Prospective Students

A Path for your Future

Where do you want music to take you? We can help you get there. Our faculty are leading performers with professional ensembles throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Most importantly, our faculty are dynamic and inspirational teachers who are 100% committed to your success, preparing you for your future beyond the classroom. Let us help you chart your path for your future!

Affordability

Sonoma State is one of the 23 campuses in the California State University, the largest and one of the most affordable university systems in the country. Annual tuition costs only $9,062 (based on 2025-2026). SSU is part of the Western University Exchange (WUE), making tuition affordable for non-resident students. The Department of Music offers generous talent scholarships through audition, making Sonoma State an affordable option. Here at SSU, you get a conservatory-level experience at a CSU price!

Opportunity

Music majors at Sonoma State have opportunities to perform in multiple ensembles. We have an array of spectacular instrumental, choral and jazz ensembles for you. The Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble regularly perform cornerstone works and cutting edge repertoire, and the Symphonic Chorus annually performs a choral masterwork with the Santa Rosa Symphony.  Many of our students participate in two or three ensembles every semester. In addition, students often form chamber ensembles or jazz combos that perform regularly off campus.

Personal Attention

Unlike some larger institutions, where undergraduate students are often assigned to take private lessons with a graduate assistant, students at Sonoma State study with one of our esteemed faculty members. Our studio faculty are outstanding performers and dedicated teachers, who care about you as a person, who address your individual needs, and who have the ability to get you where you want to go.

You Can Do Both

Music majors are able to combine their study of music with another field and earn a double major. In fact, about 15% of our students pursue this option to customize their experience and develop expertise in multiple fields. Students may also double-major within music.

Environment and Lifestyle

The Sonoma State campus is quite simply, gorgeous! Located in the city of Rohnert Park, and in the heart of Sonoma County, Sonoma State is a suburban campus nestled between gently sloping hills and rocky mountain peaks, between bustling towns and serene countryside. On campus, you’ll find newer dorms and classroom buildings, a fabulous student center and recreation facilities, and the magnificent Green Music Center. The campus is just an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, 30 minutes from the Pacific Ocean and 3 hours from the Sierras, making it an ideal place where there is always something new to discover.

Green Music Center

Named after telecommunications pioneer Donald Green and his wife Maureen, the Green Music Center is the hub of artistic and cultural activity at the university and in the North Bay Area. The GMC is home to two magnificent performing venues: Weill Hall, a spectacular 1400-seat concert hall modeled after Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, and Schroeder Hall, an intimate, 240-seat cathedral-like Recital Hall, named after Charlie Brown’s piano playing friend. These stunning venues are your stages, and where you will regularly perform.