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F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music at Old Dominion University

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Welcome to the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music at Old Dominion University! Our music majors and minors enjoy a cohesive culture where supportive relationships are developed. Thank you for your interest, we have a place for you at ODU!

At the Diehn School of Music you will find
  • a challenging and creative environment in which to pursue your career goals;
  • award-winning faculty who are nationally and internationally recognized;
  • the resources of a large public university;
  • faculty that are principal musicians with the Virginia Symphony.
Multiple opportunities exist, including
  • rehearsals and performances with professional musicians, including with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus, renowned jazz artists, and various international military bands;
  • performances in national and international venues such as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, the Dublin, Ireland St. Patrick’s Day parade, and the Limerick, Ireland International Band Championship;
  • participation in the Diehn Concert Series master classes and performances with world-class musicians;
  • participation in the Virginia Arts Festival jazz master classes;
  • participation in workshops by local, state, and nationally renowned music educators.
Our students have
  • achieved performance excellence in state and national level music competitions;
  • served as active participants and officers in the Virginia Music Educators Association collegiate chapter;
  • collaborated with school music programs on shared rehearsals and performances;
  • earned internships in schools, leading sound recording studios, and live events.
We create connections for you: 
  • 100% of ODU Music Education graduates seeking employment earned employment in their field.
  • Internships and collaboration with music professionals, arts organizations, and music education organizations help to launch your career.

ODU offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in music, and has been an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music since 1978.

Multiple performance-based scholarships are available, including a limited number of $7,000 per year, four-year Diehn Honors Scholarships for outstanding student/musicians, by audition. Also, ODU offers merit-based scholarships to qualified students. 

ODU has 24,000+ students, and is located in Norfolk, Virginia — a diverse, vibrant, metropolitan, historic area with a population of 1.4 million. The moderate climate and proximity to area beaches, as well as Virginia Beach makes this a great place to be! Norfolk is home to the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Opera, Virginia Stage Company and the Virginia Arts Festival. 


See the Diehn School of Music pages for more information, or contact us directly with questions at music@odu.edu.

For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.

Plan your audition today! 
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Audition Dates for 2024 Enrollment:

December 2, 2023
To attend, all application materials must be submitted by November 25, 2023.

January 6, 2024

To attend, all application materials must be submitted by December 30, 2023.

January 27, 2024
To attend, all application materials must be submitted by January 20, 2024.

February 19, 2024
To attend, all application materials must be submitted by February 12, 2024.

March 16, 2024--Instrumental and Keyboard Auditions Only
To attend, all application materials must be submitted by March 9, 2024.