Bachelor of Music

Professional music degree with majors in instrumental and vocal performance, jazz, composition, musicology and open studies.

Department

School of Music

Awarding body

Not stated on the pages we checked

Official award

Bachelor of MusicBMUS

Award family

BM / BMusA Bachelor of Music or BMus, exactly as titled by the awarding institution.

Qualification level

Bachelor’s degree

Qualification standing

Academic qualificationA degree, or a certificate or diploma awarded by a degree-awarding institution within a national qualifications framework.

Orientation

Professional orientation

Previous degree required

Not published

No program-level accreditation or validation record has been verified yet. That does not mean none exists; check the national authority and the institution.

Delivery

On campusTaught at the listed campus.

Study mode

Not published

Duration

Not published

Intakes

Not published

Campus

Urbana-Champaign campus1114 W. Nevada St., Urbana, IL 61801

Taught in

English

English

English teaching not verifiedAn English-language website does not mean a program is taught in English.

Audition

Audition depends on route or instrument

Audition details

• Format: Live or recorded
• Audition application deadline: First-year Early Action music-specific requirements due November 5, 2026; Regular Decision January 10, 2027 (2026-27 cycle)

Required repertoire, as published

• Violin: One etude or caprice | Two contrasting movements from a Bach solo sonata or partita | The first or third movement of a concerto | Performing all requirements from memory is preferred but not required.
• Viola: • Applicants should prepare two contrasting movements. | NOTE: Lesser-known works and works by underrepresented composers are welcome and encouraged. | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here .
• Cello: Prepare three contrasting selections that demonstrate your instrumental ability, musical interests, and musicianship. These selections should demonstrate slow and fast playing and contain no less than 15 minutes of music. Selections might include; the first movement of a concerto, a movement of a Bach cello suite, a Popper etude, a 20th/21st-century composition, a work of your own composition, a work by a BIPOC composer, or a work from a musical style or period not otherwise represent in the audition. | Piano accompaniment for the audition is not required. | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here .
• Double Bass: • Two Orchestral Excerpts from the following choices: | a. Beethoven’s 5th Symphony , trio from 3rd movement or Beethoven’s 9th Symphony , recitative from 4th movement. | b. Mozart 40 Mvt. I or Mozart 41 Mvt. IV. | c. Verdi – Othello Solo or Mahler Symphony I, 3rd movement, bass solo. | • One movement from a Bach Cello Suite. | • One movement from a standard concerto. | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here .
• Harp: • Performance of a minimum of two works representing different historical periods and styles. At least one solo work should be from the 20th or 21st century (e.g., B. Andrès, M. Grandjany, P. Hindemith, H. Renié, C. Salzedo, M. Tournier, etc.). | • An orchestral excerpt or cadenza. | Harp applicants are encouraged to perform solo works from memory. Etudes and orchestral excerpts or cadenzas do not have to be performed from memory. | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here .
• Classical Guitar: • A minimum of two works representing different historical periods. At least one work should be from the 20th or 21st century (e.g., Brouwer, Moreno-Torroba, Villa-Lobos, Cardoso, Ponce, Dyens, etc.). | • An etude by Sor, Carcassi, Carulli, Tárrega, Villa-Lobos, Brouwer, or equivalent. | • A non-classical piece of choice from rock, fusion, metal, country, folk, world music, etc. | Guitar applicants are encouraged to perform works from memory. Etudes do not have to be performed from memory. | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here .
• Flute: Three or more contrasting movements or pieces from the solo, sonata, or concerto repertoire, demonstrating artistry, lyrical phrasing, and technical proficiency. | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here . All flute students who submit a recorded audition will have a virtual interview with the faculty, and should be prepared to play selections from that repertoire in their live online interview.
• Oboe: Prospective students will be evaluated on skills of tonal production, intonation, musicality, lyrical phrasing, rhythmic accuracy, technical proficiency, and overall musical experience. The student will be asked to perform: | • Major and minor scales. | • Two contrasting etudes demonstrating lyrical phrasing and technical proficiency. | • Two or more contrasting movements from the standard solo repertoire. | • Two or more oboe solo excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire. | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here .
• Clarinet: Prospective students will be evaluated on their skills of tone production, intonation, musicality, lyrical phrasing, rhythmic accuracy, technical proficiency, and overall musical experience. The student will be asked to perform: | • Two or more contrasting movements from standard solo repertoire, sonata or concerto (an etude is acceptable for one of these) demonstrating lyrical phrasing and technical proficiency | • All Major scales (2 octaves, 3 octaves where appropriate ex: F Major, G Major, E Major, F#/Gb Major) chromatic scale (full range-low chalumeau E through altissimo G). | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here .
• Saxophone: NOT accepting transfer applicants for Spring 2027 term. | Prospective students will be evaluated on their skills of tone production, intonation, musicality, lyrical phrasing, rhythmic accuracy, technical proficiency, and overall musical experience. The student will be asked to perform: | Two or more contrasting movements from the standard solo repertoire (an etude is acceptable for one of these) that demonstrate lyrical phrasing and technical proficiency. | All major scales and chromatic scale (at least two octaves, preferably full range). | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here .
• Percussion: Prospective students will be evaluated on their skills of tone production, intonation, musicality, rhythmic accuracy, technical proficiency, sight reading, and overall musical experience. | 1. Prepare a solo or etude of moderate difficulty in each of the following instrumental areas: | Snare Drum* (concert style) | Marimba or Xylophone (4-mallet preferred, but 2-mallet acceptable) | Timpani* | Drum Set (a demonstration of time-keeping in contrasting styles of swing, bossa nova, mambo, and 1/2-time funk shuffle, plus trading fours in up-tempo swing will suffice on drum set; a prepared solo is not required) | 2. Demonstrate sight-reading ability on snare drum and marimba | Please bring one (1) copy of your audition music for the panel. | *We recommend the following selections for auditions, however, comparable alternates may be performed: Cirone: Portraits in Rhythm (Snare Drum) and Etude #1 from Hochrainer: Etudes for Timpani, Vol. 3. | On-campus audition dates can be found here . It is highly recommended that all undergraduate percussion candidates attend an on-campus audition. If yo
• Piano: Candidates for the major in piano performance are required to play all audition repertoire and scales from memory. All other piano candidates are required to play one composition by memory. It is highly recommended that all undergraduate piano candidates attend an on-campus audition. | On-Campus Audition Repertoire: | 1. Prepare to play scales (one major and one harmonic minor, four octaves), selected by the audition committee. | 2. A work by J.S. Bach, such as a Prelude and Fugue. If selecting from a larger suite, (e.g., a Partita or Suite), two contrasting movements are acceptable. | 3. One movement of a sonata by a Classical-era composer. | 4. One composition from a composer of the 19th, 20th, or 21st century. Applicants are encouraged to select a work which best represents artistic interests. We also welcome works by women and underrepresented composers. | 5. A short sight-reading example will be given. | 6. Harmonization of a familiar melody to be selected by the audition committee. | Recorded Audition Steps (For candidates who opt to submit a recorded audition in lieu of an on-

SourceSpecific to this program and intake. Check the current admissions cycle; nothing here guarantees admission, and you cannot assume you may audition for a particular teacher.

Portfolio

Portfolio requirement not published

Interview

Not published

Deadlines

• First-year Early Action: University application deadline (2026-27 cycle) · First-year, 2026-27 cycle
• First-year Early Action: music-specific requirements due, including video audition for recorded audition applicants · First-year, 2026-27 cycle (2026)
• First-year Regular Decision: University application deadline · First-year, 2026-27 cycle (2027)
• First-year Regular Decision: all music-specific requirements due, including video audition · First-year, 2026-27 cycle (2027)

The institution does not publish tuition for this program on the pages we checked. Ask for current fees, what they include and whether lessons, accompanists, practice rooms, instrument hire, software, recording, recitals, travel and residency costs are extra.

Not published on the program’s source pages: tuition, duration, full-time or part-time options, intakes, whether a previous degree is required, accreditation or validation record.