Home Courses Music BA (Hons) Jazz and Cabaret Performance
Jazz students performing

Specialise in jazz, work with companies including Talent Artistic Group, Sonic Artists and the Syd Lawrence Orchestra and graduate with a professional showreel

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WW6C
3 years Full Time
Bishop Otter Campus (Chichester)

27th

UK University for music

The Guardian University Guide 2023

7th

in the UK for teaching quality

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022

Top 10

for student satisfaction

Complete University Guide 2023

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Overview

This BA (Hons) Jazz and Cabaret Performance degree will develop your solo performance skills in jazz singing or playing as well as your skills as an ensemble performer to prepare you for careers in cruise, hotel, and entertainment performance.

You will receive individual tuition in your specialist vocal or accompaniment discipline throughout your studies and have the opportunity to join one or more of our six orchestras, five choirs and nine other taught performance ensembles. You will be trained in the art of performance itself and can choose to study the Alexander Technique, yoga and other skills alongside a wide choice of contextual modules.

Working with industry partners TAG (Talent Artistic Group) and Sonic Artists and with professionals from the West End, jazz venues, BBC Radio, chart topping recording artists and the most prestigious cruise companies in the world, you will develop vital skills to be competitive in this rapidly expanding entertainment sector.

In addition to weekly tutor led Jazz nights on campus, you will be guaranteed a place in our Cabaret floor shows as a soloist or showband member. In your final year you will develop your professional showreel and perform in an industry showcase.

On this course you will:

  • Develop your jazz performance skills.
  • Have the opportunity to join a selection of our 6 orchestras, 5 choirs, 9 large ensembles and over 70 small ensembles.
  • Perform in Cabaret floor shows.
  • Perform in an industry showcase during your final year.
  • Graduate with a professional showreel.

Partnerships

  • TAG Talent Artistic Group
  • Sonic Artists

Jon Perry

Director, Sonic Artists
"Sonic Artists have a wide range of opportunities for musicians and performers in the cruise, leisure and holiday industries ideal for Jazz, Musical Theatre, Songwriting and Cabaret Performance. We are committed to helping the University of Chichester develop this talent and eventually guide them into the job market."

Teaching and Assessment

How you will learn

You will study using lecturers, seminars, practical classes and workshops. You will learn from a core team of experienced and qualified tutors alongside a wide-ranging team of more than 60 specialist instrumental and vocal teachers.

You will be assessed through a range of assignments including essays, exams, exhibitions, performance and practical work, project work, presentations and seminar discussions.

Saara Sofia Paakko

Conservatoire student
"The atmosphere at the university is lovely due to the small size of the institution, and I love being around like-minded people."

The Course

What you will study

You will study a selection of core and optional modules in each year. Each module is worth a number of credits is delivered differently, depending on its content and focus of study.

This list is indicative and subject to change.

Select a year

Cabaret Skills

With a rigorous focus on developing your individual skills, this all year module puts your technique into practice in the development of performance in a variety of styles and contexts.

As a solo singer you will have the choice of regular vocal repertoire classes in addition to a good amount of group dance/movement tuition, arranging, and join the Cabaret showband as a soloist. As an instrumentalist you will join the Cabaret showband, study arranging and musical direction.

Your classes will give you the fundamental techniques for your chosen route and encourage you to push yourself out of your comfort zones in exploring repertoire choices from not only Musical theatre, but also (where suitable) classical, pop, jazz, rock, Disney and swing.

The performance of song and/or instrumental studies allied to engaging with the audience is a vital skill that is explored in this module.

Ensemble

You will produce a professional standard performance, demonstrating confidence within your chosen repertoire(s) and technical and expressive maturity. You will need an appropriate balance in programming and the ability to lean towards either a supporting or leadership role and develop your skills in hosting events and presenting the work to others.

History of Cabaret

To develop an individual voice as a cabaret performer it is important to understand the traditions of entertainment from which the role derives.

This module allows you to understand and learn from the key figures in the history of cabaret entertaining either with a view to working within a particular chosen style, or breaking away from the tradition from an informed position.

This module looks at the evolution of the role and changes in the way cabaret has been consumed from the 19th century and earlier through to more current models.

Introduction to Jazz Theory

Jazz theory is an important part of the overall development and toolbox of the developing jazz musician. This module will explore harmony, melody and rhythmic aspects of jazz theory and will seek to demonstrate through group analysis, how these components can be applied to standard jazz repertoire.

Jazz Repertoire

This module will explore a different composer and selected compositions each week. You will analyse selected work both theoretically and contextually and examine different versions and arrangements of the piece.

Performance Development

This includes your 1 to 1 tuition in your selected instrumental or vocal study.

Professional Resilience

This module will explore a range of different strategies designed to offer support to the emerging arts practitioner and will introduce students to a number of different models of successful self-development.

Professional Skills

Supporting the Cabaret Skills module, this year long programme of study is focused on professional practice, developing the different skills needed for cabaret performance, as well as developing a good sense of technical knowledge.

As part of this, you will work under the direction of specialist teachers, preparing them towards professional careers.

Cabaret Skills

With a rigorous focus on developing your individual skills, this all year module puts your technique into practice in the development of performance in a variety of styles and contexts.

As a solo singer you will have the choice of regular vocal repertoire classes in addition to a good amount of group dance/movement tuition, arranging, and join the Cabaret showband as a soloist. As an instrumentalist you will join the Cabaret showband, study arranging and musical direction.

Your classes will give you the fundamental techniques for your chosen route and encourage you to push yourself out of your comfort zones in exploring repertoire choices from not only Musical theatre, but also (where suitable) classical, pop, jazz, rock, Disney and swing.

The performance of song and/or instrumental studies allied to engaging with the audience is a vital skill that is explored in this module.

Ensemble

You will produce a professional standard performance, demonstrating confidence within your chosen repertoire(s) and technical and expressive maturity. You will need an appropriate balance in programming and the ability to lean towards either a supporting or leadership role and develop your skills in hosting events and presenting the work to others.

History of Modern Jazz

This module will look at jazz from two perspectives.

Initially, the module will look at the history of jazz, starting with its birth in New Orleans and examining its stylistic developments concentrating on a number of key figures and movements in its evolution up to present day. However by the 1960’s, the free jazz movement began to blur the boundaries and definitions of what jazz is.

Therefore, this module will also address the issue of the process that jazz has fore grounded as an evolving art form which constantly borrows from other musical influences to create ever-renewing hybrid forms of music. In looking at these two perspectives, the answer to the question ‘what is jazz?’ will be clarified alongside an appreciation for its rich and varied musical legacy.

Masterclass

This module continues to develop your performance and communication skills and your sense of performance context. You will develop your repertoire, your understanding of style and your skill in preparing for audition or performance.

Performance Development

This includes your 1 to 1 tuition in your selected instrumental or vocal study.

Professional Skills

Supporting the Cabaret Skills module, this year long programme of study is focused on professional practice, developing the different skills needed for cabaret performance, as well as developing a good sense of technical knowledge.

As part of this, you will work under the direction of specialist teachers, preparing them towards professional careers.

Self-Employment, Employment and Visualising Success

This module explores the local and national marketplace and will introduce you to a number of different models of successful positioning within it.

A successful career as a music professional needs to be informed, alongside musical and communication skills, by an understanding of the nature of self employment in business.

This module will seek to develop this, and to encourage a confident approach to the world beyond university, enabling a tailored financial and business planning which encourages an awareness of local markets and circumstances.

The Roots of Jazz

You will explore the roots of jazz and focus on the development of jazz between 1890 and 1930 as you critically analyse the social, political and cultural context in New Orleans.

Arranging for Jazz

You will develop your ability to take standard repertoire from the jazz canon and rearrange it into your own personal vision, which is a key skill within the jazz domain. You will develop a personal repertoire of arrangements and compositions to prepare you to secure gigs in the future.

Cabaret Performance Showreel

This large all-year module incorporates a huge array of classes specific to your specialisms, including:

  • instrumentals studies
  • sight-reading
  • vocal rep
  • musical direction
  • spoken voice/entertainment skills
  • video and audio editing
  • plus your chosen option (comedy song, guitar or magic) to create your own Industry Showreel at the conclusion of the course.

Working with a wide range of tutors, this module will encourage you to look at how to present your own work on camera, how you market your skillset in the profession and help you to reflect on positioning yourself to a professional standard to agents and bookers.

Ensemble

You will produce a professional standard performance, demonstrating confidence within your chosen repertoire(s) and technical and expressive maturity. You will need an appropriate balance in programming and the ability to lean towards either a supporting or leadership role and develop your skills in hosting events and presenting the work to others.

Performance Development

This includes your 1 to 1 tuition in your selected instrumental or vocal study.

Personal Study

In this module you will select an area of music to research theoretically and practically over a period of time.

Post Modern Jazz

You will seek to find answers in a postmodern jazz world and ask if the intrinsic identity of jazz has been lost and where it can go from here. You will gain an understanding of its evolution since Coltrane by listening, playing, and analysing jazz from the 50’s to the present day. 

Venues and Organisations

In this module, you will conduct self-analysis in your knowledge of and skills in accompaniment, clowning, magic and comedy, as you discuss with confidence aspects of practice relevant to their individual choice of or combination of discipline development.

Facilities

Use industry standard equipment

You will also use the 350-seater Alexandra Theatre in Bognor Regis, the Theatre Royal, Portsmouth and our on-site Chapel which is a fantastic venue for cabaret performances and the centrepiece of the campus.

Lecturers

Learn from experienced performers, musicians and tutors

You will be taught by a core team of experienced and highly qualified tutors alongside a wide-ranging team of more than 60 specialist instrumental and vocal teachers.

As well as supporting student development and the student experience our staff are active, practicing professional musicians and researchers who regularly perform and record. We have around 140 professional tutors who visit campus regularly throughout the semester to deliver our practical and contextual modules. You will be supported by your one-to-one tutor and your module tutors, as well as your Academic Advisor.

Study Abroad

Explore the opportunity to study part of your course abroad

As a student at the University of Chichester, you can explore opportunities to study abroad during your studies as you enrich and broaden your educational experiences.

Students who have undertaken this in the past have found it to be an amazing experience to broaden their horizons, a great opportunity to meet new people, undertake further travelling and to immerse themselves within a new culture.

You will be fully supported throughout the process to help find the right destination institution for you and your course. We can take you through everything that you will need to consider, from visas to financial support, to help ensure that you can get the best out of your time studying abroad.

Careers

Where you could go after your studies

This BA (Hons) Jazz and Cabaret Performance degree prepares you for a range of careers after you graduate. You will benefit from our industry relationships throughout your degree and we will help you explore career opportunities with our network of employers and agents.

Past graduates have performed in:

  • West End productions
  • Major touring productions throughout Europe
  • Major cruise ships including Disney
  • UK and International small-scale touring theatre
  • ​Film and TV in both the UK and US
  • Edinburgh Festival
  • Cabaret
  • Cruise ship bands on P&O
  • Warner Leisure hotels

Graduates have also secured roles as stage managers, arts managers and producers, picking up contracts in the UK and around the world.

Browse our alumni on Facebook to see some of our graduates.

Further Study

You could choose to continue your studies at postgraduate level.

Study options at the University of Chichester include:

  • MA Music Performance
  • MA Music Teaching
  • PGCE
  • PhD/MPhil

University of Chichester alumni who have completed a full undergraduate degree at the University will receive a 15% discount on their postgraduate fees.

Course Costs

Course Fees 2024/25

UK fee
£9,250
International fee
£15,840

For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fees page.

For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.

To find out about any additional costs on this course, please see our Additional Costs page.

Scholarships may be available for selected instruments; please enquire with the Head of Music.

Entry Requirements

Typical offers (individual offers may vary):

UCAS
96-112
tariff points from A levels or combination with AS / EPQ / BTEC/ Cambridge Technical.
A Levels
BCC-CCC
BTEC
DMM-MMM
IB
26 points
IELTS
6.0
with no element lower than 5.5.

Auditions

You will need to demonstrate your ability in an instrument or voice performance, display musical awareness and showcase your skills during your performance audition. If you have a high level of performance skills you may be considered for a lower academic offer.

Interviews and Auditions

Auditions and interviews usually run from January until March/April.

We aim to offer you a genuine dialogue during your application process. This gives you a sense of worth and achievement from the audition process itself; a sense of ownership for you during the process and, ultimately, is an opportunity for us to get a clear understanding of who you are, what you need, and how we can best prepare you for your degree.

We judge you on your skills, your potential, and your personality, not your background.

Booking Your Audition

If you are invited to audition you will receive an email asking you to book your audition date on ChiView. If you are unsuccessful we will email you to let you know.

You can usually choose between multiple days on ChiView at one time. If none of the current dates suit you please contact admissions@chi.ac.uk.

Once you have booked your audition, you will be able to access the audition guidance document on ChiView – just log into the ChiView portal, click on ‘Events schedule’ and then ‘View details’ to access the document, which will tell you how to prepare for your audition, what to expect on the day, etc.

If your situation changes and you can no longer attend your audition date, you should cancel your booking in ChiView by visiting your ‘Event Schedule’ and clicking ‘Cancel Attendance’. You also need to inform the admissions team by emailing admissions@chi.ac.uk, so we can send you a new audition invitation.

Using ChiView 

Sometimes if you are viewing your ChiView portal on a phone you will not be able to see the page correctly. If this happens you should try again on another device.

You may need to clear your browser history. 

If you are still unable to see the ‘View details’ button, please check that you have successfully booked your audition by clicking ‘respond to interview invitation’.

If all else fails please email admissions@chi.ac.uk with your query and applicant number.

Your Audition Day

Once you have booked your audition, please log into the ChiView portal, click on ‘Events schedule’ and then ‘View details’ to access the audition guidance document, which will tell you (amongst other things) what will happen at the audition itself, a basic itinerary of the whole day, parking information, etc.

In brief, there should be an introductory talk by the department, the chance to meet lecturers and other applicants, as well as your opportunity to perform for the audition panel.

After Your Audition

After your audition, the panel will discuss your performance and pass our decision onto the admissions team, who will update UCAS and email you with the outcome, whatever it might be.

  • We make bespoke offers: Your offer is specifically for you. If we offer less than your predicted grades, this will reflect the potential and quality of your audition and we’d like to take a bit of pressure off of you heading into your exams.
  • We don’t do unconditional offers: Unless you already have your grades (you are a mature student), we will always insist on certain grade achievements because we want you to succeed in all aspects of your academic life including your A levels, BTEC, etc.
  • If you do not get the grades you wanted: Don’t panic. You received an offer because you were good enough for the department at audition. On Results Day, just ring us on the clearing hotline, so we can discuss things with you.
  • We may offer you a different course: We may offer you a place on an alternative, relevant course within the department, rather than offer you the course you applied for. If this is the case, we will state this in your offer letter/email and update your course on UCAS. We will explain our reasoning, which will revolve around placing you on the most appropriate course where we think you will thrive.

Charlie

BMus (Hons) Music Performance
“I remember sitting in a music A level lesson when I received my email offering me an audition to study BMus (Hons) Music Performance at the University of Chichester. I was immediately terrified of having to choose a piece to perform and to then perform it in front of tutors and other applicants. In the end I needn’t have worried at all, the audition experience was extremely enjoyable and relaxed. I had the best time meeting other prospective students, some of whom became course mates and one even a future housemate! Meeting the Head of Music, Ben Hall, was invaluable as it meant that any questions that I had about the course could be answered. He even gave us a tour of the Chichester campus and the music block which helped put us all at ease before we performed to each other.”

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

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Click the ‘Apply now’ button to go to relevant UCAS page.

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How do I know what my UCAS tariff points are?

Head to the UCAS Tariff Points web page where you can find a tariff points calculator that can tell you how much your qualification and grades are worth.

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