Desautels Faculty of Music

Programs of study

The education you receive in the Desautels Faculty of Music will prepare you for a wide range of careers, including traditional performance, music education, composition and history, and many other music and arts-related professions. We offer instruction in all orchestral, band and jazz instruments, piano and organ, all vocal areas and conducting.

You will enjoy an environment of intense creativity and collaboration, built on a foundation of academic excellence, with an inspiring balance of tradition and innovation.

A Desautels Faculty of Music student sitting at a piano.

What we offer

The freedom to explore

Classical students can participate in jazz ensembles and vice versa, and you can experiment: for example, take a course using our leading-edge electro-acoustic lab.

You can also collaborate outside of the music program. We have a spectrum of artistic programs in one beautiful facility, where we encourage collaboration between film, sound, theatre and visual arts.

A conservatory approach in a university setting

Our approach to teaching and mentoring is paired with the academic rigor and a breadth of opportunities you will find at a research-intensive university. You will learn from exceptional individuals with a passion for music, a commitment to innovative teaching and a gift for student engagement. They will provide countless opportunities to develop your skills through practical experience.

A degree that can take you places

Our alumni have distinguished themselves in many music and arts-related professions. In addition to careers such as performing, conducting, and composing and arranging, many graduates succeed in education, music publishing and promotion, music technology, arts administration, and health and community services.

A study in winter gear performs a midday concert outside in the middle of winter
A student walks through a hallway outside of the library concourse.
Six Faculty members from the Desautels Faculty of Music perform for an audience at the 2016 Homecoming.

Undergraduate programs

Major practical study and ensembles

Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Performance

Graduate programs

A student plays the violin in a practice room.

Master of Arts in Music Research

The Master of Arts (MA) in Music Research is designed to provide a broad foundation in advanced concepts and skills in musicology and music theory. The curriculum is flexible, allowing students to design a program that balances training in musicology and music theory (both broadly defined) to align with their interests and professional goals. The program aims to prepare students for doctoral studies in related disciplines and for a variety of allied professions.

Offerings for non-music students

  • Students talking and studying together in the music library.

  • Courses for non-music majors

    The Desautels Faculty of Music offers several courses of interest to those students outside the faculty. 

    Permission is required from the music registrar to enroll in music courses. Contact the undergraduate student advisor for more information.

    In addition, university students and community members are encouraged to audition for many ensembles.

  • Registration is open to all students for the following courses:

    • MUSC 1930: The Rudiments of Music
    • MUSC 1010: Music Matters - Excursions in Western Musical Culture
    • MUSC 1020: Introduction to Popular Music
    • MUSC 1030: History of Musical Theatre
    • MUSC 3830: Discovering Jazz
  • A student practices an instrument in a large room with a window and a piano.

  • Music minor for UM students

    Students in other faculties can earn a minor in music while pursuing another program of study. 

    Music minors choose from a wide array of interesting music electives, and are eligible to join any of our many ensembles. 

Professional development programs

  • People seated on the floor playing xylophones.

  • Our summer professional development programs provide educational and professional development opportunities for university students, choral conductors, and music educators.

    Programs include the Orff Teacher Certification Program, Fikamusik choral conducting intensive, and Kodály teacher education.

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Contact us

Desautels Faculty of Music
Room 319 Taché Hall
150 Dafoe Road
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB  R3T 2N2

music@umanitoba.ca
204-474-9310
204-474-7546