Wind Conducting Degrees

The University of Kansas offers highly competitive MM and DMA programs in Wind Conducting, giving students the opportunity to conduct a broad range of ensembles in preparation for a professional conducting career. The art of conducting is examined from the perspective of gesture, movement, score study, aural skills, and rehearsal technique. A significant focus is a contemporary music and the development of the wind band as a serious artistic medium.

Quality podium time is one of the strong points of our program. We believe advanced conductors learn best by conducting great players often. We keep the studio small with just two to three students at a time so that every graduate student can conduct a piece with EACH of the four concert bands each semester.  All degree recitals are with music major ensembles. Our students have conducted significant repertoire with the Wind Ensemble - including the Husa "Music for Prague", Schwantner "...and the mountains rising nowhere", the Dvorak Serenade, Lincolnshire Posy, Maslanka Symphony #4, Barnes Symphony #3, Maslanka’s “A Child’s Garden of Dreams," and even several commissions and world premieres.