Greetings from the Director

headshot of Bryan Pinkall with black background

Welcome to the Kansas State University School of Music, Theatre, Dance! We are a vibrant and inclusive community, providing an individualized student experience for majors and non-majors alike.

Nearly 4,000 students from degree programs across K-State participate in our ensembles and stage productions every year, ranging from orchestra, opera, and theatre to jazz, early music, tap dance, and much more.

Our theatre program is the only program in the state of Kansas accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre; and our drama therapy program is the only one of its kind at a public institution to be accredited by the North American Drama Therapy Association. The School offers courses in many dance genres including tap, jazz dance, modern dance, and ballet, which are taught by our Fulbright and NEA award-winning dance faculty.

Our comprehensive music program has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music since 1953 and is a national leader in training music educators. We proudly hold the distinction of being an All-Steinway School, providing the finest pianos for our students and faculty. Our acclaimed choral music program regularly performs at national conferences and tours internationally, while “The Pride of Wildcat Land” – the Kansas State University Marching Band – is one of the largest and most renowned marching bands in the United States.

Many of our faculty maintain professional careers in the industry, and our students have gone on to earn Grammy and Emmy awards along with fulfilling careers on Broadway, in television, and performing on some of the world's greatest stages.

I invite you to visit us here in Manhattan, Kansas, which our students lovingly call “Manhappiness,” and experience the energy within our School. We would love for you to be a part of our Wildcat family.

Go State!

Bryan Pinkall, DMA
Director of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Associate Professor of Music
Kansas State University
pinkall@ksu.edu