Dean's Welcome Message

Thank you for your interest in the College of Music at the University of North Texas. We are America's largest public-university music program and one of its most highly ranked. Our mission to "serve our diverse music culture with excellence, integrity, and imagination" translates into a curriculum and creative/research agenda that are broad, inclusive, and forward-looking. Yes, we have superb orchestras, choirs, bands, jazz bands, chamber music, composition, music education, and music scholarship, but we also have mariachi, steel drum bands, African drumming ensembles, rock bands, game scoring, music electronics, and so much more. This is a place of expansive musical ambition that is as exhilarating and complex as the diverse musical culture we seek to serve.

We have a full-time resident faculty of over one hundred outstanding and internationally recognized performers, composers, scholars, and researchers, who are dedicated to teaching the highly diverse student body that is assembled at UNT, whether that teaching occurs in private lessons, large or small ensemble settings, or in the classroom. The University community and College of Music students also have access to internationally recognized guest artists and scholars through master classes, lectures, and special performances. We enroll students here from across the US and from more than 40 countries on 6 continents.  

Our College is proud to be a vital component of the North Texas arts community, which includes Dallas and Fort Worth—both of which are less than an hour from our Denton campus. These cosmopolitan cities support exceptional orchestras, opera companies, art museums, professional choruses, as well as popular music of every kind. The North Texas region is one of the most stimulating regions for music and the arts in the entire country. 

Although we are the nation's largest public-university music program, we care deeply about the individual student and structure our curriculum and support services to ensure that every student is provided with the guidance and encouragement they need. We value our students, faculty, and staff, and endeavor to create an environment known for its caring, creativity, and resilience.

I hope that you will invest the time to learn more about us as you explore this website, listen to our streamed and recorded concerts, and visit us on campus soon.

Sincerely,

John W. Richmond, Ph.D.
Professor & Dean of the UNT College of Music