Music (BM) in Performance

This program is offered by the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts/Department of Music and is only available at the St. Louis main campus.

Program Description

The bachelor of music in performance is a pre-professional degree designed to prepare students who wish to pursue a future in the professional music world as a performing artist, studio teacher, or building an independent multi-faceted career. 

Extensive applied instruction and classes on technique, pedagogy, coaching and repertoire in various languages and performance styles, as well as ensemble experience, constitute the core of the curriculum.

Students in this major complete the required music core, performance, and supportive courses, and complete one of five concentrations according to their primary instrument and area of interest.

The bachelor of music in performance conforms to the guidelines specified by the National Association of Schools of Music for accreditation. Webster University is a full member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

Learning Outcomes

Students with the bachelor music in performance will:

• Demonstrate the effective expression of music through technical proficiency, knowledge of style and communication of musical character.
• Demonstrate in performance different musical styles and make appropriate stylistic choices.
• Exhibit appropriate undergraduate level mastery through a culminating recital or project 
• Incorporate career business principles for the working musician.

Admission and Audition Requirements

To be admitted as an undergraduate music major, applicants must complete an audition/interview with the music faculty and complete various diagnostic examinations. Auditions are arranged through the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Specific information on the audition requirements for each music degree program is available from the department’s website. Priority consideration for talent scholarships is given to students who complete all admission requirements before March 1 of the application year.

Performance Requirements

Much of the music that we make is collaborative in nature, with a mix of keyboard, wind, brass, string and percussion instruments and voices. So that performance majors develop an ability to work with others beyond an accompanist, all performance majors presenting junior and senior recitals will include on each recital or in a Thursday student recital at least one 3-minute work that includes collaboration with a performer other than or in addition to piano. Works longer than 3 minutes are encouraged.

Degree Requirements

For information on the general requirements for a degree, see Baccalaureate Degree Requirements under the Academic Policies and Information section of this catalog.

• 83-99 required credit hours
• Applicable University Global Citizenship Program hours, with accommodations for the bachelor of music
• Electives

Global Citizenship Program for Bachelor of Music

• GLBC 1200 Global Cornerstone Seminar
• 6 credit hours from courses designated ‘Roots of Cultures’ (One course with the MUSC prefix can fulfill GCP and major requirements simultaneously.)
• 3 credit hours from courses designated ‘Social Systems & Human Behavior’
• 3 credit hours from courses designated ‘Global Understanding’
• 3 credit hours from courses designated ‘Physical & Natural World’ or ‘Quantitative Literacy’
• KEYS 4XXX Global Keystone Seminar

NOTE: Except where specified otherwise, the above courses must not also satisfy major requirements. GCP skills requirements may be fulfilled with the courses above, courses in the major, or electives. 'Arts Appreciation' is satisfied in meeting the requirements for the major.

Required Courses

Core Music Courses

• MUSC 1010 Music Theory and Aural Skills I (4 hours)
• MUSC 1020 Music Theory II (3 hours)
• MUSC 1820 Aural Skills II (2 hours)
• A minimum of 6 credit hours chosen from the following:
  • MUSC 2050 Songwriting Theory (3 hours)
  • MUSC 3060 Topics in Music Analysis (2-3 hours)
  • MUSC 3065 Topics in Music Analysis (2-3 hours)
  • MUSC 4030 Eighteenth-Century Counterpoint (3 hours)
• MUSC 2060 Social and Cultural Approaches to Music (3 hours)
• MUSC 2070 Music in Western Culture (3 hours)
• A minimum of 4 credit hours chosen from the following:
  • MUSC 3160 Topics of Musicology (1-3 hours)
  • MUSC 3165 Topics in Musicology (1-3 hours)
  • MUSC 3170 Jazz History (3 hours)
  • MUSC 3520 History of Popular Styles (3 hours)
  • MUSC 4040 Music in the Twentieth Century (3 hours)
• MUSC 4370 Advanced Topics in Entrepreneurship (3 hours)
• MUSC 0200 Candidacy Examination (0 hours)
• MUSC 0500 Senior Overview (0 hours)

Performance Courses

• MUSC 0890 Recital Attendance (0 hours)
  six semesters required
• MUSC 0990 Music Seminar (0 hours)
  taken every semester
• MUSC 2601, MUSC 2602, MUSC 2603, MUSC 2604, MUSC 2605 Applied Music (major instrument) (8 hours)
  four semesters required
• MUSC 3001, MUSC 3002, MUSC 3003, MUSC 3004, MUSC 3005 Applied Music (major instrument) (4 hours)
  two semesters
• MUSC 4001, MUSC 4002, MUSC 4003, MUSC 4004, MUSC 4005 Applied Music (major instrument) (4 hours)
  two semesters

Major Ensemble
8 hours over 8 semesters, as approved by advisor, to be selected from:

• MUSC 4900 Webster University Chorale (1 hour per semester)
• MUSC 4910 Webster University Chamber Singers (1 hour per semester)
• MUSC 4910 Webster University Chamber Singers (1 hour per semester)
• MUSC 4920 Webster University Aurelia (1 hour per semester)
• MUSC 4940 Webster University Orchestra (1 hour per semester)
• MUSC 4955 Webster University Jazz Singer (1 hour per semester)
• MUSC 4960 Webster University Jazz Combos (1 hour per semester)
• MUSC 4970 Webster University Jazz Collective (1 hour per semester)
• MUSC 4980 Webster University Wind Ensemble (1 hour per semester)

Supportive Courses

• MUSC 1080, MUSC 1085 Class Piano I and II (4 hours) (may be waived on the basis of placement exam results)
• MUSC 2001, MUSC 2002, MUSC 2003, MUSC 2004, MUSC 2005, MUSC 2501, MUSC 2502, MUSC 2503, MUSC 2504, MUSC 2505 Applied Music: Secondary Instrument (four semesters required; secondary instrument as approved by advisor) (2 hours)
• MUSC 3410 Conducting I (3 hours)

Students choose one performance concentration:

Concentration in Jazz

• MUSC 0300 Junior Recital (0 hours)
• MUSC 0400 Senior Recital (0 hours)
• MUSC 1370, MUSC 1380 Jazz Keyboard Theory I, II (6 hours) (cannot be used for core music course requirement) 
• MUSC 3170 Jazz History (3 hours) (cannot be used for core music course requirement)
• MUSC 4320 Jazz Education Methods (2 hours)
• MUSC 4340, MUSC 4350 Jazz Scoring and Arranging I, II (5 hours)
• MUSC 2300, MUSC 2300 Jazz Improvisation I, II (6 hours)
• MUSC 3300 Advanced Jazz Improvisation (9 hours)

Concentration in Instrumental Studies

• MUSC 0300 Junior Recital (0 hours)
• MUSC 0400 Senior Recital (0 hours)
• MUSC 2004 Applied Music (minor lesson for literature and pedagogy study) (eight semesters required) (8 hours)
• MUSC 3070 Orchestration I (3 hours)
• MUSC 3420 Advanced Instrumental Conducting (3 hours)
• MUSC 4190 Orchestral Literature (3 hours)
• MUSC 4950 Webster University Chamber Music Ensemble (4 hours)

Concentration in Music Direction for Musical Theatre 

• Choose two of the following courses, as approved by advisor:
  • MUSC 1500 Music SOftware Applications: Notation (1 hour)
  • MUSC 1501 Music Software Applications: Digital Audio Workstations (1 hour)
  • MUSC 1502 Music Software Applications: Presentation Tools (1 hour)
• MUSC 2001, MUSC 2501 Applied Piano or MUSC 2002, MUSC 2502 Applied Voice (four additional semesters required) (4 hours)
• MUSC 2085 Keyboard Skills for Music Educators (2 hours) 
• MUSC 3010 Fundamentals of Composition (3 hours)
• MUSC 3070 Orchestration I (3 hours)
• MUSC 4006 Applied Conducting (four semesters required) (4 hours)
• MUSC 4710 Music Directing Practicum (assisting Conservatory or other shows, four semesters required) (4 hours)
• MUSC 4250, MUSC 4255 Voice Pedagogy I, II (4 hours)
• MUSC 4610 Readings in Music Directing (two semesters required, one hour each) (2 hours)
• MUTH 1030 History of American Musical Theatre (3 hours)
• MUSC 4995 Opera Workshop and Acting for Singers (two semesters required) (2 hours)
• AUDI 1000 Audio Production for Non-Majors (3 hours)

Students in this degree should also audit both Musical Theatre Dance Styles courses (MUTH 2410, MUTH 2420), during the sophomore or junior years. A year of ballet enrollment is also encouraged, but not required. 

Concentration in Piano

• MUSC 0300 Junior Recital (0 hours)
• MUSC 0400 Senior Recital (0 hours)
• MUSC 2085 Keyboard Skills for Music Educators (2 hours) 
• MUSC 3070 Orchestration I (3 hours)
• MUSC 4030 Eighteenth-Century Counterpoint (3 hours) [cannot be used for core music course requirement]
• MUSC 4170, MUSC 4175 Piano Literature I, II (4 hours)
• MUSC 4260, MUSC 4270 Piano Pedagogy I, II (4 hours)
• MUSC 4950 Webster University Chamber Music Ensembles (4 hours)

Concentration in Voice

• MUSC 0300 Junior Recital (0 hours)  
• MUSC 0400 Senior Recital (0 hours)
• MUSC 1028 Introduction to Lyric Diction (International Phonetic Alphabet/English) (1 hour)
• MUSC 2085 Keyboard Skills for Music Educators (2 hours) 
• MUSC 2128 Lyric Diction I (Italian/German) (2 hours)
• MUSC 2129 Lyric Diction II (French/Spanish) (2 hours)
• MUSC 4150 The Art Song (3 hours)
• MUSC 4160 Operatic Literature (3 hours)
• MUSC 4250, MUSC 4255 Voice Pedagogy I, II (4 hours)
• MUSC 4990 Webster University Opera Studio (4 semesters required) (4 hours)
• MUSC 4995 Opera Workshop and Acting for Singers (4 semesters required) (4 hours)