Areas of Concentration - Bachelor of Music Degree

All undergraduate music majors pursue a common core of course work in theory, aural skills, and history, receive private voice or instrumental lessons, and perform in an appropriate large ensemble. For those pursuing the Bachelor of Music (BMus), they choose an area of concentration which requires specific courses for graduation.  The Bachelor of Arts in Music (BA) is a more general course of study, without specific concentrations. The Music Minor is focused on performance.

All undergraduate music degree programs, including the minor, require an audition or its equivalent for admission.

For specific course requirements for each Bachelor of Music area of concentration, please see the Bachelor of Music page or the Undergraduate Handbook, or contact the appropriate Area of Concentration Program Director.

Areas of Concentration with Coordinators:

Jazz and African-American Music Studies: Professor Jeffrey W. Holmes, jwholmes@music.umass.edu, 413-545-6046

Music Education: Professor Lisa Lehmberg, lehmberg@umass.edu

Music History: Professor Erinn Knyt, eknyt@music.umass.edu, 413-545-1247

Undergraduate Admissions Requirement: In addition to successfully auditioning for a applied lesson studio, undergraduate applicants for Music History are asked to submit one or two samples of academic writing (5+ pages each) on a musical topic.

Performance: Contact the appropriate instrumental or voice professor (See Music Faculty and sort by your specialization, e.g. strings, woodwinds, brass, piano, voice)

Theory/Composition: Theory: Prof. Jason Hooper  hooper@music.umass.edu
Composition: Prof. Salvatore Macchia, smacchia@music.umass.edu
Click for Composition Admissions Requirements (pdf file)
Theory and Composition may be combined for a more comprehensive Bachelor of Music degree, or students may focus on one or the other.

If you have any general questions about the program, please contact the Director of Music Admissions:

Director of Admissions/Recruiting, Nathaniel Gowen
musicadmissions@umass.edu
(413) 545-6048
Fine Arts Center Room 263A
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003-9300