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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:
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Yo Yo Ma, Cellist
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Joe Robinson, Principal Oboist, New York Philharmonic
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Joan Tower, Bard College, Winner of the prestigious
Grawemeyer Award in Composition
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Libby Larsen, acclaimed composer and Grammy-nominated
producer
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The Beaux Arts Trio
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The Monarch Brass Quintet
- Tokyo String Quartet
- Emerson String Quartet
- Chanticleer
- The King's Singers
- Dawn Upshaw
- The American Chamber Players
The Friends of the Petrie School of Music present world-class chamber musicians in three concerts annually, each followed by a
reception. Ensemble performances—featuring the Converse Symphony
Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Festival Chorus, and Chamber Singers—are held throughout the year. The Converse Opera Theatre presents a fully-staged, major opera each year in addition to one-act operas and opera scenes. And the
Alia Lawson Pre-College
Program, which welcomes the community of young people 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.
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