are now. The outer walls are almost finished!

For more sketches (interior), click here.

Facilities

Performance Opportunities

It’s a very active place – there is a wide range of performing experiences available for the hornist. The performing ensembles are first rate, including jazz ensembles, Symphony Band, Concert Band, University Band, Hawkeye Marching Band, the UI Symphony Orchestra, and UI Chamber Orchestra (see also the UI Orchestras Wiki). There are also the Electronic Music Studios and the Center for New Music. In any case, you will never lack for playing opportunities (not mentioned here are other ensembles for vocalists, percussionists, etc.).

It's easy to join or start a chamber music ensemble such as brass choir and brass and woodwind quintet. If you know players already, you can form your own group and be coached by a faculty member. If you are new to the school, you simply have to apply, and you will be placed in a group (e.g. brass or woodwind quintet) of players of similar experience and level. In spring semester the horn studio gives a horn choir concert.

The calendar of events of symphonic music (current repertoire; recent repertoire) opera, musicals, chamber music, and recitals throughout the year is very full and highly varied. The Iowa City listener has a huge selection of performances of every genre from which to choose.

Honors