Orchestral Instrument Performance

God has given us the beautiful gift of music for our joy and His glory. At BJU, you’ll explore the intricacies of music through careful study and practice under highly qualified, experienced faculty. Whether you improve your instrumental skills or learn how to compose, record or mix music with technology, you’ll grow in your knowledge and appreciation of music.

And you’ll learn why excellent musicianship matters to believers and how to pursue that excellence in a way that displays God’s perfection.

Available Principals

Program

Within BJU’s performance program, you’ll build a solid foundation in theory and technique. You’ll learn how to create compelling music with elements such as tonality, harmonic sequences and chromaticism—and how they work together to produce coherent, expressive art. You’ll sharpen specific performance skills so you can grow as a musician and play your instrument expertly.

In addition, you’ll build a solid foundation in music history, from ancient through contemporary. Each period of music will help you understand how society and culture influence music and how the introduction of new instruments, styles and technologies has developed Western music.

From your initial audition, you’ll work closely with your professors. These caring faculty members know what it takes to be a performer and will customize how they teach to meet your needs so you can excel as a musician, expand your repertoire and perform at your best.

Audition

To study in a music program, you’ll need to audition so the music faculty can evaluate your music background and current skill level. The audition will help them assess your potential as a music student and understand how to equip you to reach it.

BJU Core

Liberal arts courses such as economics, philosophy and speech will challenge you to see life from a broad perspective. These subjects also help you develop the life skills—critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and effective communication—needed for flexibility in your career. Since communication skills are important for musicians, these core courses will enhance your powers of expression.

Your Bible courses will connect your pursuit of God to all of life, especially your work as a performer. These courses will encourage you to make your relationship with God your top priority and to view music ethics and practices through God’s Word. More importantly, you’ll learn how to point others to God’s beauty, holiness and the hope found only in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Electives

Since orchestral instrument performance is a busy program, much of your course schedule is already set, except for your second instrument concentration. If you’d like to take more Bible or liberal arts courses, you can explore online course options.

Career Support

BJU offers students lots of ways to network with employers and organizations. Many jobs are posted each year on Career Central, our online job board. And more than 60 businesses and 150 Christian schools/organizations/mission boards recruit students through on-campus interviews and job/ministry fairs.

Our Center for Career & Calling also holds seminars on resume prep and interview techniques for students.