Carnegie Mellon University
School of Music

Where artistry and innovation share center stage

School of Music  ›  Programs  ›  Music for Non-Majors  ›  Additional Information for Non-Majors

Additional Information

Below is additional information and resources that our non-major students find helpful. If you have additional questions, email music-extension@andrew.cmu.edu.

Rental of instruments is available through local retailers. Your assigned private studio teacher may also have a recommendation, so consultation with them prior to rental is recommended. The School of Music has worked with the following retailers for rental of instruments as well as music purchase:

School of Music ensembles, with the exception of the Percussion Ensemble, are open to non-majors on an audition basis. Open auditions are held at the beginning of the fall semester, or on an as needed instrumentation basis in the spring.

For more information on auditions, please contact Taylor Boyle, Ensembles Coordinator & Librarian, in the School of Music.

All University Orchestra is a university-wide, student run orchestra that is open to all university students.

For more information on Ensembles & Productions, Click Here.

Carnegie Mellon’s Student Activities has numerous musical organizations open to the campus community. A complete list of student organizations may be found by on the university's Student Activities page.

Elective studio lessons are available to all university students, staff, and the greater Pittsburgh community. 

  • Weekly one-on-one private studio lessons for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students.
  • 14 lessons offered per semester: 30-, 45-, or 60-minutes per week, billed at a flat rate for the semester.
  • Criteria for the lessons will vary depending upon studio instructor.

fall 2026 Fees

  • 30-minute lesson (3.0 units): $740
  • 45-minute lesson (6.0 units): $1,110
  • 60-minute lesson (9.0 units): $1480

For CMU students, this fee is posted to the student account after the third week of classes and paid off through the HUB. CMU students may not audit lessons through music extension, they must be registered for credit. 

All other participants will be billed directly.

Staff wishing to enroll in elective studio lessons and classes should know that tuition remission benefits will NOT cover the Music Extension fee.

additional information

Students seeking lessons during fall and spring semesters should first register through the School of Music.

Students seeking summer lessons should contact music-extension@andrew.cmu.edu for internal registration. Please note that summer lessons are not taken for credit, and all participants will be billed directly via their student or designated personal accounts (where applicable).

Music extension offers the following group classes during fall and spring semesters only:

  • Beginning Group Piano
  • Beginning Group Guitar
  • Group Jazz Piano I
  • Group Jazz Piano II

NEW for Fall 2026: Group classes no longer require a fee. These classes are offered to undergraduate CMU students only.

The Music Extension faculty is comprised of highly qualified teachers who are professional performers and teachers in Pittsburgh’s leading music institutions and performance venues.