There are few things more exciting than performing on a stage to hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Being a contemporary performer requires an understanding of not only performance skills but also knowledge of arranging and composing, music technology, business skills, and an understanding of how it all fits together.

Whether it’s about learning different genres from experienced (and often famous) musicians,  using sound mixing skills to enhance a performance or being better at playing your instrument, JMC Academy’s Music Performance course prepares students for the challenges of life as a performer and prepares them for postgraduate study at Master’s level.

Diploma of Music (Contemporary Performance)

At Diploma level, students learn the fundamentals of contemporary music performance, focusing on developing knowledge in composition, music arrangement, live sound and recording.

To reinforce the theory learned in these core units, students are taught how to utilise music software such as Pro Tools and Sibelius.

The Ensemble unit is central to all studies enabling students to explore the basic concepts and principles of contemporary performance. Students replicate a range of musical styles/forms and investigate the process involved in developing a repertoire for live performance.

Master classes led by a range of industry professionals expose students to a complete range of performance techniques.

A final assessable performance at a live venue signifies the culmination of this stage of study.

Bachelor of Music (Contemporary Performance)

The final two trimesters are focused on students developing sophisticated skills as musicians across a range of styles and facets of the industry. Students undertake a specialist project, allowing them to focus intensively on specific interest areas.

They also work creatively exploring world music styles, arranging for larger ensembles, multi-platform technology in performance and recording environments, and higher level improvisational and rhythmic skills.

All of these components contribute to the performance element of the program, which culminates in a major recital project. The Degree prepares graduates for the wide range of professional situations they will encounter as contemporary musicians.