Building Connections for Life
A degree in music performance provides you with the real-world experiences you need to succeed in a competitive and demanding professional environment. Your teachers are award-winning soloists and recording artists, professional music directors, members of military ensembles, composers, and arrangers. Simply put, you will connect and network with the best artist-teachers in the music industry from New York to LA, from Beijing to Sydney, and across Europe.
Immerse yourself in Pittsburgh's thriving arts culture. In addition to university concerts and events, many students perform regularly in the tri-state region with ensembles such as the GRAMMY Award-winning Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Ballet and Opera Orchestras, Pittsburgh Camerata, Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, Mendelssohn Choirs, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, and numerous other ensembles in the region. We even have a Hire a Musician program that connects you with local employers and venues, so you can take your performance expertise beyond the classroom and into the field, allowing you to make money while sharpening your entrepreneurial skills.
At the Mary Pappert School of Music, you have a wide variety of horizon-expanding
performance degrees and programs to choose from at both undergraduate and graduate
levels. We will help you find the right path for your bigger goals. You've got a love for music. Our Bachelor of Music in Performance sets the stage for
you to go anywhere. You've laid the groundwork. Now, refine your skills with a Master of Music in Performance. You've got the foundation. You've honed your technique. Now, dive even deeper with
an Artist Diploma. Our unique jazz curriculum integrates foundational training in the classical tradition
with private instruction and coursework in jazz idioms.Degrees & Programs
Undergraduate
Graduate
Post-Graduate
Jazz Belongs In Your Story
Experience Being a Performance Major
Music Facilities
In addition to classroom spaces, the Mary Pappert School of Music has a variety of performance, rehearsal, and practice facilities available for use. PNC Recital Hall and the Dr. Thomas D. Pappert Center for Performance and Innovation are two of the primary performances spaces in our building. In addition, some larger-scale events are held in other University spaces, including the Charles J. Dougherty Ballroom in the University's Power Center, the Student Union Ballroom, and the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, to name a few.
Applied Areas
Regardless of your intended degree program, you will continue to hone your skills as a performer and musician. In addition to your one-on-one lessons with our award-winning faculty, you will have opportunities to perform with our ensembles as well as in solo or chamber recitals. Learn more about each of our applied instrumental and vocal areas below:
Ensembles
Duquesne's ensembles will provide you with the finest university-level performing experiences available, preparing you for your career as a professional musician. As a member, you will perform on campus, as well as at some of the best venues for music in the city.
Upcoming Events
Summer Theatre Intensive
soundLab Workshop
The workshop runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.
Summer Brass Intensive
Join us for a five-day, hands-on camp for motivated high school trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba players. Spend the week sharpening brass fundamentals through daily labs, sectionals, and guided practice. Learn directly from the world-class Duquesne Brass Faculty in masterclasses and coac
High School Vocal Workshop
Join us in a collaborative exploration for high school singers who love to sing and are considering careers in music! Elevate your singing in a week-long course exploring all aspects of the vocal arts surrounded by other creative and enthusiastic musicians. Registration closes Sunday, June 1, 2026.
Summer Jazz Experience
Enjoy activity-filled days rehearsing, performing, and learning about jazz, America's original art form, in this informal, non-threatening environment. Play and learn alongside members of Duquesne University's jazz faculty, which is comprised of the best jazz musician-educators in the Pittsburgh are
Music Technology Summer Intensive
The Music Technology Summer Intensive is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a professional recording and production environment with GRAMMY Award-winning faculty. Immerse yourself in the inner workings of the studio and its operation during a recording session and actively participate in
Performance Department
As a student at the Mary Pappert School of Music, you study with professors internationally acclaimed in their fields.
Alumni Perspective
I will always be grateful for my education at the Mary Pappert School of Music. It was such a rich environment with world-class teachers who were connected to the current scene and present on a regular basis to share their knowledge about the music industry. It's very rare to find teachers like this who excel in both the performance and academic worlds.