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The Bachelor of Music in performance degree prepares students for careers in music, combining applied lessons on one's instrument with a variety of ensemble and performing experiences. Students also study literature, pedagogy, and other areas related to musical performance. The faculty is comprised of highly celebrated performers, who are committed to teaching excellence.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Music Core Requirements | 94-103 |
| Liberal Studies Requirements | 52 |
| Specialization Requirements | 50-69 |
| Electives | 9-24 |
| Total hours required | 192 |
Learning Outcomes
Core Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Perform with an acceptable tone quality, pitch and rhythmic accuracy, dynamic control, articulation, and expressiveness.
- Participate in a musical ensemble, with appropriate technique and musicality.
- Identify and analyze the elements of music in a given piece, including an understanding of its compositional processes, aesthetic properties, and artistic, social, and historical context.
- Identify significant composers and works in the Western music tradition, and trace the evolution of musical styles through the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary periods, as well as in jazz and select world music cultures.
- Hear, notate, analyze, and perform music through aural skills, sight-singing, and keyboard skills.
- Demonstrate basic conducting knowledge and skills for both instrumental and vocal settings.
- Develop an expanded global awareness and cultural understanding through musical study
- Describe basic information about health and safety within the contexts of practice, performing, teaching, and listening; topics will include hearing, vocal, and musculoskeletal health and injury prevention.
Students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a growing competence in technical aspects of performance, such as tone quality, pitch, consistency, dynamic control, technical agility, accurate rhythmic concepts, and other skills particular to the area of specialization.
- Identify and analyze the elements of music in a given piece, including an understanding of its compositional process, aesthetic properties, and artistic, social, and historical contexts for works in the Western music tradition, Contemporary periods, Jazz, and World Music Cultures.
- Demonstrate an appropriate level of aural, keyboard, and conducting skills.
- Develop an understanding of the pedagogical processes and theories that are foundational to performance practices and instruction on one's primary instrument.
- Demonstrate a growing maturity in musical concepts using tools to performance to create artistic products.
- Demonstrate increasing knowledge of repertoire and growing musical competence through participation in solo, chamber, and large ensemble performances.
Music Core Requirements
Course Requirements
All students in the School of Music are required to enroll in the following music courses:
Musicianship (42 Credits)
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Music Theory Sequence: | ||
| MUS 110A | MUSIC THEORY I | 2 |
| MUS 120A | MUSIC THEORY II | 2 |
| MUS 130A | MUSIC THEORY III | 2 |
| MUS 212A | MUSIC THEORY IV | 2 |
| MUS 222A | MUSIC THEORY V | 2 |
| MUS 232 | MUSIC THEORY VI | 2 |
| Music History Sequence: | ||
| MUS 110B | MUSIC HISTORY I | 2 |
| MUS 120B | MUSIC HISTORY II | 2 |
| MUS 130B | MUSIC HISTORY III | 2 |
| MUS 212B | MUSIC HISTORY IV | 1 |
| MUS 222B | MUSIC HISTORY V | 1 |
| Aural Training Sequence: | ||
| MUS 111 | AURAL TRAINING I | 1 |
| MUS 121 | AURAL TRAINING II | 1 |
| MUS 131 | AURAL TRAINING III | 1 |
| MUS 211 | AURAL TRAINING IV 1 | 1 |
| MUS 221 | AURAL TRAINING V 1 | 1 |
| MUS 231 | AURAL TRAINING VI 1 | 1 |
| Group Piano Sequence: | ||
| MUS 113 | GROUP PIANO I | 1 |
| MUS 123 | GROUP PIANO II | 1 |
| MUS 133 | GROUP PIANO III | 1 |
| MUS 213 | GROUP PIANO IV 2 | 1 |
| MUS 223 | GROUP PIANO V 2 | 1 |
| MUS 233 | GROUP PIANO VI 2 | 1 |
| 1 | Students in the BM-Jazz Studies program are not required to take MUS 211, MUS 221, or MUS 231. |
| 2 | Students in the BM-Jazz Studies program are not required to take MUS 213, MUS 223, or MUS 233. |
Additional Courses
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUS 303 | BASIC CONDUCTING PRACTICUM | 0 |
| MUS 304 | BASIC CONDUCTING | 4 |
| MUS 320 | INTRODUCTION TO WORLD MUSIC | 2 |
| MUS 321 | INTRODUCTION TO JAZZ HISTORY 3 | 2 |
| MUS 322 | ADVANCED MUSICIANSHIP 3 | 2 |
| 3 | Students in the BM-Jazz Studies program are not required to take MUS 321 or MUS 322. |
Applied Music
Students may enroll in a maximum of 3 credits of applied study per quarter, with a maximum of 36 credits total. The requirements for applied study vary by degree program:
- BM in performance, 36 credits
- BM in jazz studies, 32 credits
- BM in composition, 12 credits
- BM in music education, 18 credits
- BM in performing arts management, 18 credits
- BA in music, 12 credits
- BS in sound recording technology, performance track, 9 credits
The BS in Performing Arts Management degree does not require applied lessons, and the BS in Sound Recording Technology, non-performance track, degree does not require applied lessons.
Except performance majors, students may enroll in additional applied credits, which will count towards music electives.
Modern Language Option
If a music student wishes to study a modern language for a three-course sequence (12 credits), one quarter of language study (4 credits) may be used to replace a course requirement in Arts and Literature, Philosophical Inquiry, or Religious Dimensions. The remaining two quarters of language (8 credits) will be applied towards free electives. This option does not apply to students in the BM-Performance, vocal concentration.
Liberal Studies Requirements
Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO | 4 |
| Focal Point | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Writing | ||
| WRD 103 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 | 4 |
| WRD 104 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 | 4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning & Technological Literacy | ||
| LSP 120 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING & TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY I 2 | 4 |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Multiculturalism in the US | ||
| LSP 200 | SEMINAR ON MULTICULTURALISM IN THE UNITED STATES | 4 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Senior Year | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Not Required | ||
| 1 | Students must earn a C- or better in this course. |
| 2 | Readiness for LSP 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to LSP 120. The LSP 120 requirement may be waived by credit already earned for advanced math coursework or by passing a dedicated proficiency exam. |
Learning Domains
Arts and Literature (AL)
- 2 Courses Required
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 2 Courses Required
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 1 Course Required
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 1 Course Required
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- 1 SWK or Lab Course Required
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- 1 Course Required
Notes
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major.
In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.
Major Requirements
Program Checkpoints
Undergraduate students in classical performance will perform a checkpoint audition at the end of their sophomore year. The student's applied instructor and/or area coordinator or director will give students specific information on content and required music. Successful completion of the checkpoint audition is required for continuation in the performance degree.
Course Requirements
Concentration Requirements
Additional requirements are determined by the specific performance track that students choose. Students must also complete the requirements from one of the following concentrations: Brass; Guitar; Percussion; Piano; String Bass; Violin, Viola, Cello; Voice; Woodwinds.
| 1 | Students in the Percussion concentration are not required to take APM 205. |
Concentration Requirements
- Brass Concentration, Music Performance (BM)
- Guitar Concentration, Music Performance (BM)
- Percussion Concentration, Music Performance (BM)
- Piano Concentration, Music Performance (BM)
- String Bass Concentration, Music Performance (BM)
- Violin, Viola, Cello Concentration, Music Performance (BM)
- Voice Concentration, Music Performance (BM)
- Woodwinds Concentration, Music Performance (BM)