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Music

Department Overview

Swarthmore's Department of Music is a vibrant community of performers, creators and critical thinkers who share a passion for music both past and present, pop and classical, near and far. Our academic courses invite students to think deeply about music; our ensembles bring talented students together to perform challenging and varied repertoire; our master class and residency programs bring some of our countryā€™s most distinguished musicians to campus for ongoing collaborations with our students; and our program of private instruction enables students to study with some of the finest teachers from Philadelphia to New York City.  Students in our program are often active in many other fields, such as art history, biology, engineering, English, linguistics, and mathematics. The wealth of interests and curiosity they bring to music making fosters a fresh and exciting atmosphere in Lang Music Building.

We welcome all students, whether or not they pursue a major or minor in our discipline, to become part of our music family. Given the buzz of activity happening in Lang, and facilities to rival many larger universities, you'll never want to leave. And with the library open until 1 a.m., and practice rooms open all the time, you really don't have to.

*Helpful tip for Swat Central:  Once you log in, click on ā€œMoreā€ in the upper right hand corner, and then select ā€œAvailability.ā€  Now select ā€œLang Music Buildingā€ from the location pull down menu, and you can see every space in the building for any day of the year.

Tri-Co Philly Program 2025

Are you interested in being more engaged in Philadelphia? Come learn about the Tri-Co Philly Program, which enables students to experience the diverse and vibrant city of Philadelphia with a cohort of Tri-Co students. Students take two urban-focused, experiential classes in the city and explore Philadelphia through regular cohort events.

Learn more