The Music Department provides all Princeton University students—whether they major in Music or another concentration—with the opportunity to learn from a world-renowned faculty of composers, historians and theorists; take instrumental or voice lessons in the private studios of eminent professional performers and performance courses in chamber music, opera, vocal ensembles; audition to perform with our faculty-led ensembles including an African Music Ensemble, jazz groups, choirs, orchestras, and a laptop orchestra; and share their passion with local youth through programs offered by Trenton Arts at Princeton. Aspiring performers can take advantage of several study abroad programs, including a double-degree program with the Royal College of Music in London. Students may also participate in a host of student-run groups including numerous a cappella groups, chamber music collectives, an early music ensemble, opera company, composers collective, and a piano collective.
Interested in applying to Princeton University? Click below for some helpful information about visiting campus and including music in your application.
Majoring in Music
The undergraduate Music Major at Princeton is designed to give students a solid foundation in the criticism, analysis, and composition of music, allowing them to explore the art from a variety of perspectives. Whether our students choose to write music (focus on composition) or write about music (focus on theory and music history), they are encouraged to give full reign to their creative instincts and have the freedom to develop senior thesis projects that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Students declare their concentration in mid-April of the sophomore year in conference with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, through the Office of the Registrar.
Minoring in Music or Music Performance
Regardless of their major, students may pursue one of two Minor degree programs that enables students to study, perform, and create music. The Minor in Music (MUS), modeled closely on the Major, allows students to forge pathways through scholarly and kinetic studies of music though theory, cognitive science, ethnography, composition, improvisation, electronic music, and more. The Minor in Music Performance (MPP) provides students the opportunity to study the techniques of vocal and instrumental performance in both jazz and classical traditions, or conducting, while also undertaking scholarly coursework in music.
Participate in an Ensemble
Many hundreds of Princeton students make great music, and life-long friendships, in the dozens of performing ensembles which flourish on our campus.
View Ensembles
Register for Instrumental/Vocal Lessons
Immerse yourself in the music you love by taking private instrumental/vocal lessons in the studios of a stellar performance faculty drawn from the leading performers and teachers of the region.
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