COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts in Performance Study is a professional music degree designed for students who want to develop advanced performance skills while also completing a strong liberal arts education. The program requires students to fulfill all University Discovery Program requirements along with major-specific coursework, and Bachelor of Arts candidates must also demonstrate foreign language proficiency. A senior capstone requirement is included through the Discovery Program, which in this option takes the form of a full public recital during the final year. All music courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C- or higher, and major courses cannot typically be used to satisfy Discovery requirements, except in specific cases such as MUSI 502 for the Inquiry category. The core music curriculum (36 credits) includes intensive study in theory, ear training, functional piano, music history, and world music, along with applied lessons and ensemble participation. Students take foundational and advanced courses such as Theory I and II, Ear Training I and II, Functional Piano I and II, The Western Musical Canon, Musics in Context, Music in World Cultures, and advanced history and theory courses like Topics in Music History and either Analysis: Form and Structure or Reading and Writing Musical Scores. Performance study and ensemble participation are central components, with limits on ensemble credits counting toward graduation.Beyond the core, the Performance Study option adds specialized requirements depending on concentration. In the instrumental performance track, students complete conducting, applied lessons, and extensive ensemble participation, with a requirement to be enrolled in an ensemble each semester, including at least one conducted ensemble regularly and multiple credits focused on their primary instrument, totaling 26 credits. In the vocal performance track, students also take conducting and diction courses, complete advanced voice lessons, participate in ensembles, and must fulfill an 8-credit foreign language requirement in French, German, or Italian, bringing the total to 38 credits. Overall, the program integrates rigorous performance training with academic music study, preparing students for professional careers or graduate study in music performance and related fields.