Choosing a Program
You have more choices at Western than almost any other music faculty. All prospective students applying to an undergraduate program at Western must fill out the application through the Ontario Unversities Application Centre (OUAC). More details can be found on our How and When to Apply page.
A full listing of our undergraduate degree, diploma and certificate programs along with Academic Requirements can be seen here.
Overview of Undergraduate Music Programs
The application process varies slightly once you’ve decided which program you want to pursue.
If you want a program with studio lessons and ensemble participation, apply to the Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Music Arts program.
Please visit General Program Information for the Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Musical Arts for more information.
The first year for all Bachelor of Music students includes courses in Music Theory, Music History, Music Skills (Sight-singing, Ear-training, and Keyboard Harmony), an introductory course in Vocal Music, a half-course music elective and one elective from outside the Don Wright Faculty of Music. Bachelor of Music students also receive weekly hour-long lessons plus regular masterclasses and ensemble experience.
In the Bachelor of Music programs, a specific area of study is normally selected towards the end of the first year, when the student has had the opportunity to assess particular strengths and interests.
In all programs the core subjects - Music Theory, Music History, Music Skills - continue in the second year; the third and fourth years are the period of the greatest concentration in the specific area of study.
Performance study continues through the graduation year in all Bachelor of Music programs. In the Bachelor of Musical Arts program, up to two years of performance may be elected.
The Bachelor of Arts, Specialization in Music Administrative Studies (MAS) program is jointly offered by the Department of Music Research and Composition and the Management and Organizational Studies (MOS) program of the Faculty of Social Science. Studio lessons are not a part of this program, but may be elected for an additional fee.
More details regarding the MAS program and audition requirements can be seen here.
If you apply to the Bachelor of Arts (Honors Specialization in Music, Major in Music, Minor in Music) an audition is not required, since performance ability is not an essential criteria for admission.
Steps:
In the Bachelor of Arts (Honors Specialization; Major; or Minor in Music) program, lessons are optional (with an extra fee) and are often replaced with an additional elective from outside the Don Wright Faculty of Music. The BA program is especially well suited for students who want to study music as an academic subject and who wish to pursue studies in other fields across the University.
The BA (Major in Popular Music Studies) is a module unique to Western that engages students with the interdisciplinary nature of the study of popular music.
The program incorporates three dimensions:
In addition to courses in post-1945 popular music, musical theatre, jazz, and more advanced courses in popular music and culture, the program includes courses in global (non-Western) music, film studies, literature, and sociology. Courses in songwriting and desktop music production allow students to compose, produce, and record their own music.
Steps:
The One-Year Artist Diploma program is offered to students who have previously completed a Bachelor of Music degree or its equivalent. New applicants to the One-Year Artist Diploma program must contact the Performance Department before applying.
The Music Performance Diploma is a three-year program designed for students who are also concurrently enrolled in a non-music degree. The program is flexible and permits students to focus exclusively on music study. It offers weekly one-hour lessons. Although diploma holders represent performers of high artistic achievement, graduate schools generally require an academic degree as well.
Both the One-Year Artist Diploma and Three-Year Music Performance Diploma programs allow the student to concentrate on performance study, with a wide range of music electives.
Admission to the Artist Diploma and Music Performance Diploma Programs
Auditions will be adjudicated in April by a panel of faculty from the Department of Music Performance Studies. Auditions for both programs will be scheduled at 15-minute intervals. Admission requirements and performance levels are outlined in the Academic Calendar.
|
Keyboard |
3 pieces from different periods |
15 minutes |
|---|---|---|
|
Orchestral Instruments |
2 contrasting pieces |
15 minutes |
|
Voice |
Material from different periods Languages: English plus two of French, German or Italian |
15 minutes |
Academic requirements for the Music Performance Diploma.
Audition Requirements for the one year Artist Diploma.
