Music at UT Arlington is rapidly emerging as one of the top undergraduate programs in North Texas. Our recent curriculum expansion to include the Master of Music in Music Education degree and the Certificate in Performance further extends opportunities for professional development. Led by a group of well-respected performers, the String Area is currently experiencing a period of unprecedented growth. The string faculty is committed to providing quality individual instruction and guidance to students in their pursuit of a music career.

Besides the individual instruction, opportunities to play in orchestra and chamber ensembles are available to both undergraduate and graduate students. The principal performing group is the UTA Symphony Orchestra, which presents a full season of concerts consisting of major works from the standard orchestral repertoire. Although a majority of its members are music majors, there are positions available for those majoring in other fields. Other ensembles in the String Area include the Cello Ensemble and Bratsche con Brio (an all-viola group). In addition to these ensembles, students may participate in the chamber music program. These small ensembles explore string trio, quartet, and quintet literature, including works with piano and instruments from the brass and woodwind families.

The String Area also sponsors the Preparatory String Program. This program offers private training on string instruments given by competent UTA String Division Students supervised by UTA Faculty. Thanks in part to this program our students gain the teaching skills and necessary experience to fill the continuous shortage of string teachers in Texas. Indeed, in recent years, UTA music-education string majors have experienced a 100% placement rate in jobs immediately after graduation.

UTA students not only benefit from the extraordinary facilities existing in the Music Department but also by its location. UTA is situated only at a short driving distance from the two large urban areas of Dallas and Fort Worth. Both of these cities, as well as Arlington itself, are known for cultural events, concerts, art museums, professional sports and entertainment activities. The benefits our students receive from this rich cultural environment extend beyond the opportunities to attend concerts. Indeed, during the current season, a number of UTA String Area students successfully auditioned or substituted with important area orchestras such as the Fort Worth Symphony, the New Arlington/Las Colinas Symphony, the San Angelo Symphony, the Irving Symphony, the Texas Chamber Orchestra, the Waco Symphony, and the East Texas Symphony.

The String Area offers merit-based scholarships to UTA Symphony members. Students may arrange to audition for scholarships by contacting Dr. Clifton Evans at cevans@uta.edu.