The mission of the Georgia State University School of Music is to preserve, promote and advance humanity’s rich and expanding tradition of artistic music-making through performance, composition, education and research in accordance with the urban and global initiatives of the university.

The graduate programs in the School of Music offer unparalleled opportunities in one of America’s most vibrant urban centers. The school enrolls approximately 90 students in Master of Music degrees, Artist Certificate programs, and Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs in music education.

Students have the opportunity to work with an internationally acclaimed faculty of 40 full-time and 24 part-time faculty in concentrations including performance, pedagogy, music education, conducting, composition and jazz studies.

• The School of Music complex includes five venues: the Standard Building, the Haas Howell Building, the Aderhold Learning Center, the Rialto Center for the Arts (833 seats) and the Florence Kopleff Recital Hall (400 seats) for chamber and solo performances.
• A media center that incorporates a high-tech classroom for computer music instruction
• As an international city, Atlanta attracts world-renowned classical and jazz artists, guest conductors, guest soloists, and composers in-residence who come to our campus and collaborate with School of Music faculty and students through masterclasses and workshops, lectures and performances.
• Every year, the School of Music presents more than 200 performances including student recitals, ensemble performances and guest artists.
• The school provides graduates with real world experience and access to employment with a broad range of prestigious arts institutions and organizations, music festivals and local Atlanta music establishments.
• Graduate students learn valuable teaching experience such as working with public school band, choir and orchestra programs as a coach or instructor.
• Recent visiting artists have included Grammy-Award winning vocal ensemble “Roomful of Teeth,” Pulitzer Prize winning composers Michael Colgrass, Caroline Shaw, and John Luther Adams, jazz great Etienne Charles, and world-renowned soprano Indra Thomas.
• The School of Music students, faculty and alumni have won more than 20 Grammy Awards for performance and production including Best New Artist, Best Urban/Alternative Performance, Best Classical Choral Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Contemporary Blues Album.
• The University Singers vocal ensemble is comprised of more than 56 performers and collaborate with Atlanta’s top cultural, civic and private organizations. The group recently won first prize in the prestigious Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition while on a concert tour of Austria and Bavaria.
• Georgia State University ensembles receive invitations to perform across the state, nationally and internationally. School of Music ensembles include: Symphonic Wind Ensemble | Wind Orchestra | Concert Band | University Chamber Winds | Marching Band | University Singers | Master Singers | Choral Union | University Symphony Orchestra | | University Opera Theater |Woodwind, Brass, String Chamber Ensembles | Guitar Ensembles | Jazz Big Band and Combos | New Music Ensembles | Percussion Ensemble | Pep Band | Winter Guard
• School of Music notable alumni include Coy Bowles (lead guitarist with the Zac Brown Band), composer Carlos Simon (winner Marvin Hamlisch Film Scoring Award and $15,000 Commission from American Composers Orchestra), conductor Henry Cheng (first prize winner, Inaugural European Union Conducting Competition) and trumpeter Darren English (recognized as one of most influential young graduates to represent Georgia State having received a 2018 Global Peace Song Award for his song “Pledge of Peace.”)
• Georgia State has been recognized for its commitment to diversity, research and innovation. The University was recently ranked as the 2nd most innovative and having the 10th most diverse student body in the nation.