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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.

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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.

Requirements

MUSI papers

Paper Code Year Title Points Teaching period
MUSI101 2025 Materials of Music 1 18 Semester 2
MUSI103 2025 Popular Music 18 Semester 1
MUSI104 2025 World Music 18 Semester 1
MUSI105 2025 Music Matters in Human Life 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI131 2025 Composition 1 18 Semester 2
MUSI132 2025 Music Production 1 18 Semester 1, Semester 2
MUSI135 2025 Songwriting 18 Semester 1
MUSI140 2025 Performance Studies 1 18 Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI143 2025 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 1 18 Full Year
MUSI144 2025 Music Ensemble 1 18 Semester 2
MUSI191 2025 Introduction to Music 18 Semester 1
MUSI201 2025 Materials of Music 2 18 Semester 1
MUSI207 2025 Radical Works 18 Semester 2
MUSI232 2025 Music Production 2 18 Semester 2
MUSI233 2025 Electronic Music Production 18 Semester 1
MUSI234 2025 Contemporary Composition 18 Semester 2
MUSI240 2025 Performance Studies 2 18 Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI243 2025 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 2 18 Full Year
MUSI244 2025 Music Ensemble 2 18 Semester 2
MUSI249 2025 Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI259 2025 Special Topic: Practical Conducting 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI260 2025 Special Topic: Vocal Performance & Recording 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI266 2025 Film Music 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI267 2025 Music in Aotearoa 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI268 2025 Performance in Asia and the Pacific 18 Semester 2
MUSI269 2025 Popular Music 2 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI307 2025 Radical Works (Advanced) 18 Semester 2
MUSI310 2025 Materials of Music 3 18 Semester 1
MUSI331 2025 Composition Projects 36 Full Year
MUSI332 2025 Music Production 3 18 Semester 1
MUSI333 2025 Electronic Music Production (Advanced) 18 Semester 1
MUSI334 2025 Music Production Projects 18 Semester 2
MUSI340 2025 Performance Studies 3 18 Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI343 2025 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 3 36 Full Year
MUSI344 2025 Music Ensemble 3 18 Semester 2
MUSI349 2025 Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI366 2025 Film Music 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI367 2025 Music in Aotearoa (Advanced) 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI368 2025 Performance in Asia and the Pacific 18 Semester 2
MUSI369 2025 Popular Music 3 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI371 2025 Research Methods and Approaches 18 Semester 2
MUSI375 2025 Music Performance Pedagogy 18 Not offered in 2025
MUSI379 2025 Performance, Health and Well-being 18 Semester 2
MUSI386 2025 Community Project 18 Semester 1
MUSI440 2025 Performance Studies 4 30 Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI443 2025 Creative Project 60 Full Year
MUSI471 2025 Research Methods and Approaches (Advanced) 30 Semester 2
MUSI475 2025 Music Performance Pedagogy (Advanced) 30 Not offered in 2025
MUSI479 2025 Performance, Health and Well-being (Advanced) 30 Semester 2
MUSI486 2025 Community Project (Advanced) 30 Semester 1
MUSI487 2025 Creative Practice 30 Semester 2
MUSI490 2025 Dissertation 60 Full Year
MUSI590 2025 Research Dissertation 60 1st Non standard period, 2nd Non standard period

More information

Contact us

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

Studying at Otago

This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.

Regulations on this page are taken from the 2024 Calendar and supplementary material.

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