Today, there are more than 500 conservatories and schools of music in the United States. Only one—the Petrie School of Music at Converse College—is a comprehensive, professional school of music within a liberal arts college for women. Performing, teaching, learning, composing, and conducting are the true passions of the Petrie students and faculty. Offering both undergraduate and co-educational graduate degree programs, the Petrie School treats music students as aspiring professionals from the moment they arrive on campus.

An accredited, charter member of the National Association of Schools of Music, the Petrie School has traditionally played a prominent role in the region and in the country. Converse is the first women's college in the nation and the first college in the Carolinas to be awarded All-Steinway School status.

A typical concert season at the Petrie School features 200 events each year, including student and faculty recitals as well as performances, lectures and master classes by some of the world’s most gifted musicians. Recent guest artists include:

  • Academy of St. Martin in the Field Chamber Ensemble
  • Vadim Gluzman, violin
  • The Monarch Brass Quintet
  • Tokyo String Quartet
  • Emerson String Quartet
  • Chanticleer
  • The King's Singers
  • The American Chamber Players
  • Joan Tower, Bard College, Winner of the prestigious Grawemeyer Award in Composition
  • Libby Larsen, acclaimed composer and Grammy-nominated producer

The Friends of the Petrie School of Music present the Carlos Moseley Chamber Music Series. Ensemble performances—featuring the Converse Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Converse Chorale, Spartanburg Festival Chorus and Chamber Singers—are held throughout the year. The Converse Opera Theatre presents a fully-staged opera each year in addition to one-act operas and opera scenes. And the Lawson Academy of the Arts, which welcomes the community to the arts, features recitals in music and dance, and provides teaching opportunities for Petrie School students.

For a complete listing of up-coming performances and events at the Petrie School, visit the online calendar of events. Directions to the Converse College campus can be found by following this link.