Welcome to The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts

At CalArts, students and world-class faculty work together in a vigorous performance culture in which opportunities for collaborations with musicians, filmmakers, animators, dancers, theater directors, actors, and writers flourish.

Our programs combine a stylistically open approach to creativity with rigorous technical instruction, individualized mentoring, and professional-development training. 

CalArts’ emphasis on exploration and creative risk-taking sets us apart from other music programs and conservatories. Students are encouraged to break away from conventional norms and experiment with new sounds, genres, and technologies. With access to state-of-the-art facilities and a vibrant, multidisciplinary community, you are free to pursue innovative projects that defy categorization. This open-minded approach fosters a culture of fearless artistic discovery, where boundaries between disciplines blur and new musical expressions emerge.