Undergraduate Program
Curriculum
As a general rule, the program requires five years (ten semesters) to complete with equal work toward both a Bachelor's of Music and a Bachelor's of Arts in another chosen field.
The major components of the Bachelor's of Music degree in the Conservatory are:
- Studio Instruction (every semester)
- Large Ensemble (for orchestral instrumentalists) (minimum of 8 semesters)
- Chamber Music (minimum of 6 semesters)
- Conservatory Seminar an integrated theory, aural skills and music history course (4 semesters)
- Music History Survey a comprehensive survey of the history of music (2 semesters)
- Senior Recital
Additional music electives are available in a broad range of topics including classes in music history, advanced analysis and courses studying musics beyond the Western classical tradition. All courses in the Bard College B.A Music Program, including those in electronic music, jazz, and world music, are open to students in the Conservatory.
- Click here for a description of the Bard College Bachelor's of Arts curriculum.
- Summary of College and Conservatory Requirements
- Sample 5 year plan
Studio Instruction
The special mentoring relationship formed in the crucible of intensive one-on-one study with a master artist plays the key role in study at the conservatory. As an important center of professional musical activity in the New York City region, Bard is able to attract world-class faculty who believe strongly in the special mission of the Conservatory. Visiting performers and composers present master classes and concerts at the Conservatory for the entire Bard community.
Large Ensemble
The growth gained by rehearsing and performing music with peers in large ensemble is an irreplaceable part of any orchestral musician's education. Bard places considerable emphasis upon this aspect of the Conservatory experience, with a minimum of eight semesters of large ensemble required of all orchestral musicians. The Bard Conservatory Orchestra performs twice each semester in the beautiful and acoustically superb Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College. Under the direction of distinguished conductors such as Leon Botstein, Melvin Chen, Fabio Machetti, Harold Farberman, Gisele Ben-Dor, Guillermo Figueroa, and Xian Zhang (associate conductor of the New York Philharmonic) the orchestra performs the core works of the symphonic repertoire such as works by Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky.
Chamber Music
Chamber music plays a particularly important role at the Conservatory and participation is required of all students for a minimum of six semesters. In addition to performing the standard masterworks of the chamber music repertoire, students work closely with the composition program of the Conservatory to perform works of the late 20th and the 21st centuries. Studio faculty members not only serve as coaches but often as players in ensembles so that students can hear firsthand and learn from the playing of a more experienced musician. The chamber music program is further enriched by frequent masterclasses and concerts by guest artists groups.
Conservatory Seminar
The Conservatory Seminar is a unique four-semester course that integrates the study of music theory, aural skills, and music history in order to give students a richer understanding of these topics as vital and relevant to their work as interpreters and performers.
Each week students perform in class works they are studying in their private studio lessons in order to demonstrate the topics under discussion. Using these works as both illustration and as point of departure, students deepen their knowledge of the diverse theoretical structures and historical contexts that inform the composition of a piece of music thereby gaining a deeper insight into the compositional and interpretive process. This work leads in the third semester of the Conservatory Seminar to students composing in a variety of historical styles and, in the fourth semester, to free composition.
Music History Survey
In addition to the four-semester Conservatory seminar, a two-semester survey of music from the middle ages to the present day is required.
Senior Recital
A senior recital demonstrating the unique musical strengths and artistic goals of each student is required of all conservatory students. Composition students produce a program of their work performed by the Da Capo Chamber Players (in residence at Bard), their fellow students, faculty members, or other outside performers.
Summary of College and Conservatory Requirements
Bachelor's of Music requirements
| Studio Instruction | (4 credits per semester) 2 | 40 credits |
| Ensemble | (Eight semesters) | — |
| Chamber Music | (Six semesters) | — |
| Conservatory Seminar | (Four semesters) | 16 credits |
| Music History Sequence | (Two semesters) | 8 credits |
| Senior Recital | — | |
Subtotal | 64 credits |
Bachelor's of Art Requirements(see individual program descriptions for more information)
| College Program Requirements | |
| Program Courses | 40 to 56 credits |
| Moderation | — |
| Senior Project | 8 credits |
Subtotal | 48 to 64 credits |
| General College Requirements | |
| Workshop in Language and Thinking (first-year students only: 3 weeks, beginning in August) | |
| First-Year Seminar | 8 credits |
| Distribution Requirements 3 | 24 credits |
| 32 credits |
| 80 to 96 credits | |
Candidates must accumulate in total at least 156 semester hours of academic credit. There are nine distributions requirements (each a four-credit course). Two can be fulfilled in the Conservatory (Practicing Arts and Analysis of Arts) and at least one (possibly two) within the College major.
Advanced standing or college credit for College Board Advanced Placement courses will be given for the grade of 5. Students who wish to request credit or advanced standing must submit the appropriate record of their grade to the Office of the Registrar.
The following international diplomas maybe accepted for advanced standing: International Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, Swiss Maturity, and German Abitur.
A student may be allowed to accelerate for up to 32 credits (a normal full year) at the time of Moderation if the Moderation board so recommends. Students who have earned A-level passes may enter with advanced standing.
Sample 5 year plan
The following sample plan is for a student at the Conservatory who has chosen to moderate into the Biology Program (specializing in biochemistry). This sample plan is intended to show that it is possible to complete the double-degree program even with one of the most demanding majors in the College. Many other course configurations are possible. We have assumed for this sample program that the student earns no credit for Advanced Placement courses and that the student earns no academic credit during January intersession or during the summer (though there is the possibility of credit in all three categories).
| Year One —Fall | Year One —Spring | ||
| Studio Instruction | 4 | Studio Instruction | 4 |
| First-year Seminar | 4 | First-year Seminar | 4 |
| Subcellular Biology | 4 | Organismal Biology | 4 |
| Basic Principles of Chemistry I | 4 | Basic Principles of Chemistry II | 4 |
| Year Two —Fall | Year Two —Spring | ||
| Studio Instruction | 4 | Studio Instruction | 4 |
| Conservatory Seminar I | 4 | Conservatory Seminar II | 4 |
| Eukaryotic Genetics | 4 | Ecology and Evolution | 4 |
| Organic Chemistry (II) | 4 | Organic Chemistry (II) | 4 |
| Year Three—Fall | Year Three—Spring | ||
| Studio Instruction | 4 | Studio Instruction | 4 |
| Conservatory Seminar III | 4 | Conservatory Seminar IV | 4 |
| Music History I | 4 | Music History II | 4 |
| Biostatistics | 4 | Comparative Anatomy | 4 |
| Year Four —Fall | Year Four —Spring | ||
| Studio Instruction | 4 | Studio Instruction | 4 |
| Biogeochemical Cycles | 4 | Bioinformatics | 4 |
| Anthropology of Medicine | 4 | Confucius and Socrates | 4 |
| World Music and Dance | 4 | France's West African Empire | 4 |
| Year Five—Fall | Year Five—Spring | ||
| Studio Instruction | 4 | Studio Instruction | 4 |
| Transitional German | 4 | Faulkner and Morrison | 4 |
| Immunology | 4 | Cancer Biology | 4 |
| Senior Project I | Senior Project II |
