Visit SFCM, your new home.
Conservatory training for artists ready to shape what's next.
The San Francisco Conservatory of Music is committed to creating a challenging and nurturing environment where you can carve a path to a rewarding and exciting career. Connect with us — on campus or online—as we work together to define what it means to be a 21st-century musician.
CONNECT WITH US 50 Oak Street
apply@sfcm.edu
San Francisco, CA 94102
sfcm.edu/admissions
(415) 503-6271
@sfconservmusic
From our beautiful concert halls to the cutting-edge tech of Studio G, explore our campus yourself! Scan the QR code to get started.
sfcm.edu
2026 / 2027 Academic Year
CONTENTS
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A Culture of Care
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SFCM by the Numbers
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Your New Home for Music
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The Center of the Arts in San Francisco
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The SFCM Global Creative Alliance: Askonas Holt · Opus 3 Artists · Pentatone
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Areas of Study
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A Curriculum for What's Next
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Professional Development
Music is essential to life. Education is the best promise for tomorrow.
Your Guide to the Conservatory of the Future The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) cultivates a community of artists who create with purpose, imagination, and resilience, guided by optimism and determination to shape the future of music. Rooted in San Francisco's spirit of invention, SFCM gives artists the confidence to challenge convention, collaborate boldly, and shape what's next. Students learn alongside internationally acclaimed faculty while engaging with the cultural institutions, technology companies, and creative communities that define San Francisco. Through the SFCM Global Creative Alliance—including artist-management companies Askonas Holt and Opus 3 Artists and the GRAMMY-winning record label Pentatone—students gain firsthand experience in artist management, recording, and entrepreneurship. Internships, collaborative projects, and industry connections help transform classroom learning into meaningful careers. Within a supportive community of artists, students are challenged to grow creatively, think boldly, and develop the skills to make a lasting impact on the world through music. Together, we shape what comes next.
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A Culture of Care
SFCM by the Numbers
Individuals, Together
3:1
500+
Student / Faculty ratio
performances each year at SFCM
100%
60%
of students receive scholarships
average tuition covered by scholarships
100+
15
Steinway and Yamaha pianos
24/7 practice rooms in the Bowes Center
2
115+
or more professional development
on-campus employment opportunities
Join a collaborative and inclusive community where you'll be supported, challenged, and grow. SFCM is committed to raising all voices. We champion the experiences of people who identify across spectrums of gender, sexual orientation, and race, and integrate these experiences into our curriculum and performances. From our Black Student Union and Pride Network to a variety of athletic and academic clubs, our student-led groups create spaces for musicians of every kind. Join a community where every voice is heard.
“We really try to cater our educational practices towards each individual student. I am here to help share their careers.” Jason Hainsworth Associate Dean of Community Development Executive Director, Roots, Jazz, and American Music Program
credits required for all majors
40+ faculty performing with SF Symphony, Opera, Ballet, and Jazz ensembles
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Your New Home for Music Two Campuses, A World of Possibilities
Live, Rehearse, and Play in the City by the Bay You won't find a more densely packed arts district than San Francisco's. The Symphony, Opera, Ballet, and SFJAZZ are all steps from our campuses, and
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The Ann Getty Center
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The Bowes Center
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SF Symphony
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SF Opera
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SFJAZZ Center
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City Hall
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SF Ballet
our students have played on all of their stages.
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FR AN KL IN ST RE
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Civic Center
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3
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The Ann Getty Center for Education
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The Ute and William K. Bowes, Jr. Center for Performing Arts · 12-story $200 million+ award-winning building in the heart of SF's Arts District · 3 world-class performance halls · Studio G, our spatial-audio-equipped recording studio · 24/7 badge-controlled access provides a safe campus environment · Apartment-style residence hall housing up to 240 students
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M
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· Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall—state-of-the-art projection technology creates immersive performances and dynamic audience experiences
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Hayes Valley
· Over 100 Steinway and Yamaha pianos · Harris Guitar Collection—40+ instruments made by
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the great luthiers of the 19th and 20th centuries · A suite of recording studios that host historic instruments that include a theremin and Buchla synth
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Jumpstart your career with real-world learning By bringing together a conservatory education, artist
Whether it's the SFCM Orchestra recording with
management, and a record label within one connected
Lara Downes for a Pentatone release, students playing
organization, SFCM has pioneered a new model for music
alongside Joshua Bell and the Academy of St Martin in the
education with opportunities for students and artists that
Fields at the San Francisco Symphony, or internships that
no traditional conservatory can offer.
let students in on their future field, opportunities through the Alliance put our students miles ahead of their peers.
Management companies Opus 3 Artists and Askonas Holt and record label Pentatone are home to dozens of GRAMMY winners, who now have a new stop on their travels: SFCM. Conservatory students learn directly from these leaders, who arrive at SFCM for masterclasses, side-by-side productions, and artistic collaborations.
“Partnerships with Askonas Holt, Opus 3, and Pentatone are dedicated to supporting the finest artists of our time and cultivating the emerging talent of tomorrow.” David H. Stull President
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Areas of Study
Performance Opportunities
Brass
Percussion
Department Chair: Adam Luftman
Department Chair: Jacob Nissly
Study with principal musicians in the San Francisco Symphony and Opera and Ballet Orchestras. Recent alumni perform with the National Symphony Orchestra and leading ensembles across the country.
Learn from principal percussionists of the San Francisco Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic and develop the versatility to perform across today's musical landscape. sfcm.edu/percussion
sfcm.edu/brass
Composition
Piano & Collaborative Piano Yoshikazu Nagai, Piano Performance
Work one-on-one with acclaimed composers with works performed at the Metropolitan and San Francisco Operas, while collaborating with performers across the Conservatory to bring new works from the page to the stage. Multiple internal and external competitions offer students the chance to hear their grandest ideas realized.
With fewer than 60 students across both programs, pianists receive individualized mentorship from world-class faculty while learning on New York and Hamburg Steinway D concert grands.
Conducting Department Chair: Edwin Outwater With only one or two students admitted each year, SFCM's conducting program offers unparalleled mentorship, podium time, and opportunities to lead professional-caliber ensembles. sfcm.edu/conducting
Guitar Department Chair: David Tanenbaum Led by an all-star, international faculty, SFCM's Guitar Department also boasts the Harris Guitar Collection, featuring dozens of historic guitars from famed luthiers, available to students for performance and recording opportunities. sfcm.edu/guitar
Historical Performance Department Chair: Corey Jamason Explore centuries of musical tradition in one of the country's thriving early music communities, studying with internationally respected specialists while performing on an extraordinary collection of period instruments.
Executive Director: Matt Levine Cultivates creativity at the intersection of technology and music—from film, television, and video games to immersive audio, interactive media, sound design, and emerging creative technologies. Alumni currently or have worked at companies like Sony, Meta, Kojima Productions, and Electronic Arts.
Department Chairs: Tim Bach, Collaborative Piano
Department Chair: David Conte
sfcm.edu/composition
Technology & Applied Composition
sfcm.edu/keyboard
Roots, Jazz, and American Music Department Chair: Jason Hainsworth With ties to SFJAZZ and the Bay Area's leading jazz venues, our students aren't only learning from some of the biggest names in their field, they're immersed in the jazz scene, allowing them to build a career from their first semester. sfcm.edu/roots-jazz-and-american-music
Voice
Department Chair: Simon James Study with internationally recognized performers while developing as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral artist, and leader. Specialized opportunities—including the Concertmaster Track—prepare students for leadership on and off the stage.
• SFCM Orchestra • Opera and Musical Theatre • Jazz Ensembles • Chorus • Guitar Ensemble • Baroque Ensemble
Department Chairs: Richard Cox, Executive Chair
• Chamber Music
Heather Mathews, Opera & Musical Theatre Chair
• Studio and Solo Recitals
Grounded in classical excellence and embracing a multi-genre approach, SFCM's Voice Department prepares versatile performers for today's stage. Deep partnerships with San Francisco Opera—including the Adler Fellowship and Merola Opera Program—along with multiple fully staged productions from our Opera & Musical Theatre department each year ensure abundant performance opportunities.
• Concerto Competitions
sfcm.edu/voice
Woodwinds Department Chair: Jerome Simas
Strings
Across orchestral, chamber, jazz, opera, choral, and specialized ensembles, SFCM students build the collaborative experiences that define professional musicianship, both inside our halls and around our beautiful city.
• Cross-Departmental Collaborative Projects
HIRE SFCM Secure performance opportunities throughout the Bay Area at competitive, standardized pay rates and have the financial paperwork managed by our supportive staff. Hire SFCM has placed students in gigs everywhere from private parties to the Super Bowl.
Study one-on-one with principal musicians from the San Francisco Symphony while preparing for careers in leading ensembles. Alumni perform with the San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Oregon symphonies, as well as "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band. sfcm.edu/woodwinds
sfcm.edu/strings
String & Piano Chamber Music Department Chair: Wonhee Bae The first graduate program of its kind in the United States, open to both established ensembles and individual musicians. Study with internationally acclaimed chamber artists while developing the collaborative skills essential to today's professional musicians. sfcm.edu/string-and-piano-chamber
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Curriculum for What's Next
Professional Development
Grow Your Artistry. Build Your Career.
The Professional Development and Engagement Center (PDEC) at SFCM ensures students develop
Today's artists need more than exceptional performance skills.
PDEC OFFERINGS · Paid performances off-campus through Hire SFCM · Employment opportunities on- and off-campus · Internships · Internal and external grant opportunities
the professional skills needed to thrive in today's
Explore technology, production, composition, entrepreneurship,
music industry. The academic curriculum offered
and arts leadership alongside conservatory training.
in conjunction with PDEC includes classes on financial literacy, entertainment law and contracts,
While artistic excellence remains at the center of the
entrepreneurship, building a private teaching studio,
student experience, SFCM prepares students for a profession
arts leadership, and much more.
that continues to evolve through technology, new creative formats, interdisciplinary collaboration, and changing career
Through PDEC, students can apply to dedicated
pathways.
internal grants from the department to realize musical projects and receive guidance on applying for external
Deep connections to the SF Symphony, Ballet, Opera, and
opportunities like the Fulbright Program. PDEC also
SFJAZZ frequently allow for side-by-side performances, and
assists students with the wide range of internships
our Voice Department has longstanding ties to SF Opera's
available from not only ensembles like the Berkeley,
Merola Opera Program, one of the country's leading young-
Oakland, and California Symphonies, but also SFFILM,
artist development organizations.
the Game Audio Network Guild, and SFCM's Global Creative Alliance partners Askonas Holt and Opus 3 Artists.
DEGREES Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music, Certificate Graduate: Master of Music, Advanced Certificate Post-Graduate: Professional Studies Certificate, Artist Diploma MINORS Available to Bachelor's students, minors are
“Understanding the ecosystem is what sets modern musicians apart.” Kristen Klehr Assistant Dean, Professional Development and Engagement Center Department Chair, Professional Development
opportunities to focus on an area of interest and build a larger skillset for your professional life. Once completed, your minor will be indicated on both your transcript and your degree.
Winter Term Every January, the two-week Winter Term allows students to step outside their standard curriculum (and comfort zone) and immerse themselves in an interest they've never quite had time to explore, whether that's microphone building, beer brewing, or teaching music to incarcerated individuals.
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“I came to the Conservatory because it's always looking to the future.”
“Be as creative with your career as you are with your music.” Mason Bates Faculty, Composition
Edwin Outwater SFCM’s Music Director Faculty, Conducting
“The school is at the front of the line in preparing students to succeed as 21st-century musicians, the facilities are beyond compare, and I very much look forward to continuing my teaching career here.”
“Of course my teacher, Rhoslyn Jones taught me how to sing, but also how to advocate for myself, how to believe in myself, how to encourage, protect, and share the artistic flame inside me.”
Awadagin Pratt Faculty, Piano
Hope Nelson · AD ’24 Opera Studies
“Your school really is a jewel in the palace that is San Francisco.”
“When I showed up I really fell in love with the city and it assured me that I made the right choice. The community here is really friendly and supportive.”
Miranda Playfair, Violinist Academy of St Martin in the Fields Opus 3 Artist
“I see music in a different way now.”
“I always remind my students that the music should come first. Decide what you want to say, then figure out how to say it. Technique and details should follow your musical ideal.”
Julian Sommer · MM ’25
Jennifer Redondas · PSC ’24
Jessica Valeri
Cello
Violin
Faculty, Horn