Music Performance

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If you’re an experienced performer with dreams of a career onstage or in academia, Bradley’s Music Performance degree gives you the training and opportunities to make it happen. This program helps you refine your musical skills, prepare for graduate studies, and master the audition process—setting you up for success in a competitive field.

With a versatile curriculum, you’ll also be ready for careers beyond performance, including teaching, church music, and other music-related professions. Whether you see yourself in the spotlight or shaping the next generation of musicians, this program helps you turn your talent into a career.

Experiential Learning

From the moment you pass your performance audition, you’ll be fully immersed in hands-on experiences that help you grow as a musician.

Focus Your Talent – Choose a concentration in piano, an orchestra/band instrument, or voice, and take private lessons each semester to refine your skills.
Take the Stage – Perform with one or more ensembles, gaining real-world experience in a collaborative setting.
Master the Fundamentals – Build a strong foundation with coursework in music theory, ear-training, sight-singing, and music history, preparing you for any musical path.
Showcase Your Growth – Junior and senior solo recitals give you the chance to shine, with professional staff pianists to accompany you—at no extra cost.
Professional-Quality Recordings – Work with Bradley’s professional recording engineer in our on-campus studio to create polished audition and competition recordings.

Program Concentrations

See full course requirements and concentration details

Career Opportunities

Our Music Performance degree prepares you for exciting opportunities in the music world. Whether you dream of performing in orchestras, choirs, or jazz ensembles, taking the stage as a soloist or chamber musician, or teaching at the university level, this program gives you the skills and experience to take the next step.

Minors

The 21-credit Jazz Studies Minor is open to all students, without audition. It will strengthen your understanding and performance of jazz through ensemble participation, music theory, jazz improvisation, jazz composition and arranging, and American music history.

This minor is easily paired with majors across campus.

See full course requirements and minor details

The music minor, open to all students by audition, strengthens your understanding and performance of music through individual vocal or instrumental lessons in the area you select and courses in theory, history, keyboard skills, and ear-training.

You’ll also participate in one of the music department’s 15 ensembles. Designed for personal growth or career preparation, the minor can easily be paired with majors from across the university.

See full course requirements and minor details

The 18-credit hour music industry minor is open to any student, regardless of major, with no audition requirement. You’ll be immersed in courses representing all facets of the music industry.

Electives allow you to focus on specific disciplines or you may complete the minor as part of the Hollywood Semester program.

See full course requirements and minor details

This 20-hour minor, open to all students, includes courses in Acting, Piano, Music Theory, and Ear Training/Sight Singing. Acting the Song and History of American Musical Theatre. You’ll be involved in Theatre Arts productions through our Practicum program, and you’ll work closely with a Theatre Arts advisor, to keep you on track.

This minor pairs well with majors in Music, Theatre Arts, communication, TV arts, creative writing, and other majors within the fine arts, or the liberal arts and sciences.

See full course requirements and minor details

Student and alumni stories

Stories from the Music Department

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

A Foundation for Lifelong Learning

September 2026

At Bradley, Brach Jennings ’11 discovered more than academic passions. He found mentors, embraced his identity, and built the foundation for a career in theology, teaching, and research.
Music Department

A Life Dedicated to Music

June 2026

From grading music aptitude tests as a child to leading Kidder Music Service, Beth (Kidder) Houlihan '93 has spent her life helping young musicians find confidence, community, and purpose through music.
Music Department

Learning the Industry the LA Way

May 2026

Explore this senior’s Hollywood semester filled with excitement and entertainment industry opportunities.

Music Performance