Who We Are
As the largest professional school in the region, anchored in the culturally diverse and musically rich, cosmopolitan city of Memphis, our inclusive program is purposely designed to inspire, train and launch sustainable careers for musicians, scholars and industry professionals of tomorrow. The School’s immersive and forward-thinking curriculum along with broad community partnerships create unrivaled local and global opportunities for our students and faculty.
Vision Statement
The Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music is committed to excellence in music creation, scholarship, and in every field of the music industry. The School will achieve this vision by cultivating its community as a hands-on learning environment, prioritizing academic rigor and skills mastery, industry acumen, and professional relevance. In addition, the School will seek out, build and sustain strategic partnerships with our community of educators and fine arts professionals across the musical spectrum.
Community Statement
The Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music values human diversity in its rich and complex forms, and its embodiment and expression in our staff, faculty and student population. We view diversity holistically as a broad and comprehensive concept, understanding that the definition is organic and constantly evolving.
- We believe in continuously striving for excellence
- We believe in equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, and in removing barriers
- We believe in a holistic, experience-based approach for our students.
- We believe in the power of a creative community and are committed to developing and participating in it fully, specifically with our students, alumni, the Memphis area, and the broader region.
- Maintain a culture of respect and integrity at all times.
- Create engagement opportunities and collaboration projects, connecting current students with alumni and fine arts leaders throughout Memphis and the broader region.
- Prioritize a student-centered approach, focused on individual success
- Build a program centered around experience-based learning
- Demonstrate our commitment to continuous growth, through teaching principles, best practices, technological literacy, innovation, and research
- Foster curiosity and practice critical thinking
- Engage each other, our students, our community
- To serve as artistic incubator for our students by enabling them to define their careers and explore possibilities for their lives as artists, working professionals, community members and passionate arts advocates.
- To serve as an artistic catalyst for the greater community.
- To make music and its associated scholarship available to all populations.
- To preserve and develop the legacy of music, ensuring it endures and evolves as an art form.
- To build community through music.