The Arts at the University of Virginia is dedicated to building on innovative research and fostering inspired expression that equips us for the future.
The McIntire Department of Music builds upon its liberal arts foundation, and its traditions in the study of western music to embrace two of the central issues of our time: the globalization of society and the development of new technologies.
Our innovative program in Critical and Comparative Studies in Music offers a music-centered approach to understanding complex cultural processes; the focus of these studies ranges from western art music, to African and African-American music, to contemporary music, including classical, folk and vernacular styles.
Our commitment to music and new technologies is reflected in the expansion of our composition program to include digital music and in our development of the Virginia Center for Computer Music. At the same time, we foster creative approaches to traditional instrumental composition. Moreover, while continuing to honor the study of music as a liberal art, we have taken bold steps to strengthen the role of performance, an aspect of music that we hold central to our educational, research and outreach missions.
The Music Library is the largest in the Commonwealth. It contains over 90,000 books and scores, 38,000 sound recordings, and over 10,000 microfilms. The collection focuses on classical music, jazz, and folk music, and includes some popular music and several specialized research collections. The music librarian is a member of the faculty and teaches a course in music bibliography, which all music majors take as an adjunct to their course in music history.
The Virginia Center for Computer Music, founded in 1988 by composer and Professor Judith Shatin, is the region's most advanced facility for work in computer sound generation and related topics. In 1991, in recognition of its achievements, the program was awarded an Academic Enhancement Award by the University.
The Cavalier Marching Band which has grown to include over 275 members since its inception in 2004 performs a different halftime show at each and every home football game. The repertoire of songs has included everything from rock to jazz, pop tunes to classical melodies, and movie favorites to swing charts.The CMB travels to many away games in support of the team and presents an annual concert at the John Paul Jones Arena which highlights music from the football season. CMB members come from diverse academic backgrounds, representing over 80 different majors.
For a list with a brief description of each group, see >
Reproduction, including downloading of ARS works is prohibited by copyright laws and international conventions without the express written permission of Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
