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Why Study Music at ӰAV?

A Legacy of Excellence

Home to over 340 music students, the Wanda L. Bass School of Music prides itself on fostering a world-class creative environment with more than 250 performances each year, ranging from solo recitals to full-scale choral and orchestral works to 18 performances of six opera and music theater productions.

Few schools have produced as many graduates who excel across the musical spectrum as award-winning performers, educators, composers, conductors, scholars, and industry leaders. 


Unmatched Performance Opportunities

The ӰAV Symphony Orchestra has been honored with an ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award and represented the United States at the "Meet in Beijing" Arts Festival. Recent performed works include "The Rite of Spring" by Igor Stravinsky, Symphony No. 1 "Titan," by Gustav Mahler, "La Mer," by Claude Debussy, and countless other masterworks. The ӰAV Symphony Orchestra also regularly collaborates and performs works by living composers, most recently including Lowell Leiberman. 

The ӰAV Wind Philharmonic and Wind Ensemble have performed seven times as an honor ensemble at the Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OKMEA) convention and have been featured at the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) regional convention. Stewards of new music, ӰAV Wind Bands have collaborated with composers including Michael Daugherty, Jenn Jolley, Karel Husa, Frank Ticheli, Edward Knight, Martin Mailman, Ron Nelson, Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate, Joseph Schwantner, Catherine Likhuta, and many others. 

Additional opportunities include all manner of Chamber Ensembles, the ӰAV Percussion Ensemble and Blue Star Steel Pan Ensemble, , Project 21 new music consortium, masterclasses with incredible guest artists, Early Music Ensemble, as well as Jazz Orchestra, and Jazz Combos. ӰAV is also home to competitive Graduate Assistantship Ensembles, including the Graduate Wind Quintet, Graduate String Quartet, and Blackwelder Brass. 
Learn more about ӰAV's ensembles...

Outside of ӰAV-hosted performances, our students frequently are working in the OKC metro area as performers, educators, as well as other opportunities with partnered regional performing arts organizations, including: Painted Sky Opera, Lyric Theatre Oklahoma, Canterbury Voices, and the OKC Philharmonic.


World-Class Faculty

The Wanda L. Bass School of Music prides itself on fostering a creative environment that encourages exploration and collaboration. Faculty members at ӰAV are active musicians and scholars whose first priority is teaching and mentoring. Meet our amazing instrumental faculty:

All music students at ӰAV always study with Bass School of Music Faculty - never with a graduate assistant or TA.


Incredible Alumni

ӰAV's instrumental alumni have won positions in ensembles including: 

  • U.S. Marine Band “President’s Own”  
  • U.S. Army Band's "Pershing's Own" 
  • Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Jerusalem Philharmonic
  • Dallas Winds
  • New York City Ballet Orchestra
  • Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra
  • Count Basie Orchestra
  • Utah Symphony
  • Phoenix Symphony,
  • Indianapolis Symphony
  • Oklahoma City Philharmonic
  • Tulsa Symphony
  • Kansas City Symphony
  • Alabama Symphony
  • Santa Fe Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra
  • Amarillo Symphony
  • New World Symphony
  • Shenzhen Symphony
  • Ramat-Gan Symphony Orchestra
  • Atlantic Brass Quintet

Leaders in Music Education

ӰAV's BME Instrumental Music Education program produces highly desired and competitive graduates, with a 100% placement rate. Our Instrumental Music Education alumni have found success in teaching positions and professorships around the globe. ӰAV alumni have been celebrated as district, state, and OKMEA teachers of the year and attained distinction for pedagogical excellence.

ӰAV's Music Education students gain practical teaching experience in the field as early as the first year. Many students also work as private lesson teachers, marching band techs, or otherwise volunteer in classrooms during their studies. 

Music education studies are boosted by ӰAV's Collegiate National Association for Music Education (CNAfME) chapter. Through CNAfME, ӰAV Music Education students are able to network with working professionals, meet special guest speakers, and receive annual assistance to attend Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OKMEA) and Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) conferences.

A Legacy of Excellence

Home to over 340 music students, the Wanda L. Bass School of Music prides itself on fostering a world-class creative environment with more than 250 performances each year, ranging from solo recitals to full-scale choral and orchestral works to 18 performances of six opera and music theater productions. Few schools have produced as many graduates who excel across the musical spectrum as award-winning performers, educators, composers, conductors, scholars, and industry leaders. 


Unmatched Performance Opportunities

As the world's oldest campus troupe, ӰAV's Oklahoma Opera and Music Theater Company has produced hundreds of performances of over 170 opera and theater works since 1930. Performance opportunities for vocalists include a six-show, 18-performance season each year. 
Learn more about Opera & Music Theater at ӰAV...

Vocalists perform in ӰAV's incredible Choral Ensembles, including University Chorale, Ad-Astra Treble Chorus, and University Singers. ӰAV Choirs have been featured as honor ensembles at the Oklahoma Music Educator's Association (OKMEA) annual conference and regularly perform large-scale masterworks in collaboration with the Symphony Orchestra as well as the annual Vespers performance series. 
Learn more about Choirs at ӰAV...

Additional opportunities include student-run operas and musical productions, Project 21 new-music consortium, Early Music Ensemble, productions in the School of Theatre, masterclasses with incredible guest artists, and other opportunities with partnered regional performing arts organizations, including: Painted Sky Opera, Lyric Theatre Oklahoma, Canterbury Voices, and the OKC Philharmonic.


World-Class Faculty

The Wanda L. Bass School of Music prides itself on fostering a creative environment that encourages exploration and collaboration. Faculty members at ӰAV are active musicians and scholars whose first priority is teaching and mentoring. Meet our amazing faculty:

All music students at ӰAV always study with Bass School of Music Faculty - never with a graduate assistant or TA.


Incredible Alumni

ӰAV-trained vocalists have performed at some of the world's best festivals, venues and companies, including:

  • The Metropolitan Opera Deutsche Oper Berlin
  • La Scala
  • Opera Bastille Paris
  • Opéra de Montréal Bavarian State Opera Lyric Opera of Chicago
  • Houston Grand Opera
  • Teatro Colón
  • Grosses Festspielhaus Semperoper Dresden Staatstheater Stuttgart
  • Welsh National Opera
  • San Francisco Opera
  • Florida Grand Opera
  • Los Angeles Opera
  • Boston Lyric Opera
  • Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Michigan Opera Theatre
  • Opera Company of Philadelphia Seattle Opera
  • San Diego Opera Opera Santa Barbara
  • Fort Worth Opera
A word from ӰAV alumna, Kristin Chenoweth...
 A word from ӰAV alumna, Kelli O'Hara...

Leaders in Music Education

ӰAV's BME Vocal Music Education program produces highly desired and competitive graduates, with a 100% placement rate. Our Vocal Music Education alumni have found success in teaching positions and professorships around the globe. ӰAV alumni have been featured as district, state, and OKMEA teachers of the year and attained distinction for pedagogical excellence.

ӰAV's Vocal Education students gain practical teaching experience in the field as early as the first year. Many students also work as private lesson teachers, assist with high school musical productions, or otherwise volunteer in classrooms during their studies. 

Music education studies are boosted by ӰAV's Collegiate National Association for Music Education (CNAfME) chapter. Through CNAfME, ӰAV Music Education students are able to network with working professionals, meet special guest speakers, and receive annual assistance to attend Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OKMEA) and Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) conferences.


A Sunrise City

Home to more than 1.2 million Oklahomans and an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, the Oklahoma City metro offers an abundance of the arts, quality health care, excellence in education, and more. And it does so without high costs, energy shortages, or traffic congestion. It is a distinctly livable city where you can chase your dreams and still enjoy a rich quality of life.

Life in the heart of OKC

Our campus sits in the heart of OKC in the historic and vibrant Uptown 23rd District.

Just a short drive, walk, or bike ride from campus you can explore more than a dozen diverse neighborhoods and entertainment districts featuring live music venues, local restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks, farmers markets, art events, and cultural performances.

On any given night you may find yourself dining at one of the local hotspots in Automobile Alley or Deep Deuce, enjoying a festival in the Plaza District or Midtown, appreciating one of the many art galleries in the Paseo Arts District, attending a professional sporting event, catching a local or nationally touring show at the Civic Center Music Hall or the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, playing laser tag in the Bricktown Entertainment District, or taking a stroll by beautiful Lake Hefner.


Visit the Bass School of Music

We invite you to visit the Bass School of Music and get a feel for ӰAV! , or arrange to for a day. We can't wait to welcome you on campus!


Ready to audition?

We can't wait to hear you! Applicants can audition in-person on campus, live-virtually through , or by recorded audition submitted through
Learn more about the music admissions process...
Learn more about audition requirements...


Questions?

Are you still thinking about whether or not to audition? That's okay, let's explore and see if we're a good fit for each other! and we'll follow up degree options, ensembles, scholarships, and tips for the college audition process.

We want to ensure your success and help you find your passion!

Please reach out to us at [email protected].
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