Music Department
The department is housed in the Green Music Center and Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall.
Audition Days
Once you have applied to the university you can schedule an Audition to become a Music Major on one of the Department of Music Audition Days.
- November 9, 2013
- January 18, 2014
- March 29, 2014
- April 12, 2014
Read all about it on our Apply - Become an SSU Music Major page.
Close to San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean, SSU’s NASM-accredited music program is housed in the 105,435-square-foot Green Music Center.
SSU offers generous scholarships and performance opportunities in instrumental, choral, jazz, and music theatre. Scholarship Auditions will be March 10th, 2013.
Sonoma State has been named one of the most beautiful college campuses in the country by Thebestcolleges.org. Ranking number 34 out of 50, SSU outranked prestigious universities as the University of San Diego and UC Santa Cruz in terms of campus setting.
One of the most requested campuses in the CSU system and regularly named a “Best Regional University” by U.S. News & World Report. SSU has also been named one of the “most wired” campuses in the nation by Forbes magazine. It is the only California university invited to be a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, the prestigious group of 25 universities and colleges across the nation committed to providing superior liberal arts and sciences education to their students.
Music News
Jazz director Doug Leibinger (center rear) with the Belgorod, Russa, State University Jazz Ensemble.
Hands Across The Water — Winners of 1st International Jazz Improvisation Competition To Be Announced
Thursday, April 25
7:30 p.m. Weill Hall
The next SSU Jazz concert will reveal the winners of the first SSU/Belgorod (Russia) International Jazz Improvisation Competition. The contest is part of a global educational initiative led by Boris Mochalin and Professor I. B. Ignatova from the Belgorod State University of Arts and Culture. Mochalin arranged for SSU professors Doug Leibinger, Brian Wilson and John Stanley to visit Belgorod last fall where they conducted several jazz and concert bands.
Nineteen contestants participated – six from Belgorod and thirteen from SSU – submitting their entries to a private online site for an international panel of six judges. One American and one Russian winner will be chosen, with the Russian winner performing live via Skype.
Also performing on the concert will be K Flat and the Jazz Moles, the Quicksilver Jazz Messenger Service and the SSU Jazz Orchestra led by Doug Leibinger. Tickets $10-$15.
Body and Soul — Music student Alison Poteracke produces a work of fiction. Full story here.
SSU Wind Band Conducting and Music Education Symposium
June 24-28, 2013
Join us to further develop your skills in the art of conucting and music education pedagogy. Find out more
Featured Events
Horn Soloist Joe Ognibene performs on May 2.
Symphonic Wind Ensemble Concert — The Sonoma State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble closes a momentous season with a program that honors the past and looks to the future. Joining the SWE is guest artist Joseph Ognibene, principal horn player with the Iceland Symphony, performing the Horn Concerto No. 1 by Richard Strauss. Andy Collinsworth will conduct the concert at 7:30 p.m. on May 2 in Weill Hall. full story here
Choral Concerts — Director of Choral Activities Jenny Bent leads concerts with the Chamber Singers and Symphonic Chorus on April 26 and May 2. Read the full story here.
Jazz Orchestra Dreams of Debris - Building on the excitement of last month’s visit by Matt Wilson and Arts & Crafts, the SSU jazz program is gearing up for another round of shows and visiting artists. Program Director Doug Leibinger has even found the time to write a new big band number called “I Dream of Debris." read full story
Check out our full season of events! Many performances are free of charge.
Single ticket prices are $15 general; $12 faculty, alumni and staff; $10 seniors and students. All events are free to SSU students with ID.