B.M. in Keyboard Performance

Program Overview

Candidates for the Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in Keyboard Performance (MKP) at the Frost School of Music must possess strong pianistic skills, musicality, and artistic curiosity. In addition to traditional core courses expected of a B.M. in piano performance, students receive uniquely career-ready training and opportunities following the school-wide belief in entrepreneurship.

Advanced Writing and Communication Skills

All University of Miami students are required to successfully complete 3 Advanced Writing and Communication Skills (AWC) courses. These courses emphasize discipline-specific skills in evaluated and revised writing, speaking, stage presence, and audience engagement. Qualifying AWC courses require students prepare either (a) an evaluated, revisable writing project of approximately 4000 words; OR (b) an evaluated, revisable discipline-specific communication project of equivalent rigor. 

All keyboard performance students will successfully complete:

1. MCY 341 Music of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Periods, which will include substantial evaluated and revised writing components.
2. MKP XXX Private Lesson Level 3 Senior Recital, which will include evaluated communication skills in attracting an audience, engaging an audience during performance, and preparing program notes or similar media as appropriate to the medium/venue.
3. MKP 547 Keyboard Pedagogy, which will include discipline specific communication skills.

Curriculum Requirements

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EMC core courses require a grade of “C” or higher.  Lessons require a grade of "B-" or higher.

Suggested Plan of Study

Mission

The mission of the Bachelor of Music degree in Keyboard Performance is to:

• Provide students the highest quality of education available in the areas of piano performance and musicianship that will provide the foundation for a successful teaching career at an institution or private studio, and which could also lead toward a professional performance career as a classical pianist
• Stimulate the student’s awareness and artistic creativity in the field of piano performance
• Provide students public performance opportunities in a supportive and encouraging environment
• Provide students performance skills necessary for careers in teaching, success at national/international piano competitions, and to further their skills in performance
• Provide students a learning environment for developing as performing musicians
• Instruct students in developing their playing technique, musical knowledge, and performing personalities in order for them to share these insights with their future students 
• Introduce and educate students in the vast amount of literature available for the classical piano

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will develop solid memorization skills necessary to achieve a higher success rate at graduate auditions and other important performance settings. By acquiring such skills, students will develop greater freedom in performance and interpretive expression as well as a deeper understanding of the pianistic repertoire.
• Students will develop technical pianistic skills necessary for acceptance into a variety of graduate study institutions offering a MM in performance and for fostering a professional career as solo pianists.
• Students will develop musicianship skills and knowledge of a large selection of the piano repertory necessary for acceptance into a variety of graduate study institutions offering a MM in performance and for fostering a professional career as solo pianists.