Performance Major (B.M.)

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.

Degree Requirements

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major 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 Musics in Context (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.

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Students will be given the opportunity to test out of MUSI 471 Theory I, 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.

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Three credits of lessons each semester until the student's senior recital semester; then it is 4 credits.

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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.

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Students in the Bachelor of Music Performance program in the vocal track are required to complete 8 credits of ensemble. Students in this program are required to enroll in at least one ensemble in every semester of enrollment at UNH, including at least 4 credits of MUSI 441 Concert Choir, with the remaining credits coming from MUSI 441 Concert Choir, MUSI 442 Chamber Singers, and MUSI 448 Vocal Arts Project.

Bachelor of Music in Performance (Piano)

Degree program has final approval from the National Association of Schools of Music.

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A B.M. piano performance major must take both MUSI 771 Counterpoint and MUSI 781W Analysis: Form and Structure.

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A B.M. piano performance major must take an additional 700-level music history or music theory course.

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This course will be taken a total of 4 times.

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Three credits of lessons each semester until the semester of the senior recital; then it is 4 credits.

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Students in the Bachelor Music Performance program, Piano are required to complete 8 credits of ensemble: 4 of these credits in MUSI 455 Collaborative Piano and 4 of these credits in a conducted ensemble (MUSI 450 Symphony, MUSI 452 Wind Symphony, MUSI 453 Symphonic Band, MUSI 441 Concert Choir, MUSI 442 Chamber Singers, MUSI 460 Jazz Band, MUSI 454 UNH Marching Band).

Bachelor of Music in Performance (All other Instruments)

Degree program has final approval from the National Association of Schools of Music.

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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.

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This is in addition to the advanced music history and advanced music theory class already required.

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Three credits of lessons are taken each semester until the student's senior recital semester; then it is 4 credits.

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Students in the Bachelor of Music Performance program in the instrumental track for all instruments except piano are required to complete 12 credits of ensemble. Students in this program are required to enroll in at least one ensemble in every semester of enrollment at UNH, at least 6 of which must be on their primary instrument.  

Further, instrumentalists specializing in woodwind, brass, string, or percussion instruments should enroll in one credit of a conducted ensemble (MUSI 450 Symphony, MUSI 452 Wind Symphony,MUSI 453 Symphonic Band, MUSI 441 Concert Choir, MUSI 442 Chamber Singers, MUSI 460 Jazz Band, MUSI 454 UNH Marching Band) in every semester of enrollment.

• 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.