Quick Facts

  • Delivery: On Campus
  • Credits: 90-94
  • Intensive Training in Musical Performance
  • Expert Faculty Mentors
  • Specialized Coursework in Your Area
  • Opportunities to Perform on Professional Stages

The Bachelor of Music in Performance offers intensive, conservatory-style training within a supportive and dynamic School of Music. You’ll work closely with accomplished faculty who are active performers and educators, guiding you to achieve technical excellence and artistic growth.

The curriculum emphasizes applied performance study, supported by specialized coursework in areas such as guitar, piano, organ, symphonic instruments, or voice. You’ll also have numerous ensemble opportunities, performing in acoustically refined venues like Sursa Performance Hall and Hahn Recital Hall.

Whether your goal is to perform professionally, teach privately, or pursue graduate studies, this degree provides the foundation for success in the competitive world of music.

Concentrations

As a student, you will have opportunities to play in the three jazz ensembles and seven combos. You will receive intensive training with award-winning jazz faculty who possess a wealth of experience in both performance and teaching.

With an entrepreneurial focus, we’ll provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in today’s competitive musical world. As your senior project, you will complete a professional recording of your playing, writing, and arranging. This product is then available for purchase and can also be used to network, get work, or submitted on your application to pursue graduate studies.

A performance major concentration in jazz includes courses on jazz theory, arranging, composition, improvisation, history, and recording studio electives.

The Guitar concentration helps you refine your performance skills while preparing you to teach private lessons. Learn more.
The Organ concentration prepares you for a career as a performer or teacher of organ music. Learn more.
The Piano concentration provides individualized instruction and a well-rounded curriculum in performance, pedagogy, and literature. Learn more.

Available for string and harp players, this concentration helps you build performance skills and pedagogical knowledge. Learn more.

Available for woodwind, brass, and percussion players, this concentration helps you build performance skills and pedagogical knowledge. Learn more.
The Voice concentration helps you grow as a performer and teacher through individualized instruction, ensemble participation, and intensive training in pedagogy and vocal literature. Learn more.

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School of Music Scholarships

About 80 percent of Ball State students receive some form of financial aid, and you have hundreds of options at your disposal, including several scholarships just for School of Music students. Find scholarships.

Ready to Apply?

Are you interested in our program? We require an audition on voice or a traditional instrument for the Bachelor of Arts in Music Applied Concentration in addition to the University-wide application. The other concentrations in BA/BS do not have this requirement. 

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