About the Department of Music

Welcome to the Department of Music

4 music students, 2 male and 2 female, hanging out on the Oxford square

Providing students with an environment that supports academic and artistic growth.

We strive to cultivate a vibrant musical community that celebrates diversity, fosters creativity, and enriches the cultural fabric of our university and beyond.

Nancy Maria Balach Schuesselin

On behalf of the Music Department — Welcome!

The Department of Music is a vibrant community of distinguished faculty, talented students, and supportive staff dedicated to learning, performing, researching, and engaging in profound ways. I am proud to see the individual attention our students receive in and out of the classroom and the ways in which they are reaching their fullest potential. Our department is ever evolving and there has never been a better time to experience or study Music at the University of Mississippi. We are central to the musical art in the Lafayette-Oxford-University community and beyond. Whether performing at top venues, traveling to present research, exploring innovative paths that connect to the creative economy, or collaborating on research or creative activity projects, we meet students where they are and take them farther than they often can imagine. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming visit day, concert, or event!

Nancy Maria Balach Schuesselin

Chair and Professor of Music and Director of the University of Mississippi Institute for the Arts

Meet Our Faculty

The UM Department of Music offers students the opportunity to study with gifted, nationally and internationally recognized faculty.
Nancy Maria Balach Schuesselin

Nancy Maria Balach Schuesselin

  • Chair and Professor of Music and Director of the University of Mississippi Institute for the Arts
Debra Atkinson

Debra Atkinson

  • Adjunct Instructor in Music
Rose Bridges

Rose Bridges

  • Instructor in Music
Bonita Bunt

Bonita Bunt

  • Assistant Professor of Music/Director of Opera
Ricky Burkhead

Ricky Burkhead

  • Professor of Music
David Carlisle

David Carlisle

  • Instructor in Music
Randy Dale

Randy Dale

  • Associate Professor of Music, Associate Director of Bands, and Director of Athletic Bands
George Dor

George Dor

  • Professor of Music
Adam Estes

Adam Estes

  • Professor of Music
Micah Everett

Micah Everett

  • Professor of Music
Dianne Falkner

Dianne Falkner

  • Adjunct Instructor in Music
Michael Gardiner

Michael Gardiner

  • Associate Professor of Music
Selim Giray

Selim Giray

  • Associate Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Studies
Rhonda Hackworth

Rhonda Hackworth

  • Associate Professor of Music Education
Elizabeth Hearn

Elizabeth Hearn

  • Associate Professor of Choral Music Education
Ian Hominick

Ian Hominick

  • Professor of Music
Armee Hong

Armee Hong

  • Instructor in Upper Strings
Amanda Johnston

Amanda Johnston

  • Professor of Music
Yoojung Kim

Yoojung Kim

  • Instructor in Collaborative Piano