The Bachelor of Music (BM) in Performance at BU School of Music is a degree program for undergraduates committed to intensive training and performance at the highest level. With expert faculty including 20 members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the BM in Performance provides a distinct experience for students to study with professional musicians. The Performance program is offered in the following areas: Voice, Strings, Keyboard (piano, collaborative piano, organ), Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion.

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As part of a major research University, the program offers dozens of opportunities for students to perform on campus, in the city of Boston and surrounding communities, and beyond. In addition, BU School of Music performs yearly signature concerts at Symphony Hall in Boston and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The major consists of a faculty and student community highly-engaged in professional performance including the precise preparation required. Students are assigned a faculty member for individualized instruction during their degree program.

Curriculum requirements for the BM in Performance program can be found on the Academic Bulletin.

Program of Study

The Bachelor of Music in Performance degree is offered in the following areas:

Along with theory, musicology, and major requirements, students participate in applied lessons as well as ensembles. This immersive experience is centered around individualized instruction with an assigned faculty member throughout the student’s degree program. The faculty is comprised of distinguished scholars and musicians, including 20 members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO). The faculty-student ratio is 3-1.

In addition to being immersed in the Boston music scene where performance opportunities abound, students join an international network of BU alumni performers, administrators, teachers, and scholars—with players in most of the world’s major orchestras.

BU also offers undergraduate music students the unique opportunity to study for a semester with the Royal College of Music in London through BU Study Abroad. This is an excellent opportunity for students to experience a study abroad program, while continuing to learn and grow in their musicianship.

Situated within a large, top-tier research institution, students can engage fully in music performance while also pursuing additional majors and/or minors other fields such as humanities, sciences, and health. Participation in University Hub courses with a vast array of options offered by nearly every college, school, and department on campus. Some undergraduates are dual-degree majors.

Through the 4+1 program, undergraduates may pursue a Bachelor of Music, Performance and Master of Music, Education. Official admission to the program occurs during the sophomore year, but students can begin adding music education courses gradually to the performance degree program starting in the freshman year.