Bachelor of Music

Our students gain advanced musical training with professionally oriented experiences and rich resources, preparing them for a career in music.<

The Bachelor of Music degree allows students to develop creative skills and academic achievement in performance, composition, musicology or jazz studies. Students gain a wide range of knowledge and skill, from theoretical and historical studies to solo performance, ensemble repertoire and musical technique.

  • Gain concert and recital opportunities
  • Refine your solo performance and technique
  • Understand the theory and history behind music and composition

75% of required music classes have fewer than 20 students

Receive a multidisciplinary education and applicable skills that will prepare you for a career in music

8:1 student-to-faculty ratio

Be successful.

Merge your musical talent and passion with applicable skills, preparing you for career success.

 

Join a network of 30+ faculty and alumni who have received Grammy nominations

 

70% of 2019 graduates had plans for full-time work or graduate study at the time of graduation

 

Gain hands-on experience in one of our 30+ student ensembles, ranging from Symphony Orchestra to traditional Japanese Ensemble

Academic Plan & Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Music degree, students must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours. Requirements differ depending on the area of concentration. 

Areas of concentration include:

We also offer dual degree programs for students interested in a combined Bachelor of Music Education (BME) and Bachelor of Music (BM) degree:

  • BM brass & BME instrumental band
  • BM percussion & BME instrumental band
  • BM strings & BME instrumental strings
  • BM voice & BME choral
  • BM woodwinds & BME instrumental band

Community & Involvement

We offer students many opportunities to network with peers and faculty, further their studies and get the most out of their undergraduate experience.

Be inspired.

Nora Barpal

(BM ’18)
Barpal worked with the Entrepreneurship Center for Music during her time at CU, helping her bridge her musical passion with the startup scene. Since graduating, she's partnered with Josh Wilson, a 2019 College of Music graduate, to launch the Music Inclusion Coalition (MIC), providing high-quality recording equipment to low-income high schools to ensure equitable opportunities and resources for students to remotely audition for music programs.

Neal Postma

(BM ’10)
A music educator and saxophonist, Postma's multifaceted career includes master classes, recitals at CU Boulder and other institutions, and commission and premiere solo and chamber works by a number of composers. He's also the founding member and current president of the American Single Reed Summit, which features internationally renowned artists, hundreds of recitals, and a robust roster of lectures and master classes.

Claire Glover

(BME ’17)
Recipient of the Colorado Music Educator Association’s 2020 Young Music Educator Award, Glover is director of bands at Mountain Ridge Middle School in Colorado Springs, and president and concert band coordinator of the Pikes Peak Middle School Honor Band.