About the Glauser School
Music has been part of the fabric of Kent State University for over 100 years, starting with the first head of the department Anne Maud Shamel and the first classes of special music students. Today, the Glauser School of Music celebrates its past while looking toward the future.
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We are Committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Anti-Racism
Mission
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force will lead the Glauser School's efforts to increase diverse representation, create and sustain equality of opportunity, and intentionally foster an inclusive and equitable environment.
Vision
We envision a School of Music that empowers individuals, expands opportunities, and meaningfully honors all voices.
Purpose
To cultivate a safe, diverse community, and harness its power for change.
We offer comprehensive Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral Degrees at the Kent Campus and the Stark Campus.
Undergraduate:
- Bachelor of Arts (General Music, Jazz Studies and Contemporary Popular Music majors)
- Bachelor of Music (Composition, Music Education and Performance majors)
- Bachelor of Science in Music Technology (Stark Campus-only)
Minors in General Music, Jazz Studies and World Music.
Graduate
- Master of Arts (Composition, Ethnomusicology and Theory majors)
- Master of Music (Conducting, Music Education and Performance majors).
- Doctor of Philosophy (Music Education and Theory-Composition)
*All programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)*
Our Kent and Stark Campus faculty offer in-depth study in 14 distinct areas.
Performance
- Brass
- Chamber Music: String Quartet
- Conducting
- Jazz Studies
- Percussion
- Piano and Collaborative Piano
- Strings
- Voice
- Woodwinds
Music Composition and Theory
Ethnomusicology
Music Education
Music Technology (Stark Campus exclusive program)
We offer many options for Music Majors, Minors and the broader Kent State and Northeast Ohio community.
Bands
- Wind Ensemble
- Symphony Band
- University Band
- Marching Band
- Flasher Brass
- Kent State Youth Winds
Choirs
- Kent State Chorale
- Kent Chorus
- Coro Cantare
- Cantique
- Kent State Gospel Choir
Jazz
- Jazz Orchestra
- Jazz Workshop Ensemble
- Numerous student combos
- Nova Jazz Singers
New Music Ensemble
Opera
Orchestra
World Music
- African Ensemble
- Thai Ensemble
- Steel Band
We have established partnerships with organizations and institutions across Northeast Ohio.
Media and Educational Programming Partners
- Akron Public Schools: Firestone Community Learning Center
- The Akron Symphony
- Cleveland Classical
- The Cleveland Orchestra
- Cleveland School of the Arts
- Kent City Schools
- Kent State Orchestra Society
- Kulas Foundation
- Music from the Western Reserve
- The Record-Courier
- Tuesday Musical
- WKSU
- WCLV
Community Engagement Programs
- Public Clinics, Workshops and Masterclasses
- College Credit Plus
- Community Ensembles (Kent Chorus, KSU Gospel Choir and University Band)
- FAB Fridays
- Kent State Youth Winds
A Community of Change-makers, Creators and Innovators
The College of the Arts at Kent State University includes the School of Music, School of Art, School of Theatre and Dance, and the School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, making it one of the largest academic units at Kent State.
Mission:
To empower global leaders who ignite creativity, inspire discovery and transform all lives through the arts.
Vision:
The College of the Arts will lead as innovators and global change-makers, advancing a creative and collaborative culture.
Kent Blossom Music Festival
Every summer, the Glauser School hosts the Kent Blossom Music Festival (KBMF)—now a 53-year partnership with The Cleveland Orchestra. Young Artists come from around the world to spend five weeks studying and making music with an internationally renowned roster of artist-faculty from the orchestra, Glauser School and guests.
Since its founding in 1968 by George Szell and Louis Lane, more than 2,200 such young artists and world-class professionals have shared the nationally recognized Kent/Blossom experience. Blossom enjoys a significant position of enriching the international music field. The program has propelled hundreds of remarkable young musicians into the ranks of major orchestras, opera companies and conservatory facilities throughout the United State and around the globe.