All music students will have to take some form of music appreciation or theory. Music appreciation instructors and programs review the history of music with students, exploring genres and instruments. Music appreciation is sometimes intermingled with music theory, which explores the various components of a piece of music. Theory classes include lessons on training the ear, musical structure and what creates certain responses in the listener. World music and music history majors take these concepts further into their education rather than focusing on performance.
Music schools use one of their most important elements, the musical playback devices and recordings, in appreciation classes and beyond. Most music schools have portable record players, CD players and computers that can be brought into the classroom as well as having designated areas in the school to quietly listen to a piece. Some have expansive music libraries for perusal.
Music schools offer composition lessons to study how given pieces of music were written and how to use strategies to compose the students' music assignments. Composition classes can be comprised of classroom instruction, demonstration, lectures or talks and cover musical arrangement, transcription, music sheet editing and conducting. Jazz composition is sometimes a separate field.
Studios and practice spaces are important elements of a music school. Here students can bring their own instruments or sometimes rent the schools' to focus on a homework assignment, performance piece or their own musical projects. Common instruments in music schools include the piano and organ, trumpet, flute, guitar, bass, cello, oboe, tuba, clarinet, bassoon, viola, violin, saxophone, horn, trombone and percussion instruments such as drums.
Music schools may also have vocal and opera programs that focus on the voice as an instrument. Students do the same studies, practices and performances as those that use a physical instrument and can participate in choirs, opera theater and a cappella groups.
Music schools have regularly performing student groups that present pieces on campus and around their area. Some of these ensembles are the symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra, wind ensemble, jazz ensembles, percussion ensembles and wind symphony.
Music schools with a technological or production focus will have recording studios available for classroom lessons and student and alumni use. Here students gain knowledge of recording production including audio recording, mastering, music production, engineering, studio maintenance and operation, audio and sound design and sound editing. Fewer programs include a focus on live sound engineering.
Many music schools offer music education programs that prepare graduates to teach students of varying ages and skill levels. These courses are usually taken in the latter years of study.