There were four musicians who received a DCL prior to 1889; these were George Grove in 1875; Hubert Parry and Charles Villiers Stanford in 1894; and John Stainer in 1895.

During Edward Bairstow's tenure of the Professorship, four composers were made honorary Doctors of Music; these were John Ireland in 1932; Arnold Bax in 1935; William Walton in 1937; and Thomas F. Dunhill in 1940.

These degrees proved popular with professional musicians, and by the inter-war period Durham music graduates probably outnumbered those of the other English universities put together.

[13] Founded by David Lumsdaine, it has featured over 500 events including music from the middle-ages to the present day.

Prominent members of the department included W. G. Whittaker, Jack Westrup and Denis Matthews.

Major areas of research include: Durham University Department of Music has been ranked as the best music department in the UK by the Complete University Guide for 2018,[1] and has appeared number one position for two years running in the Sunday Times.

Instead of this panel, the MMus gown has a row of lace running from the armholes to the base of the sleeves.

Similarly, chapel choirs are not part of Durham Student Music but instead their own respective Junior Common Room.

Edward Bairstow was professor there from 1929 to 1946, a position he held alongside his tenure of the organist post at York Minster.

[11][29] Other notable staff have included Brian Primmer, Jerome Roche (1967–1994), and Alan Thurlow (1973–1980).

The position of head of department is changed every few years.1970–1981 David Lumsdaine[10] ?–2016 Max Paddison[32] 1993–present Jeremy Dibble[33] ?–present Bennett Zon ?–present Martin Clayton 2013–present Julian Horton 2013–present Tuomas Eerola 2015?–present Richard Rijnvos 2017–present Nick Collins 2020–present Patrick Zuk 1897–1907 Philip Armes 1908–1929 Joseph Cox Bridge 1929–1946 Edward Bairstow 1947–1968 Arthur Hutchings 1969–1985 Eric Robert Taylor[34] 1986–1995 David Greer[25] 1995–2013 Jeremy Dibble[35] 2013–2016 Julian Horton[36][37] 2016–2017 Jeremy Dibble[38] 2017–2020 Tuomas Eerola[39] 2020–2021 Julian Horton 2021–present Laura Leante[40] The department occupies three listed buildings in the city of Durham, two on the west side of Palace Green and one on North Bailey.

The seventeenth century core was renovated in 1844 by George Pickering, cathedral clerk of works.

[43] The schoolmaster's house was altered in the eighteenth century and incorporates good interior woodwork, such as Corinthian columns surrounding the fireplace in the main room, and many surviving architraves.

Built in 1820 the building is constructed in an earlier style with Tudor arches and drip-mould hooded windows.