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Music B.M.

  • A conductor leads a music performance

    Music B.M.

    Earn a music education and start your career at the University of Alaska Anchorage, surrounded by a distinct regional dynamic and culture.

Explore the music performance or education bachelor’s degree program at the University of Alaska Anchorage

With performance and education tracks, as well as a jazz concentration, the breadth and depth of UAA’s Bachelor of Music degree program open up a variety of options for you.

Music scholarships and financial aid
Numerous awards and programs help pay for college. You may qualify for scholarships such as the Marguerite Downey Memorial Music Scholarship, Friends of the Performing Arts Scholarship, Brown Schoenheit Memorial Scholarship, Edward Rolling Clinton Memorial Endowment, Mickey Belden Vocal Performance Scholarship, John (Wendy) Williamson Memorial Scholarship, Excellence in Music Scholarship and Music Tuition Waiver Scholarship.

Student advising and support
The College of Arts and Sciences academic advisor and faculty advisors with expertise in your musical area of study help you plan and follow a course of study to successfully earn your bachelor’s degree.

Departmental honors in music
Get recognized by the Department of Music for excellence in performance or education. You can graduate with honors by earning a B or higher in the Private Lesson course with a senior recital and maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better in music degree courses. Visit the Course Catalog for full details.

Music performance or education student clubs and activities
Join the student chapters of the National Association for Music Education and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Professional organizations such as these offer additional opportunities to attend academic seminars or performances and network with musical professionals.

As a music major, you’ll also be invited to audition for small and large UAA ensembles, including a variety of jazz combos, Opera Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Sinfonia, University Guitar Ensemble, University Singers and Wind Ensemble.

Music B.M.

Degree Type:

  • Baccalaureate

Concentration: Jazz

Tracks: Performance, education

Program Length: Four Years

Availability:Anchorage campus

Accredited by: National Association of Schools of Music

Other program options: Bachelor of Arts in music (B.A.)

Did you know..

A state-wide leader in musical arts, the University of Alaska Anchorage offers a number of opportunities for music students and faculty in performance, teaching, community outreach, publication, composition and recordings.

What can you do with a music performance or education degree from UAA?

With a Bachelor of Music in performance or education from the University of Alaska Anchorage, you will be well-prepared to earn a graduate degree or teacher certification or to succeed as a professional musician.

Music graduate programs
UAA alumni with a music degree have been accepted into graduate schools across the U.S. and Canada, from Boston to Victoria, British Columbia, to study programs such as these:

  • Master of Arts in Teaching
  • Music history
  • Music performance
  • Music theory

Music major jobs

  • Professional musicians, music artists and performers
  • Session musicians and backup performers
  • Music teachers and instructors
  • Music composers, directors and producers
  • Sound designers
  • Broadcast and sound engineering technicians
  • Music and recreational therapists

By the numbers..

$4k
Average amount of scholarship money each music major receives annually.
UAA Department of Music
$125k
Total amount of scholarship money awarded to music majors on average each year.
UAA Department of Music

Music bachelor’s degree program highlights

Enjoy a variety of academic and performance opportunities with diverse musical arts organizations in Anchorage and throughout Alaska.

  • Work with and learn from professional musicians in the local community. Students and faculty have worked, performed and toured with Alaska Fine Arts Academy, Alaska Jazz Workshop, Alaska Chapter of National Association Teachers of Singing, Anchorage Opera, Anchorage Festival of Music, Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Anchorage Concert Chorus and Orchestra, Anchorage Youth Orchestras, Anchorage Civic Orchestra and more.
  • Experience the limelight of the UAA Recital Hall, one of the best performance venues in Anchorage. The Recital Hall is home to musical recitals, rehearsals and lessons. As a music major, you’ll also have access to a computer lab with some of the best music software in the industry, a piano lab, top-quality musical instruments, and equipment and practice rooms.
  • Participate in pre-professional and professional activities facilitated by music program faculty. Faculty in UAA’s music degree program are nationally recognized directors, conductors, writers, composers and recording artists with strong connections to community arts organizations. Leaders in the musical arts of Anchorage and Alaska, they have presented concerts locally, regionally and internationally.
  • Practice performing and teaching through internships that provide hands-on experience in musical techniques. You’ll have opportunities to teach in the community, perform at local music events, compete in district and national competitions, join local chapters of music societies and work at local music stores.

Amazing stories from music performance or education majors

My time as a UAA music major was invaluable. The journey to earning my degree provided me with skills and experience necessary to reach success in the notoriously competitive arts and entertainment field. Beyond the degree, I've seen continuous interest in my personal success from my instructors at UAA and will be forever grateful for the care they took in guiding me through my education.

Lamont Alexander Pierce
B.A. Music ’12; Professional Vocalist and Composer/Arranger, P&O Cruiselines in Australia
Aerial view of a music performance

Featuring a wide range of musical styles, Symphony of Sounds is the largest music benefit event at UAA. As a music major, you can compete to perform in the program, which showcases young musical talent in Alaska. 

UAA Symphony of Sounds
Two students play violins

The UAA music department hosts several annual events, including the Guitar Symposium, Jazz Week, Symphony of Sounds and AK Piano Competition.

UAA Music Performances
A student plays a violin

UAA music majors have been featured with solo and group performances in the UAA Student Showcase. The annual conference creates opportunities for open dialogue in the campus community while highlighting extraordinary work from students.

UAA Student Showcase

Music performance or education bachelor’s degree program curriculum

What’s the difference between UAA’s Bachelor of Music in performance and Bachelor of Music in education?

  • The Bachelor of Music in performance develops advanced technical knowledge, skills and techniques in a performing area, as well as broad knowledge of music theory, history and literature. Coursework prepares undergraduate students for careers as professional, performing musicians.
  • The Bachelor of Music in education provides initial training for a career in teaching music at the elementary, middle or high school levels. Coursework prepares you for the one-year Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree program in UAA’s College of Education. If you complete the M.A.T. graduate program, you also earn a teaching certificate in music K–12.

Top classes for music performance or education majors

  • Receive individually tailored, one-on-one Private Lessons.
  • Gain practical skills in instruments and voice through hands-on training in various Methods and Techniques courses.
  • Learn how to customize music to prepare for a music career in education or performance in Choral Arranging.
  • Develop your “pop” voice with country, rap, folk, Broadway and rock styles of singing in Contemporary Commercial Music.
  • Rehearse and perform Jazz Combo styles, including Latin, swing and fusion.