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The Music Program at Bard

Photo by Jonathan Aseidu '24
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The Bard College campus is awash in music; by all accounts, that fact is one of the school’s most distinctive features. The Music Program, one of the largest programs on campus, provides a wide range of musical concentrations, from classical composition and performance to jazz, electronic music, musicology, ethnomusicology, and music theory. The music faculty all maintain highly visible careers outside academia, many of us nationally or internationally. Many of our most active music students are majoring in something other than music, and all are welcome.
The Bard Conservatory
Photo by Karl Rabe

The Bard Conservatory

The Music Program is separate from the Bard College Conservatory of Music, which has a double-degree program and various graduate programs. The Conservatory's primary differences are as follows: focus on classical music performance and composition; secondary major required; five-year program; and audition required to apply. Despite the separation, many performance opportunities involve both Conservatory students and Music Program students.

More about the Bard Conservatory

The Bard Baroque Ensemble

The Bard Baroque Ensemble welcomes students from both the College and Conservatory. At the start of the semester, students from the College or Conservatory wishing to join should contact director Renée Anne Louprette at [email protected] to express their interest in joining. Watch a livestreamed concert by the Bard Baroque Ensemble in collaboration with Bard Chamber Singers, Preparatory Chorus, Graduate Vocal Arts Program, performing works by Bach in Olin Hall.

More about the Baroque Ensemble

Learn more about other music ensembles at Bard

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

The Bard College music community celebrates its wide-ranging approaches to musical studies by emphasizing creative expression and the development of each individual artistic voice. Our programs include: The Undergraduate Music Program (classical instrumental and voice, composition, electronic music, ethnomusicology, history, jazz, theory); The Conservatory of Music (composition, conducting, instrumental, US-China, voice); and The Orchestra Now. Historically, classical music education has foregrounded European practices of the 17th through 20th centuries. As we become accountable for discriminations relating to that narrow focus, we affirm our intention to break down those boundaries of exclusion. Actionable steps towards equity include: the long term cultivation of a diverse faculty, staff, and student body that is inclusive of a diverse range of races, ethnicities, genders, and LGBTQ+ identities; the practice of respectful listening and communication within and between our programs; the regular review of curricula and their successful inclusion of multiple perspectives; the presentation of diverse musical programming that features and furthers collaborations across the Bard campus; and the forging of initiatives that engage with underserved communities and underrepresented populations. As we pursue these goals, we remain committed to taking actions that combat discrimination and racism in order to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive program.

Applying to the Program

Upcoming Events

  • 11/06
    Wednesday
    7:00 pm – 9:00 pm EST/GMT-5
    Bard Hall
  • A flyer for the Mind Over Nerves workshop.; Workshop: Mind Over Nerves
    11/06
    Wednesday
    7:00 pm – 9:00 pm EST/GMT-5
    Bard Hall
  • 11/07
    Thursday
    7:00 pm – 8:00 pm EST/GMT-5
    Down the Road Cafe
  • 11/09
    Saturday
    7:00 pm – 8:00 pm EST/GMT-5
    Bitó Conservatory Building

NEWSROOM

Bard College Conservatory Receives $50,006 Grant from New York State

Bard College Conservatory Receives $50,006 Grant from New York State

Bard will receive the grant through New York State’s Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program, which supports projects at colleges and universities across the state by providing construction and renovation of laboratory and research spaces, the purchase of technologies and equipment, and other investments. It will support the purchase of pianos and equipment for Bard’s László Z. Bitó Conservatory Building.

Bard Music Professor Marcus Roberts Performs in Gala Concert to Inaugurate Philadelphia Orchestra’s Newly Named Marian Anderson Hall

Bard Music Professor Marcus Roberts Performs in Gala Concert to Inaugurate Philadelphia Orchestra’s Newly Named Marian Anderson Hall

Jazz pianist and Bard Distinguished Visiting Professor of Music Marcus Roberts was a featured artist in the dedication and gala concert held in the newly named Marian Anderson Hall in Philadelphia to honor the legacy of internationally renowned American contralto and civil rights icon Marian Anderson (1897–1993), who was the first Black singer to perform at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, reports NPR.

A woman in a headband looks off to the right, holding a violin at her chest. A music stand with a musical score is in front of her.

New Muse 4tet, Led by Gwen Laster, Wins Chamber Music America 2024 Performance Plus Award

New Muse 4tet, an ensemble led by jazz faculty member Gwen Laster, was awarded a $11,300 Performance Plus grant by Chamber Music America, a national network for ensemble music professionals. The grant will enable New Muse 4tet to record new music, building off of the successes of their debut album, Blue Lotus.