Additional Information
Music for Non-Majors
Review the additional information below on our music opportunities for non-majors. If you have additional questions, email music-extension@andrew.cmu.edu.Instrument Rental
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:
- Noteworthy Music 724-443-0040
- Volkwein’s Music 412-788-5900
- Musik Innovations 412-366-3631
Practice Rooms
Non-music major/minor students participating in Music Extension courses may access practice rooms on the CFA Mezzanine floor daily from 6:00pm - 10:00am using their CMU ID. There are no exceptions to this policy. Practice room access will be activated for all participants by the end of semester drop/add.
CMU Student Affairs provides practice spaces that are accessible to all students (with an ID card) in the following locations:
- Fifth Avenue Neighborhood Commons (two reservable practice rooms with digital pianos, an acoustic drum set, base/guitar amps, microphone, and music stands)
- Morewood Gardens main floor (two small practice rooms with digital pianos)
Additionally, some housing communities have pianos / practice rooms that are available only to the residents living there as they are located in secured non-public residential spaces.
Ensemble Opportunities
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
Elective studio lessons are available to all university students, staff, and the greater Pittsburgh community. CMU students may not audit lessons through music extension, they must be registered for credit.
registration by term
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. Instructor permission is required. Summer lessons are not taken for credit, and all participants will be billed directly via their student or designated personal accounts (where applicable).
Group Classes
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
Group classes do not require a fee. These classes are offered to CMU undergraduate students only.
Faculty
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.