The woodwind area is devoted to helping students develop abilities as performers and teachers through a mentoring process including individual weekly lessons, studio classes, chamber music coachings, and recital preparation. The area includes a full-time faculty member on each major woodwind instrument. Faculty members have extensive performance backgrounds and teaching experience making it possible for students to receive excellent training at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Faculty give annual recitals on-campus and off-campus both as a soloists and as members of the Missouri Quintet. The woodwind faculty have been active as recording artists over the years and have produced several CD recordings.

Master classes by visiting artists occur regularly. Most recently, members of the St. Louis Symphony woodwind section presented individual master classes where MU students performed and learned from seasoned performers.

Both music majors and non-majors are encouraged to perform in student ensembles: band, orchestra, and chamber ensembles including the graduate New Music Ensemble. Students are encouraged to form chamber groups, which are frequently coached by the faculty.