Master of Music in Contemporary Performance (Production Concentration)

This graduate program is offered at our campus in Valencia, Spain.
Visit valencia.berklee.edu for complete information.

 

The Master of Music degree in contemporary performance (production concentration) offers advanced studies to instrumentalists and vocalists who demonstrate excellent musical proficiency and a desire to develop their individual artistry and performance career regardless of style or instrument. Through the program, advanced musicians have the opportunity to develop their artistry in a wide array of performance and recorded projects.

Students work with master musicians in a variety of genres such as flamenco, salsa, rock, Afro-Cuban, jazz, electronic music, and more. Through applied lessons, ensembles, master classes, and course work, students deepen their understanding of the harmonic and stylistic practices associated with their chosen area of performance.

Students also learn to master the technological and entrepreneurial skills that are essential for the contemporary performer. Through the study of music business and recorded production, students develop strategies for producing and marketing their performance projects. Students’ projects may take a variety of forms: a recording project, a concert, a lecture/demonstration, a grant proposal, a website marketing plan, or another option of students’ devising. This program is distinctly contemporary in its content and approach, and embraces the principal musical movements of our time.

Culminating Experience

The culminating experience is the final project that students present at the end of the program and is related to their career direction. Through the culminating experience, students make a creative contribution to and/or define and solve a problem that exists in the profession. Working in close consultation with their advisor, the performer’s culminating experience will fall into one of three categories—a creative work, a practical project, or a research project—and may take a variety of forms such as a recording project, a concert, a lecture/demonstration, a grant proposal, a website marketing plan, a video lesson series, or another option of students’ devising. All projects include supporting materials that may take a variety of forms: a student might build a website to promote a recording, for example, or draft a grant proposal for a public performance of their music, using a recording project to supplement the grant proposal application. Students are required to meet with their advisors on a regular basis to assess their progress. The final project must be defended before a faculty committee chaired by the student's advisor.

Entrance Requirements

We are looking for highly skilled and creative instrumentalists and vocalists from all styles of contemporary music who wish to develop their performance career further while also immersing themselves in the recorded production process and experience.

Ideal candidates will:

  • enter the program with a very advanced level of instrumental or vocal technique and musical skill;

  • desire to expand their experience through further exploration of familiar and new styles including fusions of genres;

  • be deeply motivated to learn and apply strategies for recorded music production (including the preproduction, recording, and mixing processes) to their craft, with a focus on artistic identity and intent; and

  • demonstrate a strong interest in learning and applying new performance technology, electroacoustic instruments, and video into their live and recorded performances.

Learning Outcomes

When students complete the Master of Music in Contemporary Performance (Production Concentration), they'll have the ability to:

  • synthesize the harmonic and stylistic practices associated with their chosen area of performance;
  • synthesize the skills required of performers in a variety of contemporary music settings;
  • perform music in contemporary musical styles;
  • create and improvise music;
  • develop strategies for producing and marketing their performance projects;
  • synthesize their artistic identity, vision, and intent in performance work; and
  • apply technology to recording and distributing music.
Sample Curriculum by Semester
Master of Music - Contemporary Performance: Production Concentration
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Curriculum and Courses

For information about required courses, please see the courses page on valencia.berklee.edu.

Semester 1

  • PS-522: Production Concepts for the Contemporary Performer (3 credits/5 ECTS) 

  • PS-619: Masters Performance Forum: Production (3 credits/6 ECTS) 

  • PIMM-550: Private Instruction 1 (3 credits/2 ECTS) 

  • ENDS-550: Contemporary Studio Ensemble (1 credit/4 ECTS) 

  • GS-500: Master's Advising (0 credits/0 ECTS) 

  • 1 elective  

Semester 2

  • PS-532: The Artist as a Startup (3 credits/5 ECTS) 

  • PS-622: Masters Advanced Performance Forum: Production (3 credits/6 ECTS) 

  • PS-624: Applied Advanced Production Projects (3 credits/5 ECTS) 

  • PIMM-600: Private Instruction 2 (3 credits/2 ECTS) 

  • ENDS-550: Contemporary Studio Ensemble (1 credit/4 ECTS)

  • GS-500: Master's Advising (0 credits/0 ECTS) 

  • GS-503: Graduate Professional Development Seminar (1 credits/2 ECTS) 

  • 1 elective  

  • 1 optional elective

Semester 3

  • PS-695: Culminating Experience in Contemporary Performance/Thesis (6 credits/6 ECTS) 

  • PIMM-650: Private Instruction 3 (3 credits/2 ECTS) 

  • ENDS-550: Contemporary Studio Ensemble (1 credit/4 ECTS)

  • GS-500: Master's Advising (0 credits/0 ECTS) 

Semester 4 (optional)

  • GS-595: Graduate Internship (1 credit/2 ECTS) 
Electives

  • AR-511: Contemporary Arranging (3 credits/5 ECTS)

  • ET-511: Contemporary Ear Training (3 credits/5 ECTS)

  • HR-511: Contemporary Harmony (3 credits/5 ECTS)

  • MTI-543: Studio Video Music Production (3 credits/5 ECTS)

  • MTI-613: Electronic Dance Music Composition (3 credits/5 ECTS) 

  • PS-621: Topics in Improvisation (3 credits/5 ECTS)

  • PS-631: Performance Pedagogy (3 credits/5 ECTS)

  • PS-635: Cross-Cultural Rhythm Studies for Musicians (3 credits/5 ECTS)

  • SW-565: Lyric Writing (3 credits/5 ECTS)

  • GS-627: The Composing Performer (3 credits/5 ECTS)

Optional Elective
  • GS-510: Principles of Music Research (3 credits/6 ECTS)

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