UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music: Shaping the Future of the Music Industry

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music is dedicated to empowering a diverse community of exceptional students as next-generation transformational thinkers in the music industry. With a commitment to critical and socially responsible entrepreneurship, the school offers unique artistic, cultural, and business perspectives on the music industry. The school achieves this through innovative programs, a dedicated faculty, and a strong connection to the vibrant Los Angeles music scene.

A Comprehensive Approach to Music Industry Education

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music provides a multifaceted approach to music industry education, blending academic rigor with practical experience. This ensures that graduates are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the evolving music landscape.

Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry: A Leadership-Focused Degree

In Fall 2023, The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music launched a new Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) music industry degree. Dubbed as the lone program of its kind in the University of California system, the new degree will prepare graduates for careers in artist and label management, publicity, finance, live-music promotion, digital marketing, music supervision, music publishing and licensing and more. The degree will also offer creative instruction in audio technology, musicianship, songwriting and production. Courses will be taught by new and longtime UCLA faculty as well as working industry professionals. The B.A. cities employing music professionals are located within 50 miles of the school’s Westwood campus.

This new degree provides a leadership-focused path to creative, executive, and entrepreneurial careers in the music industry. It is designed to empower a diverse community of exceptional students as next-generation transformational thinkers in the music industry.

Bachelor of Arts in Music History and Industry: A Hybrid Pathway

The Bachelor of Arts in Music History and Industry was designed as a hybrid pathway to study the history and culture of music as an art form while also gaining practical skills required to meet the challenges of today’s evolving music industry. Building upon the Herb Alpert School’s existing Bachelor of Arts in Musicology and its popular minor in Music Industry, this new program combines practical hands-on training with the study of music within the context of different societies, cultures, and theories.

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NOTE: As of Fall 2023, the Music History and Industry BA is closed for application. Students seeking a professional degree in Music Industry are encouraged to consider the new BA in Music Industry.

Music Industry Minor: A Launchpad for Aspiring Professionals

The Music Industry Minor prepares students for employment in the music industry by highlighting key topics including marketing, sales, recording production and more. This program is open to all UCLA students.

Experiential Learning: Connecting Students to the Industry

A key component of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music's programs is the emphasis on experiential learning. Students have numerous opportunities to engage with the music industry through internships, apprenticeships, and student-led projects.

Internships and Apprenticeships

The Music Industry program integrates a liberal arts curriculum with direct skills engagement through internships, apprenticeships, and student-led projects.

Student-Led Initiatives

Students can participate in student-run zines, concerts, and even a record label, providing hands-on experience in various aspects of the music industry.

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Faculty and Industry Connections: A Network of Expertise

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music boasts a faculty comprised of both research academics and working industry professionals. This ensures that students receive a well-rounded education that is both theoretically sound and practically relevant.

Core Faculty

The Herb Alpert School of Music permanent faculty members include:

David MacFadyen: Professor of Music Industry, Musicology and Comparative Literature, Director of Graduate Programs. Specializes in Career Skills, History of Music Industry, and Internships.
Robert Fink: Professor and Chair of Music Industry, Professor of Musicology and Humanities, Director Of The Berry Gordy Music Industry Center. Focuses on History and Analysis of Popular Music, Internships And Industry Partnerships
Tiffany Naiman: Academic Administrator and Instructor of Music Industry, Director of Undergraduate Programs in Music Industry, Career Services. Expertise in Critical Perspectives, Capstone Sequence, History of Popular Music.
Thomas Hodgson: Associate Professor of Musicology and Music Industry. Focuses on Music and Data, Global Music Industry.
Catherine Provenzano: Assistant Professor of Musicology and Music Industry. Expertise in Critical and Contemporary Perspectives on Music Technology.
Jessica Schwartz: Associate Professor of Musicology and Music Industry. Specializes in Punk and DIY.

Industry Professionals

Courses are also taught by working professionals at all levels of the music industry, providing a 360-degree view of the entertainment business.

Industry Advisory Board

The school benefits from the guidance of industry leaders such as Tom Corson, co-chairman and chief operating officer of Warner Records and chair of the School of Music advisory board.

A Commitment to Justice, Diversity, and Activism

The UCLA Music Industry Program is committed to diversifying the industry, to social justice, and to musical activism. Based in a flagship public university, they provide an affordable, accessible path into the music industry for aspiring creative professionals. The professional faculty includes both industry veterans and a younger, more diverse generation of artists, entrepreneurs, and executives committed to empowering women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ creatives both onstage and behind the scenes.

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Twenty-First Century Accessibility

The program in Music Industry harnesses direct pathways for in-state transfer students. By offering this level of accessibility and affordability, the degree is poised to foster inclusive excellence in the music business playing field.

Curriculum: A Deep Dive into the World of Music

The curriculum at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the music industry, covering a wide range of topics from music history and theory to business and technology.

Core Courses

Core courses provide a foundation in music theory, history, and musicianship. Examples include:

Introduction to Classical Music
History of Rock and Roll
Introduction to Musicianship
Film and Music
History of Electronic Dance Music
American Popular Song
Writing About Music
Punk: Music, History, Subculture
Music Theory I, II, III
Introduction to Opera
American Musical
Music in Los Angeles
Mozart
Bach
Motown and Soul: African American Popular Music of the 1960s
Blues in American Music
Getting Medieval
Popular Jewish and Israeli Music
Beatles
Music and Politics
Beethoven
Listening
Sacred Music
Music and Religion in Popular Culture
Music and Internet
Audiovisual Archiving in 21st Century

Specialized Courses

Specialized courses delve into specific areas of the music industry, such as:

Music and Law
Legal and Business Aspects of Sound Recordings
Music Business
Songwriters on Songwriting
Stardom Strategies for Musicians
Audio Technology for Musicians I

Seminars

Seminars provide opportunities for in-depth exploration of current issues and trends in the music industry. One example is:

Seminar: Music Industry, Technology, and Science

Music and Science

Courses like "Music and Brain" offer a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the brain mechanisms mediating music perception, performance, and cognition.

Facilities: State-of-the-Art Resources for Music Education

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music provides students with access to state-of-the-art facilities that support their learning and creative endeavors.

Schoenberg Hall

Named in honor of former UCLA faculty member and composer Arnold Schoenberg, this facility houses the Dean's office, administrative offices for the school's departments, most faculty offices, as well as two large theaters. Schoenberg Hall, which seats about 520, is the main auditorium of the Schoenberg building. Aside from the performance venues, Schoenberg Hall also contains the Henry Mancini Media Lab as well as the World Music Center. The World Music Center acts as a composing studio, recording studio, and a classroom. The World Music Center includes the Ethnomusicology Archive, the World Musical Instrument Collection, and is home to publications by the Ethnomusicology department.

Evelyn and Mo Ostin Music Center

The Evelyn and Mo Ostin Music Center, completed in 2014, includes a high-tech recording studio, spaces for rehearsal and teaching, a café and social space for students, and an Internet-based music production center.

Ensemble Performance Spaces

The Herb Alpert School of Music has 35 active ensembles that perform classical, contemporary, jazz, popular and world music.

Events and Performances: A Vibrant Musical Community

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music hosts over 200 events every year, the vast majority of which are free and open to the public. These events provide students with opportunities to perform, network, and engage with the broader musical community.

Concert Series

The school features a variety of concert series, including the Faculty Artist Series and special events such as the David L. Abell Piano Master Series.

Special Events

The school hosts a range of special events, such as conferences, workshops, and masterclasses. Examples include:

Theorizing Trauma and Disability in the Arts and Music Conference
Bassoon Day
Welcome events for new students

A Legacy of Excellence

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music has a rich history of excellence in music education.

Founding and Evolution

With the creation in 1919 of an art gallery and music department, the UCLA leadership committed to offer the study of the arts in a liberal arts research university context. The College of Applied Arts was established in 1939 with the inclusion of an art department. In 1988, several big changes occurred in departments throughout the school: Ethnomusicology and Musicology separated from Music, while Design and Art History separated from Art. Then in 1991, the College of Fine Arts was disestablished, giving rise to two separate schools: the School of the Arts and the School of Theater, Film and Television. In 2014, a proposal was made for the creation of a School of Music for the college.

Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience

In 2023, the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music organized a series of concerts and dialogues focused on race and social justice in the modern world. The series, which took place from February 26-28, 2023, centered around a historic performance of The Gates of Justice, jazz legend Dave Brubeck's rarely presented large-scale sacred composition. For the first time ever, Brubeck's sons performed as the accompanying jazz trio. The program also featured six recent and socially conscious works by contemporary composers, including six-time Grammy-winning pianist, composer, and music educator Arturo O'Farrill.

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