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Study Performance at Otago

Develop your performing potential.

Our music performance programmes develop a student’s performing potential through lessons and workshops under expert staff guidance.

Performance at Otago

There are performance pathways in Classical Performance (piano, strings, woodwind, brass and classical singing), and Contemporary (pop/rock) Performance (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals). There is also a World Music Performance pathway (Highland piping and drumming, Taonga Puoro, Gamelan and Taiko ensembles) that is available within any degree.

The performance programme offers a supportive and inspiring environment in which instrumental or vocal technique and musical awareness are fostered and promoted. Many performance students have achieved outstanding national and international success, based upon the foundations obtained from their Otago training.

There are regular performance opportunities both within the University’s public music programmes and in the community.

Performance is an endorsement (specialisation) option for the Bachelor of Music (MusB).

Auditions

An audition is required for students seeking to enrol in the following papers: MUSI 140, MUSI 141, MUSI 146, MUSI 241, MUSI 246, MUSI 341, MUSI 346.

Audition information for Music and Bachelor of Performing Arts programmes.

Qualifications

Explore your study options further. Refer to enrolment information found on the following qualification page.

Papers

Paper code Year Title Points Teaching period
MUSI101 2023 Materials of Music 1 18 points Semester 2
MUSI103 2023 Popular Music 18 points Semester 1
MUSI104 2023 World Music 18 points Not offered, expected to be offered in 2025
MUSI105 2023 Music Matters 18 points Semester 2
MUSI131 2023 Composition 1 18 points Full Year
MUSI132 2023 Music Production 1 18 points Semester 1, Semester 2
MUSI135 2023 Songwriting 18 points Full Year
MUSI140 2023 Performance Studies 1 18 points Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI141 2023 Performance 1 36 points Full Year
MUSI146 2023 Contemporary Music Performance 1 36 points Full Year
MUSI191 2023 Introduction to Music 18 points Semester 1
MUSI201 2023 Materials of Music 2 18 points Semester 1
MUSI223 2023 Classical Music 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI232 2023 Music Production 2 18 points Semester 2
MUSI233 2023 Electronic Music Production 18 points Semester 1
MUSI234 2023 Contemporary Composition 18 points Full Year
MUSI240 2023 Performance Studies 2 18 points Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI241 2023 Performance 2 36 points Full Year
MUSI246 2023 Contemporary Music Performance 2 36 points Full Year
MUSI249 2023 Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI259 2023 Special Topic: Practical Conducting 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI260 2023 Special Topic: Vocal Performance & Recording 18 points Summer School
MUSI261 2023 Music and Visual Culture 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI265 2023 Music and Theatre 18 points Semester 2
MUSI266 2023 Film Music 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI267 2023 Music in Aotearoa 18 points Semester 2
MUSI268 2023 Performance in Asia and the Pacific 18 points Semester 1
MUSI269 2023 Popular Music 2 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI270 2023 David Bowie 18 points Semester 2
MUSI301 2023 Materials of Music 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI323 2023 Classical Music 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI331 2023 Composition Projects 36 points Full Year
MUSI332 2023 Music Production 3 18 points Semester 1
MUSI333 2023 Electronic Music Production (Advanced) 18 points Semester 1
MUSI334 2023 Music Production Projects 18 points Semester 2
MUSI340 2023 Performance Studies 3 18 points Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI341 2023 Performance 3 36 points Full Year
MUSI346 2023 Contemporary Music Performance 3 36 points Full Year
MUSI349 2023 Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI361 2023 Music and Visual Culture 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI365 2023 Music and Theatre 18 points Semester 2
MUSI366 2023 Film Music 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI367 2023 Music in Aotearoa (Advanced) 18 points Semester 2
MUSI368 2023 Performance in Asia and the Pacific 18 points Semester 1
MUSI369 2023 Popular Music 3 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI371 2023 Research Methods and Approaches 18 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI375 2023 Music Performance Pedagogy 18 points Semester 1
MUSI386 2023 Community Project 18 points Semester 1
MUSI401 2023 Materials of Music (Advanced) 20 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI407 2023 Radical Works 20 points Full Year
MUSI431 2023 Composition Portfolio 60 points Full Year
MUSI432 2023 Studio Production 60 points Full Year
MUSI441 2023 Performance 4 60 points Full Year
MUSI442 2023 Repertoire Studies 20 points Full Year
MUSI446 2023 Contemporary Music Practice 4 60 points Full Year
MUSI471 2023 Research Methods and Approaches (Advanced) 20 points Not offered in 2023
MUSI475 2023 Music Performance Pedagogy (Advanced) 20 points Semester 1
MUSI486 2023 Community Project (Advanced) 20 points Semester 1
MUSI490 2023 Dissertation 40 points Full Year
MUSI590 2023 Research Dissertation 60 points 1st Non standard period, 2nd Non standard period

Key information for students

Contact us

School of Performing Arts
Email spa@otago.ac.nz
Website otago.ac.nz/performing-arts