Performance Opportunities Summer Session Community Music School

Wade Weast, School of Music Dean

Bringing a wide range of experience in various areas of the music industry, Dr. Wade Weast becomes the Dean of the School of Music at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in July 2010. He holds a doctorate from Stony Brook University and a Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music, with additional study at the Tanglewood Institute and Columbia University.

While living in New York City, he performed regularly with the New Haven Symphony, New York City Opera, American Symphony Orchestra, and on Broadway. Upon accepting the professor of trumpet position at the State University of New York at Fredonia, where he taught for 10 years, he performed regularly with the Chautauqua Symphony and Buffalo Philharmonic, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Brass Quintet.

As a collaborative musician, he has performed with a diverse group of artists including the Erick Hawkins Dance Company, New York City Ballet, Natalie Cole, and the rock group YES.
Having grown up with the tradition of the wind band, he was a member of the cornet section of the Goldman Memorial Band in New York City and Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band.
Prior to becoming Music Dean at UNCSA, Dr. Weast was Director of the School of Music at the University of South Florida (USF), where he had first-hand involvement in the design, planning, and construction of a $46 million music building project, which is slated to open in January, 2011, as an All-Steinway School. As a fund raiser, he doubled the endowment for scholarships in six years at USF and has raised funds to support various initiatives including the Robert Helps Composition Competition and Festival and the Rutenberg Chamber Music Competition and Festival.

He is a senior evaluator of music programs for the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and was recently named a fellow in the International Council of Fine Arts Deans (ICFAD) Rising Leadership program.

"What a wonderful place for serious study and growth. The facilities are some of the best that I've seen anywhere and the faculty is top-notch, with real world experience under their belts...a student couldn't ask for a better situation to learn and grow as both a person and an artist." ~  Jennifer Higdon, Composer, Curtis Institute of Music

Welcome to the UNCSA School of Music, a unique state-of-the-art conservatory offering intensive training and career development in music performance and composition since 1965. How are we unique?

• With selective admissions, a robust scholarship program, and 7-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio, we function like a private conservatory, yet are affiliated with the highly respected University of North Carolina system.
• We offer a world-class artist faculty and an ample array of distinguished visiting artists to inspire and guide our students.
• Magnificent facilities, including Watson Chamber Music Hall with state-of-the-art acoustics, are learning laboratories for students.
• We offer superb training and a well-rounded education in Post-Master's Studies, Graduate Studies, Undergraduate Studies and High School Studies programs.
• Our campus is vibrant with other arts: dance, design and production, drama, filmmaking, and visual arts.

With all these elements, there’s no place else like the School of the Arts for musical artists to learn and grow!

...preparing the artists of the future

UNCSA Wind Ensemble: Blown Away by UNCSA artist-faculty Lawrence Dillon

UNCSA Symphony Orchestra: Symphony No. 3 in F Major - Andante by Johannes Brahms

UNCSA Jazz Ensemble: Groove Blues by Don Menza