Department of Performing Arts Technology

The Department of Performing Arts Technology integrates the study of music, engineering, and allied arts in a close-knit, collaborative environment. The inspiring and accomplished faculty are internationally renowned scholars, teachers, artists and practitioners. A recent $29.5 million facilities renovation has created state-of-the-art studios for mastering a spectrum of technological skills. As part of a top-ranked public university, where excellence is the guiding principle, students have the unparalleled ability to collaborate with their highly-talented peers across campus—from working with musicians, dancers, and performing artists of every genre in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD) to developing next-generation audio technologies at Michigan’s distinguished College of Engineering

Faculty

Faculty in the PAT program are sound engineers, composers, performers, filmmakers, instrument makers, designers, songwriters, and experimental researchers into the integration of music technology with musical performance.


Jason Corey

Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of Music
Performing Arts Technology

John Granzow

Associate Professor of Music
Performing Arts Technology

Michael Gurevich

Acting Chair of Performing Arts Technology and Associate Professor of Music
Performing Arts Technology

Zeynep Özcan

Assistant Professor of Music, PAT
Performing Arts Technology

Chris Vrenna

Assistant Professor of Music
Performing Arts Technology

Julie Zhu

President Postdoctoral Fellow/ Assistant Professor
Carillon, Harpsichord, Organ

Degrees

performance

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Bachelor of Music

Bachelor of Science

Graduate

Master of Arts

Doctor of Philosophy

Brehm Technology Suite

Serving as the community hub for PAT students, faculty, and collaborators, this concentrated suite of technologically-rich facilities has had a transformative effect on the PAT Department—building community and supporting a broad range of creative activities.

Performance Opportunities

From large ensembles in celebrated concert halls to chamber groups in intimate recital spaces, performance opportunities across all disciplines abound, with nearly 900 student performances each academic year. Whether your focus is on early, classical, or contemporary music, whether your passion is for jazz, electronic, or world music, there is an ensemble—or in many cases, multiple ensembles—to suit your interests, including specific opportunities for percussion, piano, and organ & carillon. For students in theatre & drama, musical theatre, dance, and opera, opportunities abound in both professionally produced and student-run presentations.

Organ

Organ Performance

Students perform and study with their peers in studio classes and perform for the public in solo student recitals and studio recitals. In addition, the Organ Department organizes several recitals each term in local churches in the communities surrounding Ann Arbor and Detroit.

Carillon

Carillon Performance

The University of Michigan has two world-class carillons. Half-hour recitals are given on weekdays throughout the academic year and are open to the public to view. Intermediate and advanced carillon students may perform for the campus regularly on these recitals.

Early Music Ensembles

Early Music Ensembles

Students interested in historically oriented performance have opportunities to explore music from across the centuries, performed on authentic period instruments and high-quality replicas.

Ensembles

Ensembles

Organ students have opportunities to perform with the University of Michigan orchestras, bands, and choral ensembles, and can gain extensive experience in continuo playing on organ and harpsichord with the Baroque Chamber Orchestra.

Our Stories

Alumni Notes

The work of Robert Alexander (BFA ’07, performing arts technology; MA ’09, media arts; PhD ’15, design science) was featured in NASA’s Curious Universe podcast. He is currently working with the HARP Citizen Science project to bring the sounds of space to enthusiasts around the world. (3/2024)
In 2023, Ryan Black (BA ’07, performing arts technology; BFA ’07, jazz & contemporary improvisation; MA ’09, media arts) designed and performed his original collaborative sound installation project “Temporal Biomes,” and produced and mixed the experimental NÆ album Isolazen. Black teaches at Columbia College Chicago in audio arts and acoustics and is a sound designer with Rocket Cat Games.
Rob Bisel (BS ’14, sound engineering) served as a producer, songwriter, instrumentalist, engineer, and mixer on SZA’s album SOS, the 2024 Grammy Award winner for Best Progressive R&B Album. The album included two songs also honored: “Ghost in the Machine” by SZA and featuring Phoebe Bridgers won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and “Snooze” won Best R&B Song.

Show Your Support

Any gift to SMTD helps launch the next generation of artists, scholars, educators, and entrepreneurs who challenge and inspire the world.

You can support the Department of Performing Arts Technology with a contribution to the Performing Arts Technology Enrichment Fund.

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Apply Now

Most applications for Fall 2025 are due by December 1, 2024 - check for exact dates on the appropriate admissions page below.

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