By Katherine Evans, Admissions Manager
Hello and thanks for visiting the School of Music’s Admissions Blog!
We’re delighted that you’re here. If you are a prospective student, this is the space to find out everything you need to know about applying to, and studying at, the UBC School of Music — from the different undergraduate and graduate programs we offer, to our fantastic ensembles, to our internationally renowned (and friendly!) faculty.
Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll share tips on how to navigate the application process and prepare for your audition, and we’ll take you inside the School to see what it’s like to be a part of our community of scholars, composers, and performers. We’ll remind you about deadlines and answer some common applicant questions. So please stay tuned!
In the meantime, let’s kick things off with a quick tour of the School and what we have to offer.
The University of British Columbia is a big, diverse institution, with every imaginable academic program and a student body of over 60,000. Within UBC, the School of Music gives you the experience of studying at a small school — we are a community of about 300 undergraduate and 100 graduate students — with the resources of a big, top-ranked university.
Our degree programs
For undergrads, we offer a four-year course of study leading to the Bachelor of Music (B.Mus) and — with the Faculty of Arts — the Bachelor of Arts, Major in Music. For students whose first love is music but who are committed to studying science, arts, education, or business, we also offer dual degrees, double majors, minors, diploma programs.
For grad students, we offer Master’s and doctoral degrees in three broad fields of specialization: performance, composition, and music scholarship.
Career development — while you study!
As much as possible, the School of Music helps students to explore and develop different career opportunities while still studying. That’s because unlike law, medicine or engineering, there is no single path for musicians and music scholars, post-degree. So whether you plan to pursue a career as an orchestral musician, a scholar, an educator, or a producer, you can get a head start by:
-
Joining one of our vibrant student ensembles, some of which do summer tours around North America and the world;
-
Auditioning for the Student Performance Engagement List;
-
Enrolling in one of our professional development programs;
-
Or taking advantage of our non-degree education offerings, such as conducting symposia, vocal workshops, masterclasses offered by world-class guest artists, and more.
Check out our huge concert archive to get a sense of just how good our students are. For starters, here’s a clip of UBC Symphony Orchestra and Choirs performing the finale of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2:
Dedicated, award-winning faculty
All School of Music students, whether performers or scholars, work closely with our award-winning faculty. Our faculty compose music regularly heard on the world’s stages, perform around the globe, publish in top journals, jury international music competitions, and record critically acclaimed and best-selling recordings. Whatever your interests or instrument, our faculty is friendly and engaged in your learning experience. Here’s just a short list:
-
Eric Wilson, cellist and founding member of the Emerson String Quartet
-
Jose Franch-Ballester, clarinetist and chamber musician, hailed by the New York Times for his “technical wizardry and tireless enthusiasm”
-
Alexander Fisher, musicologist and author of Music, Piety, and Propaganda
-
J. Patrick Raftery, tenor and performer with the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Royal Covent Garden
-
Dorothy Chang, composer whose works have premiered with the Seattle Symphony, VSO, Pittsburgh Symphony, and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
In the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to more faculty and take you inside the studios where much of your musical education will happen.
Come visit us online!
In a normal year, we would be inviting you all to 100+ concerts, master classes, and events hosted by the School of Music! While we’re sorry not to be able to host you in person, there is so much exciting video content available that will help you see the fabulous faculty and students of UBC Music in action. Check out our concerts on Vimeo and imagine yourself here!
Prospective students should also feel free to contact individual faculty members for information about applied lessons and instrument-specific program questions. You can also contact me and I can help direct you.
Questions?
Do you have questions about the application process? You are not alone! Sometimes the application process can seem complicated. If you’d like to talk to someone about the graduate or undergraduate programs here at the School of Music, please do get in touch.
Leanne Murao, our Graduate Admissions Secretary, is the point person for graduate program information, and I am your primary contact for the undergraduate (B.Mus. and Diploma) programs. Amy Farahbakhsh is our Music Advisor and can give detailed information about certain programs.
Updated Dec. 10, 2021
