Student Bulletin: April 2026

College of Music Staff are pleased to offer all Music students a free coffee bar during finals week!

Stop by on Tuesday, 4/28 from 7:30 am – 11:30 am. for a warm pick-me-up.

It’s CoM Staff’s way of saying good luck on your juries/finals, and have a great SUMMER!!!!

Undergraduates

• If you are planning to graduate Spring 26, Summer 26 or Fall 26, go to the main office and sign in for graduation by Thursday April 30th! Check your name and make sure you are listed as participating in graduation.
• Make sure you have your cap and gown. Caps and Gowns can be picked up in the Union.
• Make sure Talitha Wimberly has a copy of your signed Senior Recital program! (Music Education Students do not need to complete this step.) Talitha cannot certify your degree without your professor’s signature on your recital program.
• Be sure to check your email for ceremony day instructions.

Doctoral Students

If you are still planning on graduating SS’26:

• Please make sure you have applied for graduation. If you are unsure, please stop by the Graduate Office ASAP! 116 Music Building.
• Make sure all of your required recital recordings have been submitted through FileDepot to musgrad@msu.edu.
• Complete your defense(s) and submit the appropriate defense form. If you have any questions about your recital submissions or degree applications, please email the Graduate Office.

For Undergraduate students:
Do you know where you are headed after MSU?

Even if you’re still looking for a job or considering how to use a gap year – which is completely normal! – please take 2 minutes to report this outcome on the MSU Music Destination Survey!

The OSAS Team uses the survey to help share with future Spartans the kinds of activities successful alums participate in, and to share alumni career outcomes with prospective students considering MSU.

A COM Prom’s Midsummer Nights Dream

April 18, 8-10pm, Eichler Hall

Join us for NAfME’s Annual College of Music Prom!

In collaboration with TBS, SAI, PMA, and Color Me Music, it will be an evening of community, dancing, and fun! Refreshments will be provided.

Admission is FREE and is open to anyone interested! Bring your people.

It will be a “dreamy” night! Can’t wait to see you there!

Stop by Billman Pavilion on Tuesday, April 21 from 11am-1pm for the final OSAS Lobby Takeover of the school year! Grab a snack, chat with an academic advisor, and explore the various resources offered right here at the College of Music. (Plus, redeem your free scoop of MSU Dairy Store ice cream after completing the Health & Wellness Survey!)

Don’t miss the final Dean’s Lunch of the year taking place on Thursday, April 23 from 11AM – 1PM in Billman Lobby. 

Free food. Stop by as you have time.

Sunday, April 12 | 1:00 PM | Cook Recital Hall

Join fellow students, friends, and faculty for an afternoon of chamber music featuring MSU music majors competing in the annual Barbara Wagner Chamber Music Competition. This showcase offers a great opportunity to support classmates while enjoying performances by a wide range of chamber ensembles, representing diverse instrumentations such as strings, brass, woodwinds, and mixed chamber groups.
Six ensembles will compete for prizes:

• Brown Squirrel Brass Quintet
  Calvin Pfund and Spencer Clark, trumpet; Zora Alfredson, horn; Korie Brewer, trombone; and Brian Wiik, tuba
  
• Tayovan Trio
  Hannah Hsu, violin; Te-Fen Cheng, clarinet; Shih-Wen Chiu, piano
  
• Red Cedar Quartet
  Arianna Argentieri and Daniella Greene, violin; Jiajing Fang, viola; and Yu-Chen Lin, cello
  
• Leonidas Brass Quartet
  Jordan Dove, trombone; David Grimes, trombone; Jonah Weller, bass trombone; Anderson Johnson, tuba
  
• Astra Quartet
  Parker Fritz, soprano saxophone; Emma Allen, alto saxophone; Ethan Roberts, tenor saxophone; Alex Lee, baritone saxophone
  
• Lumière Trio
  Runqi Weng, violin; Cheng-Hung Chung, cello; Jingxuan Shen, piano
  

Each group will perform a prepared set of repertoire (approximately 20 minutes), with brief breaks between performances. Judges will announce which selections each ensemble will perform. Audience members are welcome to enter and exit the hall between groups.

Visit the event web page to learn more about each ensemble and their prepared repertoire.

Entrepreneurial Musical Artist in Residence: Ryan McKinny

Acclaimed bass‑baritone Ryan McKinny—recognized by Opera News as “one of the finest singers of his generation”—joins the College of Music as our final Entrepreneurial Musical Artist in Residence of the academic year. Known for compelling performances on leading opera and concert stages, McKinny brings a broad perspective on performance, career development, and artistic collaboration. Learn more about McKinny at his website.

Students are invited to take part in the following events:

• Lunch & Learn
  Wednesday, April 8, 11:00 AM, Atrium, Billman Music Pavilion
• Voice Recital Hour
  Thursday, April 9, 11:30 AM, Cook Recital Hall
• Career Seminar
  Thursday, April 9, Room 241, Music Building
• Coffee Chats
  Friday, April 10, Atrium, Billman Music Pavilion
• Composition Studio Masterclass
  Friday, April 10, Room 103, Music Practice Building

Your Input Matters: Survey Deadline, April 21

We invite students to share their perspective by completing the Health and Wellness Survey. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us better align services, resources, and programming with your needs and priorities.

The College of Music’s focus on Health, Safety, and Wellness supports students through initiatives that promote physical and mental well‑being, injury prevention, healthy practice habits, and overall wellness support throughout your academic experience.

As a thank-you for participating, students who complete the survey will be eligible for fun incentives, including priority sign‑up for chair massages and treats from the MSU Dairy Store.

Learn more about the College of Music’s Health and Wellness initiatives.

Summer Micro‑Internship Opportunities

The Running Start Office is offering micro‑internship opportunities this summer for students interested in gaining hands‑on experience in arts administration. These short‑term, project‑based internships are designed to be flexible and manageable alongside other summer commitments.
Micro‑internships involve clearly defined projects with measurable goals, typically taking about 40 hours total to complete. Start and end dates are set by the internship supervisor in consideration of a student’s workload and availability. Most projects can be completed remotely, though some may include in‑person components.

These opportunities build transferable professional skills while allowing students to explore career pathways and professional interests at their own pace.
Examples of current micro‑internship opportunities include:

• Music Internship: Advancement Database & Mailing List Management
• DSO Discography and Recordings Web Page Project
• OSAS New Student Orientation Micro‑Internship

Additional opportunities will continue to be collected and shared. Students are encouraged to connect with the Running Start Office to learn more about current and upcoming micro‑internships and how to express interest or apply.

Scan the QR code to take the MSU College of Music Health and Wellness Survey.

There are incentives!

Next week, the final Entrepreneurial Musical Artist in Residence of the school year, bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, will be in our building for five different engagement opportunities. Check them out!