What music opportunities are available for undergraduates at Barnard College?

Barnard undergraduates have a lot of ways to stay involved in music, even if they do not major in it. Because Barnard students can take classes and join ensembles through Columbia as part of the Columbia-Barnard partnership, your options are much broader than Barnard alone. That includes orchestra, choir, jazz, chamber music, student bands, a cappella, music courses, and performance opportunities across both campuses.

If you want formal training, Barnard students can study music through Columbia’s Department of Music, which offers courses in theory, history, composition, ethnomusicology, and performance-related areas.

For ensembles, students commonly participate in groups such as orchestra, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, choir, chamber groups, and multiple student-run a cappella groups. There are also campus bands and smaller student organizations that perform at concerts, campus events, and showcases during the year. Since New York City is right there, students also sometimes connect their campus music life with gigs, lessons, or performances off campus.

Barnard itself supports the arts culture through student clubs, performances, and access to practice spaces and campus events, while the Columbia connection is what really expands the scale of opportunities.