Develop your performing potential.
Our music performance programmes develop a student’s performing potential through lessons and workshops under expert staff guidance.
Develop your performing potential.
Our music performance programmes develop a student’s performing potential through lessons and workshops under expert staff guidance.
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).
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.
| 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 |
Explore your study options further. Refer to enrolment information found on the following qualification pages.
School of Performing Arts
Email spa@otago.ac.nz
Website otago.ac.nz/performing-arts
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.