About

The Music department at Manchester has a reputation for innovations in composition, for its breadth of research in ethnomusicology and musicology, and for our focus on cultivating the very best in performance.

Music at The University of Manchester holds the position as one of the leading research departments in the country, with a vibrant, diverse community of undergraduates, postgraduates, professional musicians, and world-leading academics. 

Due to the size and diversity of the department, we can offer a wide range of course units and musical experiences without compromising on specialist expertise.

At the core of our activities is our performance culture.

The Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama hosts more than 100 live music events each year, including Music Society concerts, the Walter Carroll Lunchtime Concert Series, and the biannual MANTIS Festival run by the NOVARS research centre for electroacoustic composition and interactive media.

Manchester is also home to more professional music-making than any UK city outside of London, including three professional orchestras – the Hallé, BBC Philharmonic, and Manchester Camerata – as well as internationally recognised institutions such as the BBC, Bridgewater Hall, and Opera North.

In recent years the annual Manchester Jazz Festival and biennial Manchester International Festival have firmly secured Manchester’s reputation as a global city for the performing arts.