Choose Music at The University of Waterloo
At the University of Waterloo, you have the freedom to study music as a major or minor, to sample courses, or combine studies in music with almost any program. Waterloo’s diverse selection of courses, choirs, and instrumental ensembles will help you fulfill your musical dreams. Be part of a supportive academic community with flexible programs, inspiring classes, excellent teaching, and extraordinary musical experiences. You’ll receive a University of Waterloo degree and have access to all the resources of a world-class university.
Explore the many ways that music is meaningful in today's world
Conrad Grebel University College is home to the University of Waterloo's Department of Music and offers instruction in more than 20 instruments as well as vocal lessons.
The flexible Bachelor of Arts program will allow you to:
- Pursue a major or minor in music.
- Combine music courses and ensembles with most other areas of study.
- Study performance, music history, and theory while discovering the ways music relates to technology, film, gender, and global culture.
- Be a part of small class sizes to provide opportunity to get to know classmates and professors.
Events
Noon Hour Concert Series - Xueao Yang and Felix Hong
Prism---Lyricism-Complexity-Energy
This recital explores the versatility of the violin through three contrasting sonatas by Schnittke, Kapustin, and Grieg. Each work presents a unique musical language, sound, and perspective, highlighting the violin's ability to express styles, sounds, and stories across different music genres.
FREE ADMISSION
Noon Hour Concert Series - Magisterra Piano Quartet
Masterworks: Romantic Piano Quartets
Founded in 2016 by internationally acclaimed violinist and Artistic Director Annette-Barbara Vogel, Magisterra Soloists has become one of Southern Ontario’s most visionary chamber music organizations. Based in London, Ontario, the ensemble has grown into an international artistic collective, bringing together more than 50 musicians from around the world, representing over 25 countries.
FREE ADMISSION
Fall Open House
Come and visit us at the Music Booth at Hagey Hall building. Faculty and current students are available to tell you about our programs. Tours of our facilities are ongoing throughout the day.
News
Those interested in pursuing Music as their Major or Joint Major studies at UWaterloo -- take note!
University applicants can apply for an Entrance Scholarship in Music! Many avenues are available. $12,000 over 4 years.
Kate Steiner: Chant Manuscripts
Kate Steiner, Associate Professor of Music, is a coinvestigator on a successful SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grant titled "Cultural Transformation and Societal Need: Chant and Religious Music in Canada and the eastern USA 1600-1950." She is also head of the team responsible for the cataloguing chant manuscripts and fragments in Eastern and Central Canada in the “Digital Analysis of Chant Transmission” (DACT) project, which includes 25 teams, more than 50 co-investigators, collaborators, and scholars around the world. These projects are complementary to each other and create opportunities for teams of undergraduate Research Assistants to contribute.
Alumni Donors Pay It Forward
Grebel alumni stay connected to the College and give back in many ways. Some encourage others to live or study at Grebel, some volunteer at the College, and some are inspired to “pay it forward” by extending the generosity they received to the next generation of Grebelites.
For Ernie Kalwa, giving back with the Woodwind Award is his way of making sure current students don’t have to choose between music and academics. For Alina Balzerson, supporting both an endowment fund as well as projects, she hopes that students are excited to live away from home and make strong enduring connections.