BM in Performance and Songwriting

About this program

Columbia College Chicago's BMus in Performance and Songwriting is the school's professional performance degree for contemporary musicians, covering instrumental and vocal performance areas and a broad range of musical genres and styles. It is one of two selective BMus degrees at Columbia — requiring more credits and more specialized music coursework than the BA Music degree. The program focuses on the creation, performance, recording, and marketing of original music and standard repertoire. Students take a comprehensive sequence of advanced coursework including project-based classes in collaborative writing, recording, and performing; learn to use music production software and gain practical studio skills; and master both multitrack recording and acoustic and digital music creation. Private lessons on primary instrument or voice provide personalised one-on-one training alongside ensemble participation, where all music majors perform in ensembles covering pop, rock, jazz, and R&B under professional faculty direction. The Music Center (1014 S. Michigan Ave.) hosts over 200 performances and workshops per year. Ben Sutherland (Interim Director, School of Audio and Music; Ph.D. Music Composition, University of Chicago) is a musician, sound artist, and computer audio specialist with compositions performed across the country and in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Poznań, Poland. Columbia was ranked No. 1 music school in the world by The Hollywood Reporter — the third time the school has earned the publication's top spot. An audition is required for placement purposes; selected applicants participate in a virtual audition with faculty.

Audition & application overview

• Requires a prescreen video
• Requires a live or recorded audition
• Requires a dance audition

Virtual

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