Western Washington University · Bellingham, Washington
Music-Performance Concentration, BMus
What Is the Study of Music Performance?
In addition to a core set of courses in Music Theory and History, students in the performance degree program will receive comprehensive instruction on their Primary Instrument/Voice.
The Bachelor of Music (BMus) degree is the professional undergraduate degree program in music. It is an expanded program which requires a student to undertake a course of study of a minimum of 192 undergraduate credits.
Why Should I Consider this Major?
If your ultimate career goal is to be a performer in a professional orchestra or opera company or if you aspire to teach private lessons at the college level, the Bachelor of Music in Performance is the degree program for you.
How to Declare:
Pre-major
Available. Auditioned, approved entering freshmen will be declared as Music pre-majors until the student has passed a performance level jury. At this time the student may formally declare the Performance Major.
Admissions
The prerequisite for all Music degrees is the entrance audition on the primary instrument/voice. Entrance by performance audition — student must expect to achieve upper-division applied instruction by the sophomore year
Application Deadline
The audition must be complete prior to the quarter in which the student intends to enroll. The audition deadline for each fall quarter is the end of the previous May. Due to the sequential nature of the music curriculum, midyear applications are not recommended. Students seeking admission to the program other than fall quarter will be required to meet prerequisites in all course sequences (MUS 121/122 through 225/226; 341 through 343; and 351 through 354) as a condition of admission.
Coursework
- MUS 099 - Concert Attendance Required for every quarter in residence. Minimum 8 concert programs or ticket stubs required
- MUS 101 - Fundamentals of Music
- MUS 121 - Aural and Keyboard Skills I
- MUS 122 - Theoretical and Analytical Skills I
- MUS 123 - Aural and Keyboard Skills I
- MUS 124 - Theoretical and Analytical Skills I
- MUS 125 - Aural and Keyboard Skills I
- MUS 126 - Theoretical and Analytical Skills I
- MUS 221 - Aural and Keyboard Skills II
- MUS 222 - Theoretical and Analytical Skills II
- MUS 223 - Aural and Keyboard Skills II
- MUS 224 - Theoretical and Analytical Skills II
- MUS 225 - Aural and Keyboard Skills II
- MUS 341 - History of Music to 1600
- MUS 342 - History of Music 1600-1830
- MUS 343 - History of Music 1830-Present
- MUS 351 - Basic Conducting
- MUS 499 - Senior Recital
- One course from:
- MUS 441 - Notation
- MUS 442 - Seminar in Music History
- MUS 443A - History of Musical Genres: Choral Music
- MUS 443B - History of Musical Genres: Solo Song
- MUS 443C - History of Musical Genres: Opera
- MUS 443D - History of Musical Genres: Keyboard Music
- MUS 443E - History of Musical Genres: Chamber Music
- MUS 443F - History of Musical Genres: Symphonic Music
- MUS 443G - History of Musical Genres: Concerto
- MUS 443H - History of Musical Genres: Symphonic Music in the 20th Century
- MUS 443I - History of Musical Genres: Opera I
- MUS 443J - History of Musical Genres: Opera II
- MUS 444 - Shakespeare and Music
- Voice majors must take 443b or 443c
- Two courses from:
- MUS 322 - Form and Analysis: Music to 1900
- MUS 324A - Modal Counterpoint
- MUS 324B - Tonal Counterpoint
- MUS 326 - Orchestration/Arranging
- MUS 328B - Midi Notation and Sequencing for Composition
- MUS 422 - Analytical Techniques: 20th-Century Music
- Four courses from:
- MUS 275 - Chamber Jazz Ensembles
- MUS 278 - Opera Workshop
- MUS 280 - Collegium Musicum
- MUS 281A - Applied Chamber Music: Flute
- MUS 281B - Applied Chamber Music: Double Reed
- MUS 281C - Applied Chamber Music: Single Reed
- MUS 281F - Applied Chamber Music: High Brass
- MUS 281H - Applied Chamber Music: Low Brass
- MUS 281K - Applied Chamber Music: Percussion
- MUS 281L - Applied Chamber Music: Strings
- MUS 281M - Applied Chamber Music: Piano
- MUS 281N - Applied Chamber Music: Guitar
- MUS 283 - Chamber Vocal Ensembles
- MUS 284 - Vocal Jazz Ensemble
- MUS 475 - Chamber Jazz Ensemble
- MUS 478 - Advanced Opera Production
- MUS 480 - Advanced Collegium Musicum
- MUS 481 - Advanced Applied Chamber Music
- MUS 483 - Advanced Chamber Vocal Ensembles
- MUS 484 - Advanced Vocal Jazz Ensemble
- MUS 485 - New Music Ensemble
- Applied music on major instrument or voice each quarter in residence, including at least three credits from 412-416: (minimum 30 credits)
- MUS 212 - Applied Instruction: Piano
- MUS 213 - Applied Instruction: Strings
- MUS 214 - Applied Instruction: Winds and Percussion
- MUS 215 - Applied Instruction: Voice
- MUS 216 - Applied Instruction: Classical Guitar
- MUS 312 - Applied Instruction: Piano
- MUS 313 - Applied Instruction: Strings
- MUS 314 - Winds and Percussion
- MUS 315 - Applied Instruction: Voice
- MUS 316 - Applied Instruction: Classical Guitar
- MUS 412 - Applied Instruction: Piano
- MUS 413 - Applied Instruction: Strings
- MUS 414 - Applied Instruction: Winds and Percussion
- MUS 415 - Applied Instruction: Voice
- MUS 416 - Applied Instruction: Classical Guitar
- Entrance by performance audition—student must expect to achieve upper-division applied instruction by the sophomore year.
- Advanced Applied Pedagogy (minimum 4 credits):
- MUS 466 - Applied Music Pedagogy
- MUS 466A - Applied Music Pedagogy: Piano
- MUS 466B - Applied Music Pedagogy: Voice
- Junior Recital (required performance; prerequisite for Senior Recital; not a course; schedule with approval of Applied Instructor; see Music Advisor).
- One course from: (Each quarter in residence minimum 24 credits)**
- MUS 271 - University Choir
- MUS 272 - Symphonic Band
- MUS 471 - Concert Choir
- MUS 472 - Wind Symphony
- MUS 473 - University Symphony Orchestra
- Electives: 8 credits minimum selected under advisement. Piano student must take Applied Music Literature – MUS 467 (6 credits minimum). Voice students will take Voice Studies – MUS 166A & 166B (5 credits), and Vocal Diction – MUS 366A, 366B, and 366C (3 credits). Guitar students must take Fretboard Harmony – MUS 367 (minimum 1 credit), and Guitar History & Repertory – MUS 468A and 468B (4 credits minimum).
**Piano students will take a combination of major performing ensemble and MUS 276/476 (piano accompanying) as follows: three quarters major performing ensemble, remaining quarters piano accompanying. Guitar students as follows: six quarters Major Performance Ensemble (MUS 271-or 471); three quarters of Collegium (MUS 280 or 480); and three quarters of Guitar ensemble (MUS 281N or 481).
GURs:
There are no courses offered within this major that may be used to satisfy GUR requirements.
Sample Careers
- University/College Professor
- Studio Musician
- Orchestra Musician
- Arts Administrator/Manager
- Member of Professional Opera Company
- Church Music Director
- Voice/Instrument Teacher
Department
Contact
Undergraduate Advisor:
Julie Hall
PA 263
360-650-4091
julie.hall@wwu.edu
Piano Coordinator:
Milica Jelaca Jovanovic
PA 17, milica.jelacajovanovic@wwu.edu
String Coordinator:
Walter Schwede
PA 139, Walter.Schwede@wwu.edu
Woodwind Coordinator:
Eugene Zoro
PA 145, Gene.Zoro@wwu.edu
Brass/Percussion Coordinator:
Dr. Chris Bianco
PA 271, Chris.Bianco@wwu.edu
Vocal Coordinator:
Dr. Leslie Guelker-Cone
PA 043, Leslie.Guelker-Cone@wwu.edu
Guitar Coordinator:
David Feingold
PA271,
David.Feingold@wwu.edu