Auditions
Though each instrumental studio has its own timeframe for auditions, the average length for undergraduate auditions at UMass Amherst is 20 minutes.
Most undergraduate audition results are sent out via email between mid-February and early March. The Music Admissions office cannot send out audition results until the UMass Admissions Office has first informed applicants of their admissibility to UMass (via the Common App). On average, Early Action applicants will get their audition results back sooner than Regular Decision applicants.
No. Early Action applicants should attend one of the Music Audition Days. Students who wish to audition earlier may request a Special Arrangement audition at any point after their Common Application is submitted.
No. Audition requirements cover both major and minor auditions.
Yes. All auditionees are allotted 30 minutes of warm up in one of our practice rooms prior to their scheduled audition time. Be aware that the audition time takes precedence, and arriving late forfeits the allotted warm-up time.
No. Ensemble auditions are entirely separate from auditions to the program and take place at the start of the academic year, with select ensembles re-auditioning at mid-year.
No. Applicants will be sent their audition time via email about 2 weeks before the date they selected in the Music Application. Timetables are based around faculty availability and applicant’s travel distance.
Yes. Current students must audition during the semester prior to when they intend to enroll, i.e. by the last day of classes.
Yes. Applicants can audition on up to two instruments. If you want to do this, send an email to @email after submitting your Music Application detailing your request. Applicants admissible to more than one studio must still choose one primary instrument for enrollment.
Yes, though how soon is based on faculty discretion. A student will generally never audition more than once per semester. Most faculty permit a re-audition after a semester or two have passed. Students who do not pass an audition for the major in music may be invited to be a minor in music or to take elective lessons instead, with the understanding that a re-audition takes place at the conclusion of the semester or academic year.
Special Arrangement auditions take place at a time that works for both applicant and faculty and are typically on weekdays. Special Arrangement and Remote auditions must be complete by the appropriate deadline.
No. All prospects for the music program at UMass Amherst must apply, audition, and be found admissible during the semester before they intend to enroll.
Academics
Since both the Music Education and Performance concentrations are part of the same degree program, students can’t major in the same degree twice. Instead, students can “double-concentrate”—the process of fulfilling two concentrations in the same degree program simultaneously. There can be extra expectations for admission purposes and the additional time needed to complete the music degree in this way.
No. It is not possible to minor in a degree that a student is already majoring in. In addition to that, the Minor in Music, though performance-oriented, cannot accommodate the classes required to specialize it in the same way that the BM or BA can.
Yes—on a limited basis. Most academic music courses are reserved for majors and minors only. Click here to see a list of available courses for non-majors.
No. While successful testing with an A.P. Music Theory class might count as a fine arts credit in the General Education curriculum at UMass Amherst, it does not allow students to "skip" a semester in our theory/aural skills sequence.
No. There is a option called “elective lessons” for students who want to continue lessons while not enrolled as a major or minor. Please address all inquiries about elective lessons to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator.
Very possible! The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree provides copious academic flexibility and is ideal for double majoring. While it is possible to double major another degree with the Bachelor of Music program, it is generally not recommended due to high likelihood of overloaded class schedules and extra semesters required to graduate.
None specific to the music program. Due to the sequential nature of the music degree programs, study abroad is not recommended for music students during the academic year (fall and spring semesters). Click here for the International Programs website.
Admissions
Don’t panic—this is both normal and good news! This means that you were found admissible to UMass based on the merits of your Common Application. However, admissions did not have a positive result of your music audition when the decision needed to be released. As a result, students in this situation are admitted into the “undeclared” track in Humanities and Fine Arts until a positive audition result is on record, at which point your admitted major will change to music. If you don’t pass your audition, you’d still be admissible to UMass either as an ET-HFA student or your second choice major. This situation will happen universally to students who apply Early Action to UMass Amherst with music as their primary major.
Complete an audition on an instrument or voice with intention to major in music (BM or BA) by February 28. No additional paperwork or forms are required.
All applicants selected to receive a music scholarship are informed by April 1 via email.
You’ll have a sense of your academic admissibility to UMass before you audition for the music program. Regular Decision, on the other hand, means that both the audition result and admissibility to UMass come simultaneously after the audition is complete. This is especially important for students who have a long commute for a live audition as an early acceptance to UMass ensures that an audition is worth the trip (compared to not knowing admissibility before committing to the trip).
No. While applicants will send letters with their Common Application, they are not sought after by the music program for audition purposes.
Nope—it's not on the Common App! The Common App degree selection does not include concentrations. You'll specify your concentration when you fill out the Music Application.
When selecting your major degree on the Common App, the most helpful thing you can do is make sure the major degree you select (BA or BM) matches what you intend to put on your Music Application. For example, if you're looking to do the Music Education concentration, select the Bachelor of Music degree.
Activities
Yes! The student-run UMass Theater Guild puts on a play and a musical on a semesterly basis. Music students are frequently involved, both on stage, in the pit, and in leadership roles (such as music director or vocal coach). The Department of Theater occasionally includes musicals in its seasonal lineup and will similarly reach out to music students to be involved.
Our departmental practice rooms are reserved for music majors, minors, graduate music students, and departmental ensemble members only. However, non-majors who are part of Minuteman Marching Band and Concert Band must practice in the George N. Parks Building.
Yes! This is a two-part answer:
- The Digital Media Lab in the W.E.B. DuBois Library has a wide variety of equipment, spaces, and services available for student use at no additional cost.
- The Songwriting & Production Club is a registered student organization that regularly meets in the Digital Media Lab and encourages collaboration between songwriters and producers as well as engages UMass students in a variety of media workshops.
Membership is open to anyone who has any level of experience or interest in music production! Find the S&P Club on Instagram @umasssongwriters
Yes! There are a variety of a cappella ensembles active on campus. All are student-run organizations and open to all UMass students to audition or participate.
Yes! There are four in total—two fraternities and two sororities.
There are numerous venues around Amherst and Northampton that frequently host live music. Some venues and restaurants are open to student musicians as well. Highlights include: