Woodwinds

The Meadows Commitment

Southern Methodist University is located in the heart of Dallas, a vibrant city and major cultural center. As a result, you will not only have access to all the advantages of being a student in the Division of Music at this prominent university, but will be within easy reach of more than 500 cultural events a year. The faculty of the Meadows School of the Arts is committed to the highest standards of teaching and to active professional participation in music performance and research. Students benefit from the broad experience of our faculty, our rehearsal and performance facilities, the Hamon Arts Library, our visiting artists, and the thriving culture of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The quality of instruction at Meadows is superlative and is further augmented by world-renowned ensembles and exceptional opportunities.

Meadows Symphony Orchestra

The Meadows Symphony Orchestra, directed by Dr. Paul Phillips, performs an extensive season of concerts annually and collaborates with the Meadows Choral Ensembles, the Meadows Opera Theatre, and the Meadows Division of Dance. The orchestra is comprised of gifted students from around the world, including Eastern Europe, Asia, South America, and other areas, as well as from every region of the United States. Many of the orchestra’s students are active as international soloists, participants in major music festivals, and prizewinners at international competitions.

Meadows Wind Ensemble

The Meadows Wind Ensemble, directed by Dr. Jack Delaney, has performed throughout the United States and Europe and has won the acclaim of leading composers for thoughtful and dynamic performances of their works. The Wind Ensemble performs a broad and diverse range of literature and regularly augments its instrumentation with strings in order to access the repertory of the modern chamber orchestra. The ensemble has recorded four CDs on the Gasparo label, including The Drums of Summer, which was awarded first prize in a major international recording competition in Austria. The most recent release, Magnetic Fireflies, features the music of Augusta Read Thomas and soloists Gregory Hustis, Carol Leone, and Regan Smith. The Wind Ensemble frequently commissions new works and in 2008 premiered Eric Ewazen’s The Eternal Dance of Life, featuring the world-renowned percussion ensemble NEXUS.

Meadows Chamber Music

The Meadows Chamber Music program provides an opportunity for string players to perform exceptional chamber music ranging from trios to nonets. Not limited to the traditional string quartet, students may also perform a much more extensive repertoire including chamber music with pianists or woodwind or brass players. The Meadows Chamber Music program features side-by-side performances with faculty and guest artists playing alongside students. 

Bachelor of Music Degrees

The Bachelor of Music in Performance program prepares undergraduates for a performance career and for private studio teaching. Members of the woodwind faculty draw upon accumulated knowledge and skills developed over many years as successful performers and teachers. This program of study provides a balanced performance curriculum of orchestral excerpts and solo and chamber repertoire, together with performance in both orchestra and wind ensemble throughout the four-year degree. There are also opportunities to perform in the Meadows Jazz Orchestra, Meadows World Music Ensemble, and SMU Marching Band. All undergraduate music degrees include a balanced curriculum of music theory, aural skills, music history, pedagogy, and interesting elective courses together with a well-rounded general college curriculum. These courses provide a solid foundation for a lifetime of continued learning, creativity, and artistic fulfillment.

Woodwind players may also pursue degrees in Music Education, Music Therapy, or Composition while still developing professional level musicianship. These degrees include performance-level woodwind study while preparing undergraduates to apply their unique skills in these careers. A Bachelor of Arts in Music degree is also available for woodwind players and facilitates double majors or the inclusion of Pre-Med or Pre-Law courses.

Graduate Degrees

The Master of Music in Performance degree prepares students to pursue a career in performance or to undertake further studies at the doctoral level, positioning them to become college studio professors. The degree is completed in four semesters of study with a minimum of 30 credits required for graduation. The Performer Diploma and Artist Diploma are two-year programs (20 credits) for musicians in their final stages of preparation for professional performance careers. Please contact the appropriate faculty for your instrument or the department chair for details.

Complete the graduate application online.

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

If undergraduate need-based financial aid is desired, the FAFSA and CSS Profile must be completed. All applicants are considered for academic and music scholarships. We will do our best to provide a financial aid package that makes an education in the Meadows School of the Arts affordable.

Graduate financial assistance is available through merit scholarships, graduate assistantships, and work-study positions. The FAFSA is required for work-study and graduate assistantships.