Music Department
Why Study Music at UNC Asheville?
Music Department Programs
Music Studies
B.A. Minor
The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree program offers a unique blend of academic rigor and artistic exploration, preparing you to apply your craft and find success in your career. Begin an exciting musical journey supported by a welcoming campus environment and experienced faculty.
Jazz & Contemporary Music
B.F.A.
In our Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz and Contemporary Music program, explore music that shaped and continues to shape the genre. Dynamic by nature and grounded in both theory and practice, you learn through an engaging blend of courses, expert faculty, and numerous performance opportunities. Immerse yourself in Asheville’s vibrant culture and find your unique voice in our program.
Music Technology
B.S.
In the Bachelor of Science in Music Technology degree program, your passion meets innovation as you dive into a curriculum crafted to reflect new trends and advancements in music technology. Our world-class facilities, equipped with the latest recording studios, production labs, and performance spaces, nurture your talent and guide you toward success.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
Graduates of UNC Asheville’s Music Department are prepared for a wide range of careers in performance, production, education, and sound technology. Whether studying Jazz and Contemporary Music, Music Technology, or a general music degree, students build creative and technical skills that translate across the music industry and beyond. Alumni have worked with top artists like R.E.M. and Alison Krauss, launched careers as performers, composers, educators, and audio engineers, and pursued graduate study or full-time roles through internships and professional collaborations.
Auditions
Auditions
To join UNC Asheville’s Music Department, all prospective music majors must complete an instrumental or vocal audition. Auditions are held twice yearly on campus and serve as an opportunity for faculty to get to know you as a musician. While some ensembles are open to all students, others require auditions as well. We strongly encourage students to complete the audition before enrolling to ensure a smooth entry into our vibrant and supportive musical community.
Outside the Classroom
Outside the Classroom
Ensembles
UNC Asheville’s ensembles are open to all students, offering opportunities to perform in groups ranging from choir and orchestra to wind, jazz, bluegrass, and more. With most requiring no audition, these ensembles create a welcoming space to explore music, connect with others, and share performances with both campus and community.
Outside the Classroom
Outside the Classroom
Performances & Events
Experience a range of music at UNC Asheville through weekly and seasonal events. From classical recitals to contemporary performances, our Music Department hosts a wide array of events that celebrate musical diversity and talent. Events include Live at Lunch, UNCA Loves Piano Series, faculty showcase concerts, and Asheville Singers performances, as well as a number of ensemble concerts.
Events Schedule Coming Soon
Internship Opportunities
Internship Opportunities
UNC Asheville’s music internships connect students with industry professionals to design hands-on, real-world experiences. Working directly with organizations and mentors, students gain practical skills, build networks, and prepare for careers while earning academic credit.
Music Facilities
Music Facilities
UNC Asheville’s Music Department features two cutting-edge facilities: the Bob Moog Electronic Music Studio, equipped with rare analog and digital synthesizers, theremins, and industry-standard software, and the Music Technology Studio, which includes a professional recording control room and a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 mixing and mastering space. Together, they offer students hands-on experience in electronic music and audio production.
Scholarships
Scholarships
Outstanding music students at UNC Asheville may earn annual scholarships valued between $350 and $1,000—awarded through auditions and funded by named awards such as the David Wells Music Scholarship, Helen Edelstein Piano Scholarship, Paddison Family Scholarships, Collins Stringed Instrument Scholarships, and support from the Friends of Music.
I originally looked into studying classical voice at other in-state institutions, and then realized that by going to UNCA I’d be able to study a wider array of genres outside of just classical music. I didn’t really listen to or play much jazz music at all before coming to college. However, studying jazz has really helped me in my other musical interests.
Music Department Faculty
As active musicians dedicated to student success, our music faculty enrich Asheville's thriving music scene and the cultural life of our campus. Students benefit from small class sizes that encourage collaboration and mentorship between professors and students and students and their peers.
William Bares, Ph.D.
Professor of Music and Department Chair
Office: 203 Dykeman Hall
Phone: (828) 250-2312
Email: wbares@unca.edu
Office Hours
Tuesday 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Wednesday 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Friday 1:00 apm – 2:00 pm
Pamela Miller
Administrative and Program Support Staff
Office: Department Main Office, Dykeman Hall 205
Phone: (828) 251-6432
Email: pmiller4@unca.edu
Emily Mariko Eng, D.M.A.
Lecturer in Music and Director of Wind Bands
Office: 201 Dykeman Hall
Phone: (828) 251-6530
Email: eeng@unca.edu
Brian Felix, D.M.A.
Professor of Music and Director of Jazz & Contemporary Music
Office: 204 Dykeman Hall
Phone: 828-250-2311
Email: bfelix@unca.edu
Melodie Galloway, D.M.A.
Ruth Paddison Distinguished Professor of Music and Drama, Director of Choral & Vocal Studies
Office: 202 Dykeman Hall
Phone: (828) 251-6769
Email: mgallowa@unca.edu
Andy Jurik, D.M.A.
Lecturer in Music and Music Theory Coordinator
Office: 208 Dykeman Hall
Email: ajurik@unca.edu
Jonathan Toby King, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Faculty Assembly Chair
Office: 102 Dykeman Hall
Phone: (828) 251-6431
Email: jking6@unca.edu
Bio
Jonathan T. King holds a B.A. from Amherst College, a M.S. in Geology from the University of Montana – Missoula, and an M.A., M. Phil., and Ph.D. in Music from Columbia University. He wrote his dissertation on improvisatory bluegrass music performance. Other areas of interest include include American vernacular musics, North American popular music, East and West African musical traditions, music and language, critical genre studies, and creative improvisatory practice. He has taught classes examining the relationship of music with language, social identity, modernism, cosmopolitanism, orientalism, and political power. He has directed ensemble classes with Nyoman Saptanyana (Balinese Gamelan), Andy Algire (Afropop), and Famoro Dioubate (Guinean Balafon), among others.
Education
- B.A., Amherst College (Geology)
- M.S., University of Montana – Missoula (Geology)
- M.A., Columbia University (Music Theory)
- Ph.D., Columbia University (Ethnomusicology)
Courses Taught
- Modernity and World Music: the Middle East, and Eastern Africa (Sarah Lawrence College)
- World Music, Cosmopolitanism, and “the West”: Europe, the Mediterranean, and West Asia (SLC)
- Music, Language & Identity: Ethnomusicology of the Americas (SLC)
- Structures of Music / Structures of Power: Africa, Asia & the Middle East (SLC)
- “Non-Western” Western Musics in Europe and Asia (SLC)
- Music, Circulation, and Appropriation (SLC)
- Studies in Music and Culture (SLC)
- The Anthropology of Sound (SLC)
- First-Year Studies: Music as World Culture (SLC)
- Masterpieces of Western Music (Columbia University)
- Classical Music History Introduction (Fordham University)
- 20th Century Composers (Purchase College (SUNY)
- Scales in World Music (Purchase College (SUNY)
Ensembles Directed
- Old Time (Country) Ensemble
- AfroPop Ensemble
- Traditional Bluegrass Ensemble
- Guinean Balafon Ensemble
- Balinese Gamelan Ensemble
Carolina Perez
Assistant Professor of Music, Faculty Senate IDC Chair
Office: O52A Ramsey Library
Phone: (828) 251-6456
Email: cperez4@unca.edu
Matthew Richmond
Senior Lecturer in Music and Applied Music Coordinator
Office: 106 Dykeman Hall
Phone: (828) 251-6447
Email: mrichmon@unca.edu
Office Hours
Monday 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Wednesday 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Email to make an appointment for other times.
Charles Jude Weinberg
Director of Music Technology; Lecturer in Music Technology and Electronics
Office: 026 Lipinsky Hall
Phone: (828) 251-6488
Email: cweinber@unca.edu
Office Hours
Monday 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Thursday 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Michael Barnes
Adjunct Music Faculty, Guitar and Ensembles
Office: 043 Lipinsky Hall
Phone: (828) 251-6432
Email: mbarnes@unca.edu
Lyndsay Pruett
Adjunct Music Faculty, Fiddle/Violin
Office: 043 Lipinsky Hall
Phone: 251-6432
Email: lpruett@unca.edu
Inez Hullinger Redman
Adjunct Music Faculty, Violin
Office: 043 Lipinsky Hall
Phone: 251-6432
Email: ihredman@unca.edu
Jacob Rodriguez
Adjunct Music Faculty, Saxophones and Ensembles
Office: 043 Lipinsky Hall
Phone: 251-6432
Email: jrodrigu@unca.edu
Justin Watt
Adjunct Music Faculty, Drum Set and Percussion
Office: 042 Lipinsky Hall
Phone: 819-0013
Email: jwatt@unca.edu
FRIENDS OF MUSIC
Consider a Concert Donation or join the Department of Music in the $50+ Student Scholarship Campaign and become a Friend of Music!
Donate $50 or more to become a Friend of Music, and your name will be printed in our concert programs.
You will also receive a small “thank you” gift from the Department of Music.
Money donated will benefit our students through scholarship awards and special programs.
We appreciate your support! Click here to join.
Ready for What's Next?
Ready to turn your passion for music into a career? At UNC Asheville, you’ll find a supportive, creative community where you can grow as an artist, performer, or innovator. Choose from our B.A. in Music, B.F.A. in Jazz and Contemporary Music, or B.S. in Music Technology, and gain hands-on experience through expert instruction, performance opportunities, and access to world-class facilities. Discover your sound in Asheville’s vibrant music scene—audition today and start your musical journey.