Music at York

Music at York is internationally recognised for integrated creative, practical and scholarly approaches to music. We are active, vibrant and open to everyone.

In addition to the diverse range of degree programmes we offer at undergraduate and postgraduate level, we provide opportunities for the University and wider community to engage in music across styles and genres. We host the region's leading professional concert series alongside public talks, workshops and masterclasses.

We also run a rich and varied collection of ensembles and offer instrumental and vocal tuition. Whether or not you are studying music we invite everyone to get involved!

Study with us

Studying music at York gives you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of musical experiences and to look at how music is shaping and responding to the world.

Research and practice

Our research covers a wide variety of topics in performance, composition, musicology, education and technology, with our staff bringing interdisciplinary expertise to bear across a range of projects. Our vibrant, busy research clusters provide focus for individual research strands and encourage collaboration across the University.

Our current research projects include the REM@KE project (Reconstructing Embodied Musical Knowledge at the Keyboard). This collaboration between the Universities of Pavia, Gothenburg, and York, explores how embodied knowledge has shaped keyboard musicianship and instrument building throughout history.

Explore our research

Get involved

Ensembles

YorkConcerts

Music Society

Vocal and choral music

Lyons Live

Culture on campus

Concert highlights

Video

Timothy Ridout | Brahms Viola Sonatas

Video

Quatuor Diotima - Philippe Manoury Tensio | Jonathan Harvey String Quartet No.4

Video

The 24 - Gerald Finzi | Frank Martin

Video

Finals Recitals Gala Concert

Music for all

Our music students run the Music Education Group (MEG) - a volunteering initiative which helps provide musical education for all. They provide free musical workshops at primary and secondary schools, hospitals, care homes and other community groups across York, and host MEGaphonics an accessible and inclusive weekly community choir for children in school Years 5 and 6.

Students on our MA Music Education programmes, including MA Music Education: Instrumental and Vocal Teaching course, can provide lessons as part of their learning. These lessons are open to all across the University community – contact marianna.cortesi@york.ac.uk for details.

Our history

Music at York has been re-inventing ways of studying music since its earliest days.

The original department was founded in 1964 by Professor Wilfrid Mellers, whose vision was unique and ahead of its time. Seeking to present an integrated approach to practical music making, composition, and musicological studies, Mellers and his colleagues developed a flexible, project-based undergraduate course allowing students to select the focus of their studies.

This choice-based element remains part of the curriculum we offer across many of our programmes today, and we have continued to build on the founding principles of the department: integrating creativity and scholarship, and fostering a vibrant, outward-facing environment.

Explore our history