Music–Piano Performance Major (B.Mus.)

Major code BM5063

Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts  
School of Music   
Glidden Hall 440
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.4244
music@ohio.edu
www.ohio.edu/fine-arts/music/undergraduate/piano-major

Chris Fisher, contact person
fisherc@ohio.edu

Program Overview

The B.Mus. in Music curriculum is rooted in applied music study and offers a wide array of performance opportunities and stimulating coursework. The Piano Performance concentration promotes high performance and academic standards and is designed for students demonstrating exceptional potential, technical aptitude, and an ability to interpret advanced repertoire. Students entering this major concentration should be ready to commit to the rigorous preparation necessary to fully develop their artistic talents and abilities. 

Music majors pursuing a concentration in Piano Performance will gain experience with both solo repertoire and ensemble playing, and includes the study of piano literature, piano pedagogy, and accompanying. 

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

All undergraduates, whether prospective freshmen or transfer students, are required to audition for admission to the degree programs offered by the School of Music. In general, students may not pursue coursework in the major until they have successfully auditioned and been admitted to a music degree program.

Students auditioning for the Music major with a concentration in Piano Performance are required to perform one composition from each of the following categories:  

• Baroque: A prelude and fugue or other major work by J.S. Bach  
• Classical: The first movement of a sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or composer of similar difficulty (excluding Mozart Sonata, K. 545, Beethoven Sonatas, Op. 49, Nos. 1 and 2, and Op. 79)  
• One contrasting selection from the 19^th, 20^th, or 21^st century 

Students will also be assigned a quick-study piece roughly one week prior to the audition. All repertoires must be performed from memory, with the exception of this quick-study piece and any contemporary works of particular complexity. 

Change of Program Policy

Students currently attending Ohio University who wish to declare a major in music are required to audition for admission to the School of Music before they may declare the major.

External Transfer Admission

All undergraduates, whether prospective freshmen or transfer students, are required to audition for admission to the degree programs offered by the School of Music. In general, students may not pursue coursework in the major until they have successfully auditioned and been admitted to a music degree program.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

The B.Mus. in Music with a concentration in Piano Performance is a preprofessional course of study that prepares students to pursue advanced graduate degree programs in performance, to engage in professional performance activities, or to establish private teaching studios. The discipline and critical insights gained from pursuing a professional degree in music can also have implications for other career options. 

Requirements