11 replies to this topic

[rhelens]

I am hoping to study music at university and am trying to understand the difference between the two degrees. I am not looking for a degree that is overly performance centric as I am pretty certain that I do not wish to pursue this path and do not enjoy certain aspects of performance, however I would like this area to be covered in the degree. I am not looking for a full time career in music at the moment, as I also wish to pursue horticulture. I may end up teaching violin on the side of a horticulture job, or I may end up in a full time music job; my life could go in any direction. What is the difference between the degrees, and which is seen to be the better option in what situations? thanks

[fsharpminor]

Reported for multiple thread posting, please use one thread only !

[Gordonian]

It's an interesting question, though not one you can answer succinctly.
I think different universities will give their music degrees different designations, and may well mean different things by this.
For example, I did a BMus at Aberdeen, which did comprise quite a lot of performance with a final 30 minute performance recital, but other students on the same degree as me were able to drop performance from their final year and concentrate on composition or musicology instead. So it's not simply a case of BMus=performing and BA=not performing.
Rather than being too concerned about the exact designation of your proposed course of study, I'd suggest reading up about and possibly visiting the music departments that interest you. That way you'll gain a better understanding of what a degree in music would comprise of, at different institutions. I'd also be fairly confident that you can tailor your music degree to whichever aptitude you wish to specialise in (eg, performing, composing, musicology, analysis etc) at any institution, with the possible exception of conservatoires which I believe are still more focused on performance (but even then, I believe conservatoires are in the process of expanding and widening the musical foci of their degrees).
So best advice is to do your research and ask lots of questions! Good luck with your forthcoming degree.

[soccermom]

rhelens, I hope this link will work but you might be interested to read this thread I started two and a half years ago

 

https://forums.abrsm.org...showtopic=55296

 

At the time I started it, my daughter had just decided that she wanted to do a music degree.  Like you, she didn't want to concentrate on performance. All the courses we looked at offered lots of choice about options - though usually were less flexible in the first year, when students generally had to do a bit of everything, than for the remainder of the course.

 

I echo the advice that there is nothing like doing your research - both on paper and by visiting. My daughter really liked two universities on paper but didn't like them when we visited.  Everyone has different preferences in terms of course content, type of university (campus/city centre), location etc, so what suits one will not necessarily suit all. 

 

My daughter has just finished her first year and has had a brilliant time.  She did do a recital as part of her end of year exams, but didn't have to (she had a choice between that, a composition and an extended essay). 

[rhelens]

thanks for the replies! soccermom - out of interest, which degree did your daughter choose?

[soccermom]

She's at Oxford.  Birmingham was her second choice and she kept that as her backup offer. She also applied for Durham, Nottingham and York. 

[owainsutton]

It totally depends on the institution. A handful award both BA and BMus qualifications, with their own particular distinctions between them. Others award one or the other sometimes through accident of history. I have a BMus (well, for reasons unknown to anyone, a MusB), because the university's music department predated the establishment of the Faculty of Arts.

[Hildegard]

You can tell nothing from the name of the degree. Until recently, at Oxford and Cambridge a B.Mus (or Mus.B) was a one-year course taken after a BA.

[Banjogirl]

It's not the same in the UK.

 

And I totally think you should do a degree in what interests you, even if you later end up doing something else. A degree prepares you for lots of jobs anyway, irrespective of what it's in. I've never used the knowledge part of my degree, other than for interest, but the rigorous study and process of getting a degree is invaluable.

[rhelens]

Thanks for the replies. I definitely want to do a degree as music may end up as my main career, and I don't want to close off any future career opportunities by forgoing the degree at this stage in my life. I may need a degree level qualification to be employed in particular part time music jobs.

[rhelens]

I will also have attained grade 8 theory, at least grade 5 piano and Diploma in violin by the time I go to university.

[Maizie]

In the vast, vast, vast majority of cases, an employer is going to care about the content of your degree and not its title.  I've never had to explain why my biology degree is a BA, but I have had to show that a biology degree in my name actually exists!