For simplicity’s sake, here’s a rundown of various music degrees and what they qualify someone to do. As with any field, some individuals may have degrees and be absolute stumps on a log, and some individuals may have a different degree, but worked really hard and are wonderful at everything.
· BME Vocal/Instrumental: Usually Voice, and band or orchestral instruments. Pianists rarely obtain this degree. This qualifies the holder to teach music in K-12 schools as a choir/orchestra/band director if they pass state tests, and privately on their primary instrument. It takes 4-5 years, and usually 1 recital is required, and many play more. Students are usually required to pass a sophomore barrier, wherein if they don’t play a jury (end of year performance) or pass their interviews, they are asked to change their major, sometimes to church music, a BA, BM pedagogy, or something else.
· BM Performance: Instruments Various, Vocal Various, Piano, Organ. Usually 4 years. 2 recitals (many do more). Also a sophomore barrier as above. Students in this discipline are training to be better on their instruments. Don’t let the designation “performance” fool you. Many students, particularly undergraduates, think that they will end up performing. Many do so, but most end up teaching, mostly privately. The difference between BME and BM is really the following: the qualification to teach in K-12 schools as an ensemble director. BME requires more class time coursework, and emphasizes conducting, leading a group, and classroom management, and basics on all instruments if instrumental, so that a band director can fix basic problems, even if it’s not their primary instrument. BM majors spend more time playing in ensembles and practicing, but that’s not a hard and fast rule. Both can be very good teachers and musicians, and should be treated based on demonstrated ability.
· BM Pedagogy, Piano/String/Vocal. This is a relatively new field. It is more akin to performance, but required 6 more credit hours, so two more courses, but lacked one recital and had no concerto requirements. (If we're going for what's easier, it's two courses. Recitals are tough). The point of this degree is teaching, usually in private studio, and so the extra course work is for studying the teaching repertoire, or special teaching situations, like pre-k, special needs, adults, recreational, group or etc. Students in this career path typically like teaching and their instrument, but may not like performing and the high pressure associated with a performance degree. Students in this career field may like "research", which isn't usually research in the scientific sense but is in fact, compiling, and may enjoy presenting at conferences. It had a stigma attached to it until recently, and the level requirement is lowered (depending on the school) to accommodate less technically gifted students—however, many students rise to the occasion and are as gifted as performance majors, but perhaps more realistic about the job market for professional musicians. Or performance majors don’t feel like sitting through a class on child development or group piano when reading a book would suffice.
· BA—All instruments/voice, designed for students who aren’t sure if they want to be a professional musician, but want to study in depth, or students who want to do academic music, such as musicology, music history, music theory, and etc. Requires 1 recital or paper. More liberal arts coursework.
Masters Degree—MM Performance—2 years, same as above. Usually 2 recitals.
Masters Degree—MM Performance and Pedagogy, 2 years, usually 1 recital, 1 thesis.
Masters Degree—MME, Education, 2 years, thesis based. Sometimes a half-recital is required.
Masters Degree—MM, Collaborative Piano, 2 recitals, 1 with voice recitals, 1 with instrumental pieces. 2 years—for pianists who want to work as accompanists or work as chamber musicians (musical performing groups or ensemble work).
Performance Diploma—1 or 2 years of additional lessons and performance seminars on main instrument.
DMA—Doctorate of Musical Arts—3-6 years. Enables students to become collegiate teachers, usually on their discipline of focus. Instrumental/Vocal require 3 recitals depending on school, Piano is 4-8, depending on school. Usually, recitals are more specific, and may require a lecture recital, which may or may not be related to the thesis.
PhD—Academic—may be in Education, Musicology, Music Theory, Etc. 3-6 years, means a student teaches these classes in these courses at the university level. Thesis based.
Artist Diploma—For students after a masters who want to study more on their instrument, but are considering a performance career and want to take lessons, and not mess with the coursework involved in a doctoral program. 2 years.