Update on ticket prices

Beginning this year, the following concerts presented by the School of Music at the Hamel Music Center will require tickets for entry. Here’s what to expect:

$20 GA; students free (ticket required)
Concert Band
Concert Choir
Chorale
University Symphony Orchestra
Wind Ensemble

$10 GA; students free (ticket required)
All-University Philharmonia Orchestra
All-University String Orchestra
Treble Choir
University Bands
University Chorus

Other ticketed events include concerts in our Guest Artist Series, Faculty Artist Series, Faculty Ensemble Series, and Changemaker Series. Most jazz concerts will remain free, with the exception of jazz concerts featuring a guest artist and/or jazz faculty. Other free concerts include our Live from the Mead Witter School of Music chamber music series, Low Brass Ensemble, percussion ensembles, student recitals, and other student ensembles such as the Rabin String Quartet.

Plan Ahead

Check our events calendar for the latest details. Tickets are available on the Campus Arts Ticketing site or in person at the Hamel Music Center box office. To avoid lines at the box office or sold-out events, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance.

Fall Subscription Package & Student Tickets

A fall ticket subscription package is available. Choose three or more events and save 15% on individually priced tickets. Students from any institution can claim one free ticket to all School of Music concerts at the Hamel Music Center with a valid student ID.

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Celebrating 130 years at the School of Music

This academic year, the School of Music is proud to celebrate its 130th anniversary at UW–Madison. Music has been a feature at the university in some form since 1848, but it wasn’t until 1895 that the School of Music became an official department on campus. Since then, the school has become a hub of creativity, scholarship, performance, collaboration, and innovation.

The School of Music has a 130-year tradition of artistic excellence, now serving as a destination comprehensive music program in higher education, especially in the greater Midwest. Our traditions are strong–the Pro Arte String Quartet was the first string quartet in residence at a university in the United States, Gunnar Johanssen was the first solo artist in residence, the Wisconsin Brass Quintet and Wingra Woodwind Quintet are both celebrating long histories of performance and outreach. Many School of Music alumni go on to have successful and prominent careers in higher education, performing, composing, music education, and arts leadership.

Join us for an official 130th anniversary celebration at our annual Panorama concert on January 31, 2026. In addition to showcasing the work that goes on at the School of Music, the Panorama concert this year will recognize distinguished alumni. Tickets to Panorama are on sale October 6.

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Orchestral Library project funded by Library Collections Enhancement Initiative

A project proposal submitted by Oriol Sans, Director of Orchestral Activities and Assistant Professor in Orchestral Conducting, and Cat Richmond, Music Ensemble Librarian, has been funded by the Library Collections Enhancement Initiative. Jeanette Casey, Head of Mills Music Library, also provided support for the proposal. 

The Library Collections Enhancement Initiative is a program to strengthen campus research capacities by providing UW–Madison libraries with flexibility to address critical and emerging collections needs.

The UW–Orchestral Library, housed in the School of Music, is a crucial tool for creative research for conducting faculty, graduate students in orchestral conducting, and students in the orchestral ensembles at UW–Madison. These performing bodies include the UW–Madison Symphony Orchestra, the All-University Strings ensemble, and the Medical Sciences Orchestra. This library serves these various stakeholders on a regular basis by providing essential performance materials for research and study, as well as music for each programmed concert.

This project augments the Library holdings with current editions of recently published full orchestral scores and parts. These publications are informed by recent musicological research, and will improve the scholarly commitment to both students and faculty. With these contemporary editions, students will be exposed to the most informed canonical standards of orchestral music and performance practice.

Additionally, providing newly researched and edited repertoire of historically under-represented composers and modern composers will encourage a broadened understanding of diverse musical practices, and pedagogical initiatives, while further aligning the Orchestral Library with the School of Music’s objective to expand musical boundaries.

Finally, widening the music catalog to include orchestral music scores and performance materials in recently developed and genre-bending fields, such as dance music, opera, and film music, will further UW–Madison’s commitment to innovation and foster engagement with a broader audience.

The Library Collections Enhancement Initiative is supported by the OVCR with support from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).

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Ben Bell Bern named Music Operations Manager

The Mead Witter School of Music is excited to announce that Ben Bell Bern has accepted the position of Music Operations Manager, effective November 13.

Bell Bern was born and raised in Madison, WI, where he studied trumpet in high school with UW–Madison Emeritus Professor John Aley. Bell Bern received a degree in trumpet performance from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

“I am thrilled to be joining the School of Music as Music Operations Manager,” Bell Bern said. “I can’t wait to meet its many talented students, faculty, and staff, and to ensure that the school’s resources and policies best support their learning, teaching, and work.”

For 14 seasons, Bell Bern worked backstage at Lyric Opera of Chicago–most recently as the Director of Company Management–supporting all facets of artistic, production, and technical operations. Additionally, he served as Rehearsal Department Director at The Santa Fe Opera for nine seasons, where he also played trumpet in the stage band.

“Ben impressed the search committee and many other colleagues who participated in the interview process as someone with a deep understanding of music operations, a mature and thoughtful leadership philosophy, and an excitement for the role and the School of Music,” Dan Cavanagh, Director of the School of Music, said. “I am looking forward to him joining our administrative leadership team.”

The Music Operations Manager plays a critical role leading all music production operations for the department. The position also manages strategic planning for events, and serves as the primary contact with internal and external partners on the use of performance spaces at the Hamel Music Center. Bell Bern can be reached at facilities@music.wisc.edu after November 13.

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