Home Courses Music BMus (Hons) Jazz Performance
Student playing guitar on stage

Study all aspects of performance while you specialise in jazz and perform throughout your degree

UCAS LogoUCAS Logo
AST3
4 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 4-year BMus (Hons) Jazz Performance degree will develop your practical performance and theoretical knowledge.

The first three years of the course develops your skills and explores the context of jazz music. Your final year will focus exclusively on performance and includes an extended recital.

You will join the jazz community and attend weekly jazz workshops, with regular jazz nights available on campus. The course encourages you to develop an appreciation of jazz as music of diversity, inclusivity and creativity, and as a collaborative community art form.

On this course you will:

  • Have the opportunity to attend regular concerts.
  • Hear from guest artist masterclasses, with recent masterclasses including Jason Rebello, Sue McCreeth and Simon Purcell.
  • Perform in ensemble work.
  • Receive high quality one-one tuition in an internationally renowned teaching faculty.
  • Explore contextual modules including Jazz Repertoire, Jazz theory, Jazz History and Postmodern Jazz.

Our mission

Jazz Studies within the Music Subject Area at the University of Chichester aims to provide students with high quality tuition combined with an exciting and enjoyable educational journey that challenges the individual through practical and theoretical skills. All students within the department have opportunities to become part of the jazz community, whether they are jazz musicians or not, and the curriculum encourages students to develop an appreciation of jazz as music of diversity, inclusivity and creativity. These values underpin the ethos of the teaching and are embedded within the curriculum so our students, who will inherit this growing tradition, foster a lifelong learning attitude to any creative endeavour and can appreciate jazz as a collaborative community art form.

Becky Wolff

Jazz Performance student
"The Jazz department at the University of Chichester is diverse, exciting and very rewarding. With opportunities to perform every week and collaborate with other musicians in and out of the University, you learn a lot in a very short amount of time. The teaching is of the highest quality and from the beginning to the end of your degree you will find yourself part of the jazz family"

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

First Study

You will work on your technical development and expressive facility in performance in a bespoke way with regular one to one tuition. We pride ourselves in helping you to form an excellent working relationship with your one to one tutor, which will enable you to identify areas for development, understand your specialist discipline with mindful awareness.

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.

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.

Second Study

This particular programme includes a flexible second study option, which can be chosen in order to enhance your skillset in a bespoke way.

First Study

You will work on your technical development and expressive facility in performance in a bespoke way with regular one to one tuition. We pride ourselves in helping you to form an excellent working relationship with your one to one tutor, which will enable you to identify areas for development, understand your specialist discipline with mindful awareness.

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.

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.

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.

Second Study

This particular programme includes a flexible second study option, which can be chosen in order to enhance your skillset in a bespoke way.

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.

First Study

You will work on your technical development and expressive facility in performance in a bespoke way with regular one to one tuition. We pride ourselves in helping you to form an excellent working relationship with your one to one tutor, which will enable you to identify areas for development, understand your specialist discipline with mindful awareness.

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.

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.

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. 

Second Study

This particular programme includes a flexible second study option, which can be chosen in order to enhance your skillset in a bespoke way.

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.

Masterclass

This module develops your advanced 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.

Recital

This module’s content will depend on the choice of performed material of the individual students, but will focus on three main areas of personal development:

  1. the achievement of technical and expressive maturity
  2. the identification of a demonstrably appropriate repertoire or a mix of repertoire which is able to foreground individual strengths
  3. the acquisition and consolidation of strong performance and communication skills.

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.

Second Study

This particular programme includes a flexible second study option, which can be chosen in order to enhance your skillset in a bespoke way.

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.

Masterclass

This module develops your advanced 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.

Year Four

During your fourth year you will continue your studies with:

  • Recital
  • Second Study
  • Ensemble
  • Arrangement Portfolio
  • Professional Resilience
  • Masterclasses

Facilities

Use industry standard spaces and equipment

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 BMus (Hons) Music (or BA) with Jazz Studies degree will prepare you for a range of careers after you graduate. You will have the opportunity to develop a variety of transferable skills and specific subject knowledge to prepare you for life after university.

Past music graduates have secured various roles in jazz performance, including:

  • Gigs and functions
  • Cruise musicians
  • Performing their own music at jazz clubs, concerts and festivals
  • Teachers at all levels of education
  • Music arrangers
  • Setting up their own record label and online resources
  • Group instrumentalists

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
with no element lower than 5.5.

Auditions

You will need to demonstrate your ability in dance, acting and singing 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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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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