On this Page
Alumni Careers
Our alumni have an edge throughout their professional lives thanks to our comprehensive career resources and far-reaching, deeply connected alumni network.
Our students often perform at the best venues in Kansas City, create groundbreaking projects in community-embedded learning and go on to achieve in many other areas of industry.Review some of the real careers our alumni have achieved in the performing arts industry.
Alumni Careers in Music
Our music graduates are leaving their mark on the industry — from the silver screen and stage to preparing the musicians of the future. Recent graduates have gone on to become professionals for the following projects and organizations:
Media
- Ant Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, scoring coordinator
- How to Blow Up a Pipeline (film), composer
- Innervision Records, recording artist
- JCB Music Production
- The Metropolitan Opera, Porgy and Bess
- The Omaha Symphony, principal horn
- Shazam! Fury of the Gods, scoring coordinator
Music Education
- Americana Music Academy, instructor
- Blue Valley High School, assistant director of bands
- Branson High School, director of bands
- Fountain City Brass, founder and artistic director; music director; members
- Grain Valley High School, assistant director of bands
- Missouri State University, director of orchestral studies
- The Seattle Opera, chorus master and head of music staff
- SUNY New Paltz, assistant professor of music
- The University of ArkansasLittle Rock, director of choral activities
- The University of Central Missouri, director of athletic bands; assistant director of bands
- The University of Rhode Island, director of orchestral studies
- Virginia Tech University, director of bands
Music Therapy
- Meaning Through Music, founder; music therapist
- Research Psychiatric Center, music therapist
- St. Croix Hospice, music therapist
Professional Ensembles
- The Metropolitan Opera, Porgy and Bess
- The Omaha Symphony, principal horn
Alumni Careers in Dance
UMKC dance graduates are involved in many exciting areas of the industry — from award shows, concerts and ballets to health and wellness. Recent graduates have gone on to become professional members for the following projects and organizations:
- 2022 BET Awards
- American Midwest Ballet
- Ballet Des Moines
- Ballet Frontier
- Ballet Idaho
- Ballet Palm Beach
- Better Bodies Pilates
- College Dance Collective
- Geometry Dance Company
- The George Balanchine Foundation
- Hiplet Ballerinas Company (featured on season 16 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent)
- Kansas City Ballet
- Nevada Ballet Theatre
- Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theatre
- Orlando Ballet
- Pilates of Kansas City
- Pray it Away — Chloe Baily (music video)
- Quixotic Entertainment
- Storling Dance Theatre
- Taylors Swift’s Era tour
- Virginia National Ballet
- Williams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company
Alumni Careers in Theatre
UMKC theatre graduates are involved in many facets of the industry, behind the scenes — in front of the camera or on the stage. Here's a list of projects and organization some of our recent graduates have gone on to work for.
Design and Production
- Arkansas Repertory Theatre
Directors of Production
- Constellation Theatre Company
Production Managers
- The Hemsley Lighting Internship Program — 2022 Hemsley lighting intern
- Los Angeles Opera — costume crafts artisan
- New York City Ballet — materials buyer
- Osage Casino — entertainment coordinator
- Paramount — director of creative music strategy
- Santa Fe Opera — lighting supervisor
- UMKC Conservatory — production manager
- Viacom CBS — production assistant
Screen
- Amazon Studio’s The Underground Railroad — costar
- CBS’ Blue Bloods — costar
- Hulu’s Everything’s Trash — series regular
- Netflix’s Sweet Magnolias — recurring role
Stage
- Arcola Theatre — Dead on Her Feet
- Broadway — The Play That Goes Wrong
- The Coterie Theatre — various performances
- Kansas City’s Actor’s Theatre — various performances
- Kansas City Repertory Theatre — various performances
- Repertory Theatre of St. Louis — various performances
- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey — various performances
- The Unicorn Theatre — various performances
UMKC Alumni Association
All UMKC graduates are automatically members of the Alumni Association. There are no annual dues, but you are invited to support the Alumni Fund and can designate your gift to the Consrvatory.
Donating $50.00 or more per year to any scholarship, school or program makes you a Contributing Member. At this level, you are eligible for additional alumni benefits and are a voting member of the association.
Alumni Awards and Contact Info Updates
Do you know a graduate who has achieved notable professional success or used their education to provide outstanding service to the community? Nominate them for the annual Alumni Achievement Award.