Crane School of Music | SUNY Potsdam

Listen. Create. Inspire.

Founded in 1886, SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music has a long legacy of excellence in music education and performance. Life at Crane includes an incredible array of more than 300 recitals, lectures and concerts presented by faculty, students and guests each year. The Crane School of Music is SUNY’s only All-Steinway institution and in 2021 was named one of only ten Yamaha Institution of Excellence programs nationally.

The Crane School of Music offers rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs with a strong emphasis on performance and practice, in a tightknit atmosphere. You’ll benefit from working closely with our distinguished and dedicated full-time faculty artists, teachers and scholars.

Admission / Audition

Request Information

Concert & Streaming Info

Inquire today:

Her Big Break

Crane School of Music alumna Emma Marhefka ’21 took center stage at the Metropolitan Opera, winning the Laffont Competition and experiencing a full-circle moment shaped by talent, perseverance, and powerful Crane connections.

Rebuilding the Beat

Brandon Phelps ’26 is turning his Presidential Scholars Project into a resource for schools everywhere—developing a step-by-step mallet-making “cookbook” that empowers K–12 students and teachers to create and repair their own percussion equipment.

Brothers in Music

Bound by family and music, brothers Lance ’06 and Austin Day ’09 found their shared rhythm at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music—where lessons in artistry, mentorship, and community shaped both their lives and careers.

Finding Sonic Impact

Margo Neth ’26, a flutist and Music Business major at Crane, spent her summer interning at Brick and Mortar Music—helping local schools get instruments into students’ hands and gaining hands-on industry experience along the way.

Crane to the World: Vallejo’s Journey

Jessie Vallejo ’07, a SUNY Potsdam alumna, has taken her passion for mariachi music from the Crane School of Music to global stages, performing at venues like Dodger Stadium and the Latin Grammy Awards. After earning her Ph.D. in ethnomusicology, she now teaches at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, while also returning to Potsdam to support the college’s mariachi program, Los Osos del Norte.

Musical Connections

From classrooms and performance halls at Crane to the stage of the Lake George Music Festival, Alexander Lombard '07 & '09 is connecting the next generation of musicians with real-world opportunities. After more than a decade of festival success, he's giving back to his roots, offering music business students an exclusive internship to experience the magic behind the scenes.

The Crane Candlelight Concert is a beloved tradition that has stood the test of time, celebrating the dedication, talent, and collaboration of Crane students, faculty, and staff. Ricky Chui '25, Olivia Pierotti '25, and Virginia Bednarski '26 share their experiences, reflecting on the intricate process and hard work that goes into making the concert a success.

Crane School of Music News

SUNY Potsdam to Honor David E. Fluhr with Honorary Doctorate

January 5, 2026

Crane Candlelight Concerts to be Broadcast on North Country Public Radio and Syndicated on PBS

December 19, 2025

Bestselling Author Tracey Lange Visits SUNY Potsdam Campus & Community

October 24, 2025

Take a Virtual Tour