String Area

Strings at UNO

The UNO String Area is dedicated to student success and meeting the individual educational, musical, and technical goals of each student. Students perform and engage with K12 students throughout the Omaha metro and the state of Nebraska through novel engagement and educational programs like Partners in Performance, a partnership with area schools and the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra. String students also participate in a thriving UNO chapter of NE American String Teachers Association.

In addition, our students perform frequently at the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center Healing Arts program as part of UNO’s Sound Health program and the Maverick String Quartet, UNO’s faculty quartet, is quartet-in-residence at the Cancer Center. String Area faculty are in demand as soloists and chamber musicians and have performed, adjudicated, and cliniced throughout NE and the world. The faculty host all-state help sessions every fall and post all-state help-session YouTube videos each fall.

The String Area proudly hosts over 250 K12 students for our annual String Olympics each spring. Most recently, the string faculty recently piloted Teaching Strings for the Non-String Player for area K12 teachers.

Learn more about undergraduate and graduate degree programs here

Audition Requirements:

Undergraduate (B.M. Performance/Education; B.A. Music Studies)

String students should perform two pieces/movements of contrasting style.

Students interested in the Bachelor of Music in Music Education must also submit a short 2-3 minute video. Please watch the following video before you begin: https://youtu.be/sCx-fw8gPqw. The questions and prompts are also listed in written form below.

When completed, please email to Adam Hilt: ahilt@unomaha.edu.

Introduce yourself , tell us your primary instrument ,and any additional instruments you play. Feel free to tell us any additional information that you would want us to know (e.g., you teach piano; work with youth; enjoy learning languages).
Why are you interested in music education?
Name one teacher you respect and why.
Sing a nursery rhyme/children’s song without accompaniment (one verse only).

Graduate (M.M. Performance)

Prospective graduate students should perform a program comprised of the following: 1) one movement of a concerto, 2) one movement of a sonata, and 3) one movement of solo Bach.

All-State YouTube Videos

Since the Fall of 2018, the UNO School of Music String Area has produced innovative all-state orchestra audition help session videos, created for high school string students across the state of Nebraska. The videos feature UNO string faculty giving feedback and tips on required all-state audition scales, etudes, and excerpts. Click the link below to be taken to the appropriate page:

In partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center Healing Arts program, the Maverick Quartet is pleased to serve as Quartet-in-Residence.

2024-2025 UNO Maverick Quartet performances, 12:15 – 1:15

Lobby, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, 505 S. 45^th St.

Sep: 10, 12, 17

Oct: 1, 8, 15

Nov: 5, 19, 21

Dec: 3, 5, 17

Jan: 14, 16, 21

Feb: 4, 18, 25

Mar: 4, 13, 25

Apr: 1, 22, 29

May: 5, 8, 27, 28