Performance Voice Major (B.Mus.) (123 credits)
Offered by: Performance (Schulich School of Music)
Degree: Bachelor of Music
Program credit weight: 123
Program Description
The Bachelor of Music; Major Performance (Voice) program focuses on vocal pedagogy, repertoire coaching, linguist, theory, and musicology to strengthen artistry in professional singing. In addition to recitals and masterclasses, students are encouraged to take advantage of diverse solo performance opportunities in Opera, Early Music Ensembles, Song Interpretation, a comprehensive Choral Program, the annual McGill Concerto and Wirth Vocal Competitions, and outside venues in Montreal.
The Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.) - Major Performance (Voice) program requires 91 credits (plus 32 credits for the Freshman requirement for out-of-province students).
Special Requirements
Continuation in the program requires a minimum grade of B- in practical instruction/exams, ensembles, and voice coaching.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Program Prerequisites - Freshman Program (32 credits)
32 credits selected as described below, in consultation with the Program Adviser:
22 credits of Prerequisite Courses
4 credits of Large Ensemble
6 credits of Non-Music Electives
Prerequisite Courses
22 credits, all of the courses below:
Note: Applicants who can demonstrate through auditions and placement tests that they have mastered the material in any of the courses below will be exempt from them and may proceed to more advanced courses.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUHL 186 | Western Musical Traditions. | 3 |
Western Musical Traditions. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of Western music from the Middle Ages to the present. Emphasis on key musical concepts and genres in their historical context and aural recognition of style. | ||
| MUIN 180 | BMus Practical Lessons 1. | 3 |
BMus Practical Lessons 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 181 | BMus Practical Lessons 2. | 3 |
BMus Practical Lessons 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical examination in clarinet techniques. | ||
| MUPD 135 | Music as a Profession 1. | 1 |
Music as a Profession 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Music Professional Development: An introduction to information, resources, and skills related to physical, mental, and professional well-being for the musician and scholar. | ||
| MUSP 140 | Musicianship Training 1. | 2 |
Musicianship Training 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Rhythm and metre basic subdivisions and conducting patterns; intervals, chords, and scale patterns; non-modulating tonal melodies with treble and bass clefs; harmonic progressions emphasizing two-part outer voice structures. | ||
| MUSP 141 | Musicianship Training 2. | 2 |
Musicianship Training 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Rhythm and metre mixed divisions and syncopations; triadic and seventh chord voicings and disjunct pitch collections; chromatically embellished melodies adding alto clef; simple modulating harmonic progressions emphasizing two-part outer voice structures. | ||
| MUSP 170 | Musicianship (Keyboard) 1. | 1 |
Musicianship (Keyboard) 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Harmonic, melodic and rhythmic analysis at the keyboard through the study of rudiments, repertoire, chorale/score reading, transposition and harmonization. | ||
| MUSP 171 | Musicianship (Keyboard) 2. | 1 |
Musicianship (Keyboard) 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Building chordal fluency. Harmonic vocabulary including sequences, chromaticism and modulation. Chorale and score reading with transposing instruments and alto/tenor clefs. | ||
| MUTH 150 | Theory and Analysis 1. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Diatonic chords and harmonic progressions, focus on outer-voice framework, cadences, embellishments, building chordal fluency in common-practice tonality, applied chords. | ||
| MUTH 151 | Theory and Analysis 2. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Sequences and modulation, chromatic vocabulary, analysis of simple theme types (sentence, period, hybrids) and fugal techniques. | ||
Required Courses (44 credits)
Performance
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUIN 280 | BMus Practical Lessons 3. | 2.5 |
BMus Practical Lessons 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 281 | BMus Practical Lessons 4. | 2.5 |
BMus Practical Lessons 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 282 | BMus Performance Examination 1. | 1 |
BMus Performance Examination 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Assessment of student's progress in the practical area. | ||
| MUIN 380 | BMus Practical Lessons 5. | 2.5 |
BMus Practical Lessons 5. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 381 | BMus Practical Lessons 6. | 2.5 |
BMus Practical Lessons 6. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 382 | BMus Performance Examination 2. | 1 |
BMus Performance Examination 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Assessment of student's progress in the practical area. | ||
| MUIN 480 | BMus Practical Lessons 7. | 2 |
BMus Practical Lessons 7. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 481 | BMus Practical Lessons 8. | 2 |
BMus Practical Lessons 8. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 482 | BMus Performance Examination 3. | 2 |
BMus Performance Examination 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Assessment of student's progress in the practical area. | ||
Diction
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUPG 209 | Introduction to Lyric Diction. | 1 |
Introduction to Lyric Diction. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Rules of lyric diction and the sounds of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). | ||
| MUPG 210 | Italian Diction. | 2 |
Italian Diction. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of International Phonetic Alphabet. Study of Italian pronunciation in singing using song and opera texts. | ||
| MUPG 211 | French Diction. | 2 |
French Diction. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of French pronunciation in singing using song and opera texts. | ||
| MUPG 212 | English Diction. | 2 |
English Diction. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of International Phonetic Alphabet. Study of Standard English pronunciation in singing using song and opera texts with a special emphasis on problematic vowels, diphthongs and consonants. | ||
| MUPG 213 | German Diction. | 2 |
German Diction. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of German pronunciation in singing using song and opera texts. | ||
Prior to, or concurrent with registration in the corresponding Diction courses, the Voice Major must furnish evidence of having completed English Second Language courses, ITAL 205D1 Italian for Beginners./ITAL 205D2 Italian for Beginners., GERM 202 German Language, Beginners'., and FRSL 207 Elementary French 01., or their equivalent. This language requirement may be fulfilled by appropriate high school or CEGEP courses, or as part of the non-music and/or free elective requirements or by extra university courses.
Theory
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUTH 250 | Theory and Analysis 3. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 3. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Compositional resources of late 18th and early 19th century music. Analysis of forms common to the period c. 1770 - 1840, including Classical sonata forms in several media. | ||
| MUTH 251 | Theory and Analysis 4. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 4. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Expanded harmonic resources of the 19th century (e.g., advanced chromaticism including enharmonic reinterpretation and symmetrical division). Analysis of characteristic small and large forms. Writing and analytical skills with a goal toward perceiving how levels of musical structure interact. | ||
| MUTH 350 | Theory and Analysis 5. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 5. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Exploration of 20th and 21st century organizations of pitch, rhythm, timbre etc. Written and analytical skills for the purpose of gaining insight into the compositional techniques and aesthetics of this repertoire. | ||
Musicianship
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUSP 240 | Musicianship Training 3. | 2 |
Musicianship Training 3. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Rhythm and metre mixed divisions and two-part work; additional chordal voicings and pitch collections; melodies modulating to closely-related keys adding tenor clef; harmonic progression including applied chords; two-part keyboard-style passages. | ||
| MUSP 241 | Musicianship Training 4. | 2 |
Musicianship Training 4. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Changing metres; chord voicings and atonal pitch collections; modulating tonal melodies and score reading of transposing instruments; harmonic progression including chromatic chords; two-part passages. | ||
Music History/Literature
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUHL 286 | Critical Thinking About Music. | 3 |
Critical Thinking About Music. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Examination of various periods and styles: e.g., central works from different traditions, the interaction of music and society, performance practice, and music's relation to other arts. | ||
Professional Development
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUPD 235 | Music as a Profession 2. | 1 |
Music as a Profession 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An overview of the responsibilities and skills required of professions in music and of the varied career paths leading from a music degree. | ||
Complementary Courses (27 credits)
Performance
10 credits1 of complementary performance selected from:
- 1
All ensemble courses under MUEN may be taken in multiple terms.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUEN 454 | Introductory Opera Repertoire Experience. | 2 |
Introductory Opera Repertoire Experience. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Instruction on Acting Methods, Aria as Monologue, theatrical movement, and script/score analysis as well as take part in production singing roles, covering roles, and/or singing in the ensemble. The course culminates in a Scenes Program that may include repertoire from the last 400 years of opera, operetta, Singspiel, opéra comique, musical theatre, and 21st century works. | ||
| MUEN 496 | Opera Studio. | 2 |
Opera Studio. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Coachings, rehearsals, stagings, technical/dress rehearsals in the theatre, and performances in front of an audience. | ||
| MUEN 563 | Jazz Vocal Workshop. | 2 |
Jazz Vocal Workshop. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Vocal workshop for jazz musicians. | ||
| MUEN 569 | Tabla Ensemble. | 1 |
Tabla Ensemble. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Performance and practice of the tabla of North India. | ||
| MUEN 572 | Cappella Antica. | 2 |
Cappella Antica. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An ensemble of 8 to 12 voices specializing in early music. N.B. This ensemble may substitute as a Basic Ensemble in programs that specify Choral Ensemble, with Departmental approval. | ||
| MUEN 578 | Song Interpretation 1. | 1 |
Song Interpretation 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Normally open only to Voice and Piano Performance students. Study of the standard song repertoire with emphasis on the singer and pianist as partners. A public recital will be given at the end of each term. | ||
| MUEN 579 | Song Interpretation 2. | 1 |
Song Interpretation 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of song repertoire for singers and pianists. | ||
| MUEN 580 | Early Music Ensemble. | 1 |
Early Music Ensemble. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An ensemble of 4-6 vocalists and instrumentalists which performs music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. | ||
| MUEN 587 | Cappella McGill. | 2 |
Cappella McGill. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An ensemble of 16 voices performing challenging repertoire from the Renaissance to the present day. Since the expectation is a level of performance equivalent to a professional chamber ensemble, singers wishing to join this group should have had considerable ensemble experience, and advanced vocal and sight-reading skills. | ||
| MUEN 593 | Choral Ensembles. | 2 |
Choral Ensembles. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Students enrolling in Choral Ensembles will be assigned to one of the above groups. | ||
| MUEN 594 | Contemporary Music Ensemble. | 2 |
Contemporary Music Ensemble. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Ensemble for contemporary music - instruments and voice. | ||
9 credits of complementary performance selected from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUIN 300 | Voice Coaching 1. | 2 |
Voice Coaching 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Individual coaching on repertoire. | ||
| MUIN 301 | Voice Coaching 2. | 2 |
Voice Coaching 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Individual coaching on repertoire. | ||
| MUPG 296 | Acting for Voice. | 1 |
Acting for Voice. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Acting methods focused on improvisation, open scenes, and script analysis, including Laban theory and character development based on environments, relationships, objectives, obstacles, tactics and stakes. | ||
| MUPG 297 | Movement for Voice. | 1 |
Movement for Voice. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Critical awareness of the body in space, interpersonal and intrapersonal knowledge of one's own spine, torso, and extremities and their function in movement as well as stillness. Methods may include Feldenkreis, period dance, Tai Chi and/or Alexander Technique. | ||
| MUPG 300 | Music Performance Strategies. | 3 |
Music Performance Strategies. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Exploration of topics and strategies to optimizepractice and performance. Topics include:individual characteristics and habits inperformance and practice, stress and anxietymodels theories, physiological response,coping strategies and skills (e.g., mental imagery,time management, goal setting,attention/concentration, relaxation andmeditation). | ||
| MUPG 309 | Advanced Diction. | 1 |
Advanced Diction. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced lyric diction. | ||
| MUPG 353 | Song Repertoire Class. | 2 |
Song Repertoire Class. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Art song repertoire from the late eighteenth century to the present, including the reciprocal relationship between poet and composer and it's expression through performance and performance history. | ||
| MUPG 380 | Oratorio Class. | 2 |
Oratorio Class. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Standard solo oratorio repertoire with an emphasis on performance, performance practice and the interpretation of sacred text within a concert setting. | ||
| MUPG 453 | Contemporary Repertoire for Voice. | 2 |
Contemporary Repertoire for Voice. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Techniques on learning and performing music from the beginning of atonality to music of the present day. Exploration of unique notations and extended vocal techniques. | ||
MUEN courses at the 400 or 500 level (maximum 4 credits)
Musicianship
2 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUSP 346 | Post-Tonal Musicianship. | 2 |
Post-Tonal Musicianship. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Extended tonal and post-tonal harmonic and contrapuntal structures, rhythmic practices of the 20th and 21st century, score reading. | ||
| MUSP 353 | Musicianship for Voice. | 2 |
Musicianship for Voice. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental musicianship issues in the context of performance with an emphasis on intonation accuracy, rhythm, voice-leading and sound texture. | ||
| MUSP 354 | Introduction to Improvisation and Ornamentation. | 2 |
Introduction to Improvisation and Ornamentation. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Principles of improvisation and ornamentation for music before 1800, including harmonic progressions and voice-leading and contrapuntal patterns for instrumentalists and singers, along with examples of ornamented vocal and instrumental works from 17th and 18th century sources. | ||
| MUSP 361 | Topics in Musicianship. | 2 |
Topics in Musicianship. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced ear training challenges in rhythm, pitch, harmony, form, or timbre. | ||
| MUSP 381 | Singing Renaissance Notation. | 2 |
Singing Renaissance Notation. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Choral sightsinging of mensural notation, with a focus on white notation c. 1420-1600. Development of basic fluency in the notation, interpretation of values in triple meter, addition of accidentals given the contrapuntal context as perceived aurally, Renaissance solmisation. | ||
Music History/Literature/Performance Practice
6 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUHL 377 | Baroque Opera. | 3 |
Baroque Opera. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. History of opera from its origins in the musical, literary, and philosophical models available to the Florentine Camerata to the end of the baroque. The development of opera will be studied from the perspective of artistic style and in the light of historical, political, social, and economic conditions. | ||
| MUHL 387 | Opera from Mozart to Puccini. | 3 |
Opera from Mozart to Puccini. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Mozart's operas and the seria, buffa, and Singspiel traditions. Ottocento opera, grand opera, and cross-fertilization between France and Italy. German Romantic opera. Wagner. Eastern European opera. Verismo and fin-de-siècle opera in Vienna and Paris. Sociology of opera. Emphasis on critical understanding of music's role in articulating drama. | ||
| MUHL 388 | Opera After 1900. | 3 |
Opera After 1900. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Major early twentieth-century works by Debussy, Strauss, Schreker, Bartók, Stravinsky and Schoenberg. Opera in Europe between the Wars including operas of Berg, Milhaud, Krenek, Hindemith and Weill. Politics, sociology, and literature in relationship to musical style. Approaches since 1945 in selected works by Britten, Henze, Zimmermann, Ligeti, Somers and Glass. | ||
| MUHL 390 | The German Lied. | 3 |
The German Lied. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Survey of the German Lied from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century, focusing on songs and song cycles by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Wolf, Mahler, Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. Topics include text, musical form and text-music relationships, melodic style and harmonic organization, accompaniment, and performance practice. | ||
Elective Courses (20 credits)
3 credits of non-Music Electives
17 credits of Free Electives (may include 2 credits of courses with a MUEN prefix)