Department of Music
Durham University's Music Department has internationally recognised research expertise in a wide variety of topics including musicology, theory and analysis, ethnomusicology, music psychology, performance, composition, and music technology.
Welcome to Music at Durham
We have been consistently rated as one of the top UK music departments in The Complete University Guide and Guardian University League Table.
6th
in the UK for Research Output Quality in Music, Research Excellence Framework 2021
2nd
in the Times / Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
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World-leading status affirmed in QS World University Rankings 2026
Durham University has been named in the QS World University Rankings world top 100, a position it has achieved every year since 2010. The rankings have confirmed the University’s strong global reputation for employability (64th) and it is also 22nd in the world for sustainability.
Study with us
Undergraduate Study
Our expertise in this area impacts the lives of our students and many others, beyond Durham.
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Postgraduate Study
The Music Department’s vibrant postgraduate research environment attracts high-calibre applicants from all over the world.
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Work with us
The Department of Music is one of the very best UK Music Departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students.
Ranked #3 in REF2014, the Department of Music has internationally renowned research strengths in interdisciplinary research in musicology, theory and analysis, ethnomusicology, music psychology, performance, composition, and music technology.
See our recruitment pages for more opportunities
What's new?
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Durham Students Win Prize at RMA Southeast Asia Chapter Conference
Two current Durham Music PhD students, Ardi Echevarria and Yan Xin Ng, presented papers at the Royal Musical Association's Southeast Asia Chapter conference in 2026 — and both were awarded the Springer Researcher Student Prize. Durham alumnus Matthew Hansel, who completed an MA by Research in 2024, also presented.Research news/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/news/Matthew-Hanselspringer-prize.jpg)
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John Snijders in Conversation with Artist Graham Dolphin at Dead Dog Gallery
On Thursday 19 March at 4.30pm, Professor John Snijders joins artist Graham Dolphin for a public conversation exploring art, performance, and contemporary music at the Dead Dog Gallery, Durham Sixth Form Centre.Research news/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/news/art-network-north-east-event-graham-dolphin-in-conversation.jpeg)
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Richard Rijnvos's Aphrodite Featured in New Exhibition at Vane
A thirty-minute animated film accompanying Durham composer Richard Rijnvos's Aphrodite for shō & string sextet (2022–23) is showing throughout March as part of Moments of Wonder, a new exhibition by Mike Collier at Vane gallery in Gateshead. Rijnvos will be present for a special screening on Wednesday 4 March at 4.30pm, ahead of the exhibition's opening preview.Research news/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/news/MCollier_SoundOfAMountainStream.jpg)
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New Edited Volume Explores Global Perspectives in Musicology
Dr Amanda Hsieh from our Department of Music has teamed up with Dr Vera Wolkowicz from the University of Glasgow to bring together 10 authors from around the world to ask a timely question: why do we need musicological perspectives beyond our own?Research news/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/news/IMG_6797.heic)
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Professor Julian Horton publishes new article on the nineteenth-century violin concerto in Music Theory Spectrum
Professor Julian Horton’s new article ‘Corpus Studies, Sonata Typology and the Nineteenth-Century Violin Concerto’ has been published in the prestigious American journal Music Theory Spectrum.Research news -
Durham Hosts Week of Events Honouring Black History and Reparative Justice
A vibrant week of events (20–23 October 2025) will take place across Durham, exploring Black history, reparative justice, and decolonial thought. Organised as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, the programme brings together scholars, students, and community members for walking tours, film screenings, and keynote lectures that highlight critical conversations around race, memory, and historical responsibility.Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/homepage/discover-boxes/Black-History-Month.jpg)
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Practice Research Prize for Sara Salloum
Congratulations to Dr Sara Salloum, who has been awarded the RMA Practice Research Prize for 2025.Research news/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/news/Sara-Salloum_Compressed.jpg)
Durham Students Win Prize at RMA Southeast Asia Chapter Conference
Two current Durham Music PhD students, Ardi Echevarria and Yan Xin Ng, presented papers at the Royal Musical Association's Southeast Asia Chapter conference in 2026 — and both were awarded the Springer Researcher Student Prize. Durham alumnus Matthew Hansel, who completed an MA by Research in 2024, also presented.
Research news
John Snijders in Conversation with Artist Graham Dolphin at Dead Dog Gallery
On Thursday 19 March at 4.30pm, Professor John Snijders joins artist Graham Dolphin for a public conversation exploring art, performance, and contemporary music at the Dead Dog Gallery, Durham Sixth Form Centre.
Research news
Richard Rijnvos's Aphrodite Featured in New Exhibition at Vane
A thirty-minute animated film accompanying Durham composer Richard Rijnvos's Aphrodite for shō & string sextet (2022–23) is showing throughout March as part of Moments of Wonder, a new exhibition by Mike Collier at Vane gallery in Gateshead. Rijnvos will be present for a special screening on Wednesday 4 March at 4.30pm, ahead of the exhibition's opening preview.
Research news
New Edited Volume Explores Global Perspectives in Musicology
Dr Amanda Hsieh from our Department of Music has teamed up with Dr Vera Wolkowicz from the University of Glasgow to bring together 10 authors from around the world to ask a timely question: why do we need musicological perspectives beyond our own?
Research news
Professor Julian Horton publishes new article on the nineteenth-century violin concerto in Music Theory Spectrum
Professor Julian Horton’s new article ‘Corpus Studies, Sonata Typology and the Nineteenth-Century Violin Concerto’ has been published in the prestigious American journal Music Theory Spectrum.
Research news
Durham Hosts Week of Events Honouring Black History and Reparative Justice
A vibrant week of events (20–23 October 2025) will take place across Durham, exploring Black history, reparative justice, and decolonial thought. Organised as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, the programme brings together scholars, students, and community members for walking tours, film screenings, and keynote lectures that highlight critical conversations around race, memory, and historical responsibility.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Practice Research Prize for Sara Salloum
Congratulations to Dr Sara Salloum, who has been awarded the RMA Practice Research Prize for 2025.
Research news
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Durham Music Department's success in Number 1 ranking of the Complete University Guide 2026
The Department of Music is proud to announce again its number one ranking in the Complete University Guide 2026.Durham news/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/46057.jpg)
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Innovation In Teaching And Learning Awards for Music Department Educators
Congratulations! Dr Ian Dickson won the ‘Innovation in Teaching and Learning’ award, for his hugely popular gamification of music theory and techniques.Durham news/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/news/IMG_1885.jpeg)
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Durham’s Dr Katherine Hambridge speaks on BBC’s Woman’s Hour about girls in cathedral choirs
On Good Friday Dr Hambridge outlined for Radio 4 listeners the history of the exclusion of women and girls from church music as part of a segment on the admission of girls to St Paul’s Cathedral ChoirDurham news/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/research-images/KHambridgeProfilePic201811.jpg)
Durham Music Department's success in Number 1 ranking of the Complete University Guide 2026
The Department of Music is proud to announce again its number one ranking in the Complete University Guide 2026.
Innovation In Teaching And Learning Awards for Music Department Educators
Congratulations! Dr Ian Dickson won the ‘Innovation in Teaching and Learning’ award, for his hugely popular gamification of music theory and techniques.
Durham’s Dr Katherine Hambridge speaks on BBC’s Woman’s Hour about girls in cathedral choirs
On Good Friday Dr Hambridge outlined for Radio 4 listeners the history of the exclusion of women and girls from church music as part of a segment on the admission of girls to St Paul’s Cathedral Choir
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Durham Students Win Prize at RMA Southeast Asia Chapter Conference
Two current Durham Music PhD students, Ardi Echevarria and Yan Xin Ng, presented papers at the Royal Musical Association's Southeast Asia Chapter conference in 2026 — and both were awarded the Springer Researcher Student Prize. Durham alumnus Matthew Hansel, who completed an MA by Research in 2024, also presented.Research news
-
John Snijders in Conversation with Artist Graham Dolphin at Dead Dog Gallery
On Thursday 19 March at 4.30pm, Professor John Snijders joins artist Graham Dolphin for a public conversation exploring art, performance, and contemporary music at the Dead Dog Gallery, Durham Sixth Form Centre.Research news
-
Richard Rijnvos's Aphrodite Featured in New Exhibition at Vane
A thirty-minute animated film accompanying Durham composer Richard Rijnvos's Aphrodite for shō & string sextet (2022–23) is showing throughout March as part of Moments of Wonder, a new exhibition by Mike Collier at Vane gallery in Gateshead. Rijnvos will be present for a special screening on Wednesday 4 March at 4.30pm, ahead of the exhibition's opening preview.Research news
Durham Students Win Prize at RMA Southeast Asia Chapter Conference
Two current Durham Music PhD students, Ardi Echevarria and Yan Xin Ng, presented papers at the Royal Musical Association's Southeast Asia Chapter conference in 2026 — and both were awarded the Springer Researcher Student Prize. Durham alumnus Matthew Hansel, who completed an MA by Research in 2024, also presented.
John Snijders in Conversation with Artist Graham Dolphin at Dead Dog Gallery
On Thursday 19 March at 4.30pm, Professor John Snijders joins artist Graham Dolphin for a public conversation exploring art, performance, and contemporary music at the Dead Dog Gallery, Durham Sixth Form Centre.
Richard Rijnvos's Aphrodite Featured in New Exhibition at Vane
A thirty-minute animated film accompanying Durham composer Richard Rijnvos's Aphrodite for shō & string sextet (2022–23) is showing throughout March as part of Moments of Wonder, a new exhibition by Mike Collier at Vane gallery in Gateshead. Rijnvos will be present for a special screening on Wednesday 4 March at 4.30pm, ahead of the exhibition's opening preview.
Upcoming events
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Songs beneath the Sacred Tree
Wednesday 27 May 2026 - Wednesday 27 May 20267:30 PM to 9:30 PMDepartment of Music, Palace Green/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/musicon/Concert-photo.jpeg)
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SongPath Workshop
Monday 8 June 2026 - Monday 8 June 20266:30 PM to 8:00 PMDurham University Botanic Garden/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/musicon/SongPath-06-(credit-Phil-Hatfield).jpg)
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SongPath in the Botanic Garden
Sunday 21 June 2026 - Sunday 21 June 20261:30 PM to 3:30 PMDurham University Botanic Garden/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/music/musicon/Songpath.png)
Songs beneath the Sacred Tree
Wednesday 27 May 2026 - Wednesday 27 May 2026
7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Department of Music, Palace Green
SongPath Workshop
Monday 8 June 2026 - Monday 8 June 2026
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Durham University Botanic Garden
SongPath in the Botanic Garden
Sunday 21 June 2026 - Sunday 21 June 2026
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Durham University Botanic Garden
Questions about studying here?
Check out our list of FAQs or submit an enquiry form.
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Order your personalised prospectus and College guide here.
Get in touch
We strive to provide innovative, research-led teaching that will assist our students to achieve their full potential as thinking, creative musicians and scholars.
Department of Music
Durham University
Palace Green
Durham
DH1 3RL
UK