Career Development

The Setnor School of Music offers unlimited opportunities for musical growth and professional development on the Syracuse University campus, in the Central New York region, and in cities around the globe.

Future opportunities for music students are exciting and widely varied. As their studies develop in the areas of performance, music education, music industry, composition, sound recording technology, and more, students at the Setnor School of Music can discover a wide range of career options as well as receive the help they need to reach their goals.

The school, college, and University provide a number of ways students can learn more about career opportunities. Students can receive guidance, contacts, and continued support as they move through school and on to their first interviews and jobs.

In their specific areas of study, many students have internship or student teaching requirements that help them both build the skills they will need in their field and make contacts for future employment opportunities. Through the Setnor School of Music’s guest artist program, students have exclusive opportunities to meet with working professionals in the industry through masterclasses, meetings, workshops, class discussions, and performances. Career treks, travel programs, and global study opportunities also play an important role in helping students realize the incredible options awaiting them.

In addition to the numerous events in the Setnor School—including master classes, performances, the Music Education Academy/National Association for Music Education weekly guest lectures and professional association meetings, and the Soyars Leadership Lecture Series, which brings prominent music industry professionals to campus—you can explore those of other areas of the college and University, including the University Lectures.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Office of Academic and Career Advising has dedicated career counselors for Setnor students. Setnor students also receive specialized guidance from the school’s Career Development Center.

Visiting Artists

Visiting artists are an important part of the program at the Setnor School of Music. Each year, students have the opportunity to meet with professionals in the fields of performance, industry, conducting, composing, and education in a very diverse and exciting guest artist series. Many of the programs are also free and open to the public, allowing the University to share these events with the community.

Guest artists provide lectures, masterclasses, performances, discussions, and other opportunities to students in a wide area of genres and interests.

Setnor’s Baker Artists Program creates opportunities for students to learn from and connect with music professionals in a residency program. The Baker Artists Program is made possible by support frp, the Dexter F. & Dorothy H. Baker Foundation. The program’s residency component brings leading performers, educational scholars, composers, and industry leaders to campus.

Study Abroad

Music has always been a global phenomenon, and at the Setnor School of Music, we believe global study experiences are important for students in order to help them prepare for their life and career in the music world. The global opportunities are designed specifically for music majors to help them get the most out of the experience and to complete their coursework without interruption to graduation timelines. Visit Syracuse Abroad or VPA Global for more information.

Semester-long programs are available in:

London, England (music industry)
Los Angeles (music industry, sound recording technology)

Gilbert Week

The Gilbert Week Seminar for Music Professions is a week-long immersion program for students in the Setnor School of Music. Students learn about career opportunities in music by meeting and learning from arts professionals and visiting some of the world’s leading performing arts institutions and organizations. Gilbert Week is held during Spring Break and is generously supported by Dennis ’73 and Nancy Gilbert ’74.