Thinking of pursuing a Bachelor of Music at USYD, but you want to know what it’s really like down the track?
Meet Isabella, a third year Music student at the Con! She will provide an overview on what this degree is actually like, including the best and worst parts of it.
She’ll also discuss the things she wishes she knew before she started, the career paths, and why USYD is the best place to study a Bachelor of Music.
Without further discussion, let’s jump right in!
Why should you study a Music degree at USYD?
Top 3 Pros of a Music Degree
Top 3 Cons of a Music Degree
Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make
What Makes this Degree Different
Motivations for Studying USYD Music
Potential Career Paths
Why should you study a Music degree at USYD?
Foremost, a Bachelor of Music at USYD is a course that will enrich your music education and career opportunities over a range of specialised areas.
The degree is taught by some of Australia’s leading performers, composers and musicians of contemporary acclaim, and will immerse you in a playful and collaborative learning environment with countless opportunities for industry experience and recognition.
The connections you make at the Con with peers, teachers and guest professionals can often become the springboards for your future opportunities and/or career!
Top 3 Pros of a Music degree
#1: Experienced and inspiring staff
“[The Con has] amazing staff that are at the top of their field and often well known as well,” says Isabella.
Notably, lectures for students studying a Bachelor of Music are delivered by different guest lecturers weekly depending on the subject, who are always highly experienced and often well-known within their particular field. This feature is unique to the degree, increasing the quality and engagement of each lecture.
Additionally, the degree contains one-on-one sessions for students and Conservatorium educators throughout the semester. This personal time is allocated to discuss assessments and receive musical coaching, depending on the specialisation!
#2: Access to resources
“Resources would include access to the studios for assignments, the ability to book spaces for concerts e.g recital halls, and equipment like recording equipment… and some instruments [that you can borrow] and also the computer labs!” shares Isabella.
You’ve got access to pretty much everything you need studying Music at USYD!
#3: Creative and welcoming environment
The Con offers an “overall very creative and welcoming environment that fosters individual creativity and collaboration,” says Isabella.
This creative space is an excellent one for friendships, musical collaboration, and socialisation to thrive.
Top 3 Cons of a Music degree
#1: Highly specific content
Isabella says that the content itself is highly tailored to the stream or specialisation you choose, which can be a negative if you want to delve into other areas of music while focussing on a major.
Specifically, you may find yourself specialising in one of four main ‘programs’ on offer: Contemporary Music, Composition for Creative Industries, Digital Music and Media, and Musicology. Though, you may choose one of several ‘streams’ of the degree which include:
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- Bachelor of Music (Composition)
- Bachelor of Music (Performance)
- Bachelor of Music (Music Education)
#2: High expectations
“There’s often very high expectations, which is understandable but can be too much pressure for some,” says Isabella.
Overall, students can expect to spend 15-20 hours a week at uni. However, depending on your degree, this may add up to more depending on your commitments, such as orchestras or choirs!
In addition, all Music students are expected to complete examinations at the end of each semester for their shared core units in Music Skills and Analysis, History and Culture. These types of assessments may be 10-minute exams to 2-3 hour periods, and usually consist of listening, reading and writing.
Furthermore, students must undergo assessments for the ‘stream’ they choose, however the assessment format will differ depending on the nature of this!
#3: Choosing between electives and your major
“Picking electives outside your normal practice, e.g. composition for me, is tough because I just keep thinking of the comp related classes I could be taking instead. I don’t know which option is the better way to go, more (major) related or more diverse,” says Isabella.
However, the issues with this aspect of the degree arguably stem more from the broad range of enriching and interesting subjects that are on offer for students studying a Bachelor of Music at USYD (Isabella tried out orchestral conducting this semester, she says), and less so the degree itself.
Any regrets? What do you wish you had known before starting USYD Music?
Isabella says any ‘regrets’ she has about the degree have more to do with the career prospects offered by her qualifications in the industry than the degree itself.
“It’s not so much you’re going to graduate and get a full-time job most of the time (Education is an exception though) so it’s not like we can do traditional work placement type things (like the Education students do)… It’s all very much freelance stuff for most people, although there are some classes that are supposed to help in that respect, like the Music Business Skills class.”
“Maybe something I wish I’d known or rather planned is the classes I wanted to take, just because there’s so many options and sometimes I think a class will be so interesting… but then there’s classes that might be more(so) skills that you will need at some point, that are less exciting.”
What makes this degree different from the ones offered at other universities?
The Con is widely considered Australia’s leading institution for the undergraduate study of music, including immersion in a playful and collaborative learning environment with countless opportunities for industry experience and recognition.
Some of its notable weekly guest lecturers include renowned musicians like Paul Stanhope, Carl Vine, Daniel Blinkhorn, and Liza Lim.
What inspired you to choose this degree?
“It’s one of the oldest music schools in the country, with amazing staff and opportunities that are a great way to break into the industry,” says Isabella.
A Bachelor of Music at USYD also provides you with a strong internship program, due to its connections with many arts partners throughout NSW. A few of its prestigious internship partners include Sydney Symphony Orchestra, ABC Classics, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra and NIDA.
What are the possible career paths?
Studying Music at USYD prepares you for a variety of careers, but this also depends on your specialisation. Bachelor of Music students also may enter into interdisciplinary jobs that combine music knowledge with, for example, communication or management skills.
A list of common pathways for this degree can be found below:
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- Arts administrator
- Composer
- Contemporary musician
- Digital music composer and performer
- Festival or venue manager
- Interactive music designer
- Music journalist
- Music producer
- Music researcher
- Singer/songwriter
Zara Zadro is a Content Writer for Art of Smart and a current undergraduate student at the University of Sydney. She studies a Bachelor of Arts/Advanced Studies majoring in Media & Communications and English. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to music and discovering new parts of Sydney. She has also written for the student publications Honi Soit and Vertigo. After she graduates, Zara hopes to do a Masters in creative writing and live overseas, which she cannot wait for!