Use these checklists to track your completion of major requirements. Always check with your advisor if you have any questions.
For majors entering fall of 2014 or later
Performance Major (B.M.)
Performance Major (B.M.)
What is a Bachelor of Music in performance?
The Bachelor of Music in performance degree is the program for you if you wish to focus intensively on developing your skills as a performer. This program places heavy emphasis on performance study and is great preparation for master and doctoral degree programs. You’ll develop your musicianship through private study, chamber music and some of the best performing ensembles in the region. You’ll be immersed in the study of music theory, history, literature and world music while sharpening your listening and performance skills.
Why study performance in music at UNH?
The applied studio faculty at UNH are some of the region’s most sought-after performers. They are also phenomenal teachers who will prepare you for entry into top master’s degree programs at home and abroad. You will perform frequently in chamber music ensembles and some of the best performing ensembles in New England. You will develop your ability to promote yourself as an artist through outreach experiences like the Chamber Music Program and numerous gigging opportunities. Our department also hosts dynamic guest artists and lecturers throughout the year and offers a study abroad exchange program with Cardiff University in the U.K.
Potential Careers
- Artist management
- Arts administrator
- Arts nonprofit team member or director
- Military musician
- Music educator
- Music professor
- Music therapist
- Private lesson instructor
- Professional performer
Department of Music
Paul Creative Arts Center
30 Academic Way
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: (603) 862-2404
Fax: (603) 862-3155
E-mail: music.info@unh.edu
Connect with us
This form is only for prospective students who are not already enrolled at UNH. If you are a current UNH student and interested in this program, please reach out to the contact on this page.
Curriculum & Requirements
All bachelor of music students are required to give a public performance during their senior year, which fulfills the Discovery Program capstone requirement:
- For students in the performance option, a full recital is required. Students in the bachelor of music in performance degree program are required to perform a half junior recital.
Candidates for a degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying the requirements of each individual major program. B.M. in music majors may use MUSI 502 History and Literature of Music (a required core course for the major) to satisfy the Inquiry Discovery category requirement, and MUSI 515 Music in World Cultures (a required core course for the major) to satisfy the World Cultures Discovery category requirement.
Bachelor of Music Core Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUSI 471 & MUSI 472 | Theory I and Theory I | 6 |
| MUSI 473 & MUSI 474 | Ear Training I and Ear Training I | 2 |
| MUSI 475 & MUSI 476 | Functional Piano I and Functional Piano I 1 | 2 |
| MUSI 571 & MUSI 572 | Theory II and Theory II | 6 |
| MUSI 573 & MUSI 574 | Ear Training II and Ear Training II | 2 |
| MUSI 575 & MUSI 576 | Functional Piano II and Functional Piano II 1 | 2 |
| MUSI 501 & MUSI 502 | History and Literature of Music and History and Literature of Music | 6 |
| MUSI 515 | Music in World Cultures | 4 |
| MUSI 540 | Recital Attendance | 0 |
| MUSI 731 | Conducting | 2 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
MUSI 703 | Music of the Renaissance | |
MUSI 705 | Music of the Baroque | |
MUSI 707 | Music of the Classical Period | |
MUSI 709W | Music of the Romantic Period | |
MUSI 711 | Music of the 20th and 21st Centuries | |
MUSI 713 | Art Song | |
MUSI 715 | Survey of Opera | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
MUSI 771 | Counterpoint | |
MUSI 781W | Analysis: Form and Structure | |
MUSI #782W | Analysis: Form and Structure | |
| Performance Study (Applied Lessons): select from the following courses | Variable | |
MUSI 541, MUSI 545, MUSI 546, MUSI 547, MUSI 548, MUSI 549, MUSI 550, MUSI 551, MUSI 552, MUSI 553, MUSI 554, MUSI 555, MUSI 556, MUSI 557, MUSI 558, MUSI 559, MUSI 560, MUSI 561, MUSI 562, MUSI 563, MUSI 564, MUSI 741, MUSI 745, MUSI 746, MUSI 747, MUSI 748, MUSI 749, MUSI 751, MUSI 752, MUSI 753, MUSI 754, MUSI 755, MUSI 756, MUSI 757, MUSI 758, MUSI 759, MUSI 760, MUSI 761, MUSI 762, MUSI 763, MUSI 764 | ||
| Performing Ensemble: select from the following courses | Variable | |
MUSI 441, MUSI 442, MUSI 448, MUSI 450, MUSI 451, MUSI 452, MUSI 453, MUSI 454, MUSI 455, MUSI 456, MUSI 457, MUSI 459, MUSI 460, MUSI #461, MUSI 462, MUSI 463, MUSI 464 | ||
| Total Credits | 38 | |
| 1 | Students will be given the opportunity to test out of MUSI 475 Functional Piano I, MUSI 476 Functional Piano I and MUSI 575 Functional Piano II, MUSI 576 Functional Piano II. |
Bachelor of Music in Performance (Voice)
Degree program has final approval from the National Association of Schools of Music.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUED 741 | Techniques and Methods in Choral Music | 2 |
| MUED 755 | Vocal Pedagogy | 2 |
| MUSI 520 & MUSI 521 | Diction for Singers I and Diction for Singers II | 4 |
| MUSI 713 | Art Song | 3 |
| or MUSI 715 | Survey of Opera | |
| MUSI 545/745 | Voice (voice lessons) 1 | 25 |
| Select 8 credits of the following: | 8 | |
MUSI 441 | Concert Choir 2 | |
MUSI 442 | Chamber Singers | |
MUSI 448 | Vocal Arts Project | |
| Select one of the following: | 8 | |
ITAL 401 & ITAL 402 | Elementary Italian I and Elementary Italian II | |
GERM 401 & GERM 402 | Elementary German I and Elementary German II | |
FREN 401 & FREN 402 | Elementary French I and Elementary French II | |
| Total Credits | 52 | |
| 1 | Three credits of lessons each semester until the student's senior recital semester; then it is 4 credits. |
| 2 | Four credits must be MUSI 441 Concert Choir; the remaining 4 credits must be MUSI 441 Concert Choir, MUSI 442 Chamber Singers, or MUSI 448 Vocal Arts Project. |
Bachelor of Music in Performance (Piano)
Degree program has final approval from the National Association of Schools of Music.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUED 743 | Materials and Methods in Piano Music | 2 |
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
MUSI 771 | Counterpoint | |
MUSI 781W | Analysis: Form and Structure | |
MUSI #782W | Analysis: Form and Structure | |
| Select 3 credits of the following: 2 | 3 | |
MUSI 775 | Composition | |
MUSI 776 | Composition | |
MUSI 777 | Advanced Composition | |
MUSI 779 | Orchestration | |
| Any 700-level advanced music history or advanced music theory course 2 | 3 | |
| MUSI 795 | Special Studies (Topic V) advanced piano pedagogy) | 2 |
| MUSI 795 | Special Studies (Topic E) piano literature) | 1-2 |
| MUSI 455 | Collaborative Piano 3 | 4 |
| MUSI 541/741 | Piano (piano lessons) 4 | 25 |
| Performing Ensemble: select from the following | 4 | |
MUSI 441, MUSI 442, MUSI 448, MUSI 450, MUSI 451, MUSI 452, MUSI 453, MUSI 454, MUSI 455, MUSI 456, MUSI 457, MUSI 459, MUSI 460, MUSI #461, MUSI 462, MUSI 463, MUSI 464 | ||
| Total Credits | 47-48 | |
| 1 | A B.M. piano performance major must take a total of two of these three courses: MUSI 771 Counterpoint, MUSI 781W Analysis: Form and Structure, and MUSI #782W Analysis: Form and Structure. |
| 2 | A B.M. piano performance major must take an additional 700-level music history or music theory course. |
| 3 | This course will be taken a total of 4 times. |
| 4 | Three credits of lessons each semester until the semester of the senior recital; then it is 4 credits. |
Bachelor of Music in Performance (All other Instruments)
Degree program has final approval from the National Association of Schools of Music.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Techniques & Methods: select from the following 1 | 2-3 | |
MUED 745 | Techniques and Methods in String Instruments | |
MUED 747 | Techniques and Methods in Woodwind Instruments | |
MUED 749 | Techniques and Methods in Brass Instruments | |
MUED 751 | Techniques and Methods in Percussion Instruments | |
| Select 3 credits of MUSI 700-level Advanced Music History or Advanced Music Theory 2 | 3 | |
| Performance Study (Applied Lessons): select from the following 3 | 25 | |
MUSI 541, MUSI 545, MUSI 546, MUSI 547, MUSI 548, MUSI 549, MUSI 550, MUSI 551, MUSI 552, MUSI 553, MUSI 554, MUSI 555, MUSI 556, MUSI 557, MUSI 558, MUSI 559, MUSI 560, MUSI 561, MUSI 562, MUSI 563, MUSI 564, MUSI 741, MUSI 745, MUSI 746, MUSI 747, MUSI 748, MUSI 749, MUSI 751, MUSI 752, MUSI 753, MUSI 754, MUSI 755, MUSI 756, MUSI 757, MUSI 758, MUSI 759, MUSI 760, MUSI 761, MUSI 762, MUSI 763, MUSI 764 | ||
| Performing Ensemble: select from the following | 12 | |
MUSI 441, MUSI 442, MUSI 448, MUSI 450, MUSI 451, MUSI 452, MUSI 453, MUSI 454, MUSI 455, MUSI 456, MUSI 457, MUSI 459, MUSI 460, MUSI #461, MUSI 462, MUSI 463, MUSI 464 | ||
| Total Credits | 42-43 | |
| 1 | B.M. instrumental performance majors take one methods class in the appropriate instrumental family, e.g., a trumpet player would take MUED 749 Techniques and Methods in Brass Instruments, to fulfill this requirement. |
| 2 | This is in addition to the advanced music history and advanced music theory class already required. |
| 3 | Three credits of lessons are taken each semester until the student's senior recital semester; then it is 4 credits. |
- Students will exhibit the skills necessary for artistic expression at the highest possible level as defined by their particular area of concentration in solo and small ensemble (not conducted) and large ensemble (conducted) settings.
- Students will exhibit competency in musicianship and analysis through: their understanding of musical forms and processes aural, verbal and visual analyses skill in performance, academic, pedagogical, and compositional applications rudimentary ability to create derivative or original music.
- Students will demonstrate familiarity with musical literature from the formal concert repertory and from musical traditions outside of that repertory. Students will demonstrate the ability to place music in historical, cultural, and stylistic contexts.
- Students will demonstrate collegiate-level skill in the English language and competence in written and oral communication in English.
- Demonstrate the ability to use technologies current to their area of specialization for professional development and entrepreneurship, and career preparation and promotion.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of pedagogy as required in the particular field of study.
- Students in vocal studies will demonstrate competencies in diction and language, as well as interpretive skills, physicality, and stage deportment.
- Students will plan, prepare, and perform a solo recital in collaboration with faculty and staff that includes both organizational elements and artistic preparation.
