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BA (Hons) Music Performance and Music Business
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Overview

Set yourself up to thrive in the music industry

If you’ve got a passion for music and want to learn the necessary skills to build a business and lasting career in the industry, this course is for you.

Alongside modules which will expand and hone your musical acumen, you’ll learn how to structure a business plan, produce financial forecasts and how to approach marketing your work.

We’ll set you up for success in this competitive but rewarding industry, making sure you have the knowledge, skills, contacts and confidence to go out on your own when you graduate.

In this course you will:

  • Develop your performance skills and benefit from our specialist facilities in our £4.8 million Conservatoire
  • Study business modules at every stage of the course – from building a business plan, financial forecasting and marketing skills
  • Join our vibrant musical community, with more than 400 student performers in orchestras, choirs and ensembles
  • Learn from practicing professional musicians and researchers who regularly perform and record
  • Build your network as you tap into our links across the industry
  • Leave the course with the knowledge and confidence to build and grow a business

Teaching and Assessment

How you will learn

You will study using lectures, 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 variety of assignments including essays, examinations, performances 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.”

Why study music at Chichester?

Music at the University of Chichester

Hear from our staff and students about why they chose Chichester

Modules

This list is indicative and subject to change.

Ensemble

You will explore a musical style in your practical work and build confidence in your approach to chamber music and other relevant ensemble styles. You will learn to work as a team in presenting and preparing a performance under the direction of a specialist ensemble coach.

Personal Development

You will be introduced to a range of strategies designed to offer support to the emerging arts practitioner, including models of successful self-development.

This module will help you develop self-awareness in your strengths and weaknesses, and will include workshops on a variety of tools, such as mindfulness, managing stress, nutrition, setting achievable goals, employability and careers, yoga, tai chi and vocal health.

Masterclass

This module develops your basic performance and communication skills and your sense of performance context. You will develop your repertoire, your understanding of style and your skills in preparing for an audition or performance.

You will take part in group performance classes as well as individual tutorials to develop your work, as well as your skills in forming critical judgements of performance.

Musical Grammar

This module will introduce, reintroduce and familiarise you with a range of music theories (traditional, jazz, rock) and aspects of musical structure and notation. Alongside this, you will present and discuss your work, both individually and in groups, enhancing skills in teamwork and presentation and building confidence.

Performance Development

You will work one-on-one with a vocal or instrumental specialist to assess your current repertoire and begin an exploration of new work.

This module provides an overview of skills particular to your individual vocal or instrumental style, and you will explore different approaches to performance.

Music Business

You will learn to explore the local, national and international marketplace for music teaching and music performance and be introduced to several 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 and of opportunities for employment.

This module will 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.

Facilities

Everything you need to make your performance shine

Conservatoire Building

Study and rehearse in our practice rooms with grand pianos supplied by Steinway & Sons and use our computerised recording and media studio. 

Chapel

Perform in our on-site Chapel, an acoustically superb performance venue which is a fantastic venue for performances and rehearsals.

Learning Resource Centre

The Learning Resource Centre (LRC) contains the library, a café, IT/teaching rooms, and the Support and Information Zone (SIZ).

Library

Our campus library holds more than 200,000 books and over 500,000 eBooks.

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.

Work Placements

Gain experience in industry

You will have the opportunity to put your studies into practice and use the skills you develop on your course during optional work placements and voluntary roles. These opportunities will help improve your confidence, enhance your CV and show employers that you’ve already completed work in industry when you graduate.

You will have the opportunity to take part in:

  • Work placements
  • Volunteering roles
  • Student and graduate internship schemes.

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 to enrich your educational experiences.

It’s a chance to broaden your horizons, a great opportunity to meet new people, undertake further travelling and to immerse yourself within a new culture.

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

Careers

Where you could go after your studies

Your BA (Hons) Music Performance and Music Business degree will help you prepare for your career after you graduate. As well as gaining employable transferable skills and subject-specific knowledge, you can gain experience before you graduate with the work placements, voluntary roles and internships available in the music department.

After graduation you could go on to work in roles including:

  • Solo performers
  • Music leaders
  • Ensemble performers
  • Teachers at all levels of education
  • Group instrumentalists
  • Music managers
  • Concert promoters

Further Study

You could choose to continue your studies at postgraduate level.

Study options at the University of Chichester include:

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 2026/27

UK fee

£9,790

Subject to Parliamentary approval

International fee

£16,800

EU/EEA Fee Reduction Scholarship

EU/EEA students automatically pay the equivalent of UK fees via the EU/EEA Fee Reduction Scholarship

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

104

tariff points from A levels or combination with Extended Project / BTEC / Cambridge Technical.

A Levels

BCC

BTEC/Cambridge Technical

DMM

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.

A successful audition at the university may result in an unconditional 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.

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.

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.

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, 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 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

Music Performance student

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.

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