About the School of Music
This is an exciting time to join us in the School of Music.
In the fall of 2017, Brown Bannister, GRAMMY® award-winning producer, songwriter and musician was named the Director of the School of Music. Under this leadership, we are doubling down on our commitment to chart the future of music education in Music City and beyond. By providing a rigorous, innovative and experiential education, we prepare our students to faithfully impact community, nation and world for the cultural good of all.
The Lipscomb University School of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.
The School of Music collaborates with the College of Bible and Ministry to offer an interdisciplinary major in worship ministry to provide students with the knowledge and skills to assist congregations in meaningful, purposeful times of worship.
The school's applied music classes and private lessons are taught by full-time faculty, adjuncts or private instructors selected from the wealth of talent available in Nashville, including members of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and leading studio musicians.
Private lessons and ensembles are open to all university students. Performance opportunities include: A Cappella Singers, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Opera Workshop, String Ensemble and various chamber groups. Internships in music-related fields are available.
Brown Bannister
Brown Bannister brings nearly four decades of industry experience to his work as Director of the School of Music. Best known as a successful mentor and producer for top Christian artists, his work actually includes a broad range of production, engineering, arranging and writing credits across contemporary music genres. He has collaborated with artists such as B.J. Thomas, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Steve Wariner, Steven Curtis Chapman, Kenny Rogers, Kris Allen, Third Day, Mercy Me, CeCe Winans and Michael Tait.
In the process of selling more than 50 million records, Bannister has won 15 GRAMMY® Awards, more than 20 Dove Awards and has been named “Producer of the Year” five times by the Gospel Music Association. He is a member the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
“At this point in my career, I am eager to have an opportunity to make an impact on future music professionals by sharing my experiences and lessons learned in my nearly 40 years in the business,” says Bannister of his move to university teaching. “I look forward to mentoring these students, helping them make connections with industry experts, giving them hands-on learning opportunities and preparing them for their careers by providing a strong inter-disciplinary educational foundation. I look forward to this opportunity, and am especially excited about being a part of a Christian institution with which I share common values and beliefs.”
In April 2015, Lipscomb University achieved the internationally respected “All-Steinway” status and now provides its students with all Steinway pianos for lessons, practicing and performing, accelerating the students to a higher level of musicianship that these superb instruments provide and demand.
The All-Steinway School designation is awarded by Steinway & Sons to universities, conservatories and other schools of distinction. Lipscomb University joined more than 170 institutions around the world who have earned this designation as of 2015. The school worked for eight years, phasing out non-Steinway pianos and raising funds, to achieve the designation.
A 2013 Steinway & Sons study showed that music educators believe that an All-Steinway designation reflects a higher degree of quality in music education at the partnering institutions.
The 2023 Nashville Piano Achievement Competition will be held on March 4th, 2023. Details for this event will be updated on this page.
The Nashville Piano Achievement Competition was founded by a group of Nashville piano teachers seeking to provide an opportunity for students to perform standard repertory, chosen by level, and to be rewarded for excellence in preparation and performance. After many years of successful leadership by a board of these teachers, the Competition has been hosted by Lipscomb University's School of Music since 2011.