Start Date: September
Location: Prince of Wales Campus
Length: 2 Years
Credential: Diploma, Music Performance
Students come from all over the world to take the Music Performance program. You’ll learn how to interpret, improvise, and perform contemporary music styles such as country, Celtic, rock, R&B, jazz, world music, and pop. In addition to theory and arranging, you’ll learn the ins and outs of the music business and the lucrative field of music licensing. The Music Performance program uses official curriculum materials from Berklee College of Music in Boston for all core music courses.
You will develop your performance style on stage in the Florence Simmons Performance Hall and SoPA’s coolest rehearsal space, the SoPA Garage, and as a student in the Music Performance program, you will receive a membership to Music Prince Edward Island.
Visit the School of Performing Arts page.
Our instructors are musicians and professionals still working and performing in the industry. They'll ensure that your training is current and relevant to the music industry and help you build your professional network. Meet our Instructors
Take a Virtual Tour
Students in our School of Performing Arts have access to specialized campus facilities. Check out our virtual tours for a glimpse of the program space.
Tour our SoPA Garage
Tour the Florence Simmons Performance Hall.
The Berklee – Holland College Pathway program provides students who have been accepted to Berklee College of Music with an exciting opportunity to take part in a one- to two-year Music Performance program at Holland College in beautiful Prince Edward Island, Canada.
U.S. Students Note: The Music Performance program is a U.S. Federal Aid approved program. The program curriculum is delivered by Holland College faculty on the college's Prince of Wales Campus in Charlottetown.
This program has degree pathways, giving you the opportunity to receive credit for your Holland College diploma when you continue your education. For a complete list of agreements, visit the Degree Pathways page.
| Partner Institution | Credential | Details of Agreement |
|---|---|---|
| Berklee College of Music, Boston, Mass., U.S.A. | Bachelor of Music | Graduates may receive up to 57 of the 120 credits required for a Bachelor of Music degree. |
| St. Francis Xavier University (StFX), Antigonish, N.S. | Bachelor of Music | Graduates receive two years of credit toward the Bachelor of Music degree. |
| St. Francis Xavier University (StFX), Antigonish, N.S. | Bachelor of Arts Honours Music | Graduates receive two years credit toward the Bachelor of Arts Honours Music degree. |
| Mount Allison, Sackville, N.B. | Bachelor of Music | Graduates receive two years of credit toward a Bachelor of Music degree. An audition is required as part of the entry process. |
| York University, Toronto, Ontario | Bachelor of Fine Art in Music | Graduates will receive 48 out of the 120 credits required for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music degree. |
Auditions are by appointment. Please contact Sara Campbell by email at smcampbell@hollandcollege.com to schedule your audition. You must have applied to the Music Performance program before you can audition. View the list of audition requirements here.
NOTES:
| 1st Year | Canadian | International |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $7,222 | $12,972 |
| Other Costs | $650 | $650 |
| Total | $7,872 | $13,622 |
| 2nd Year | Canadian | International |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $7,900 | $13,050 |
| Other Costs | $500 | $500 |
| Total | $8,400 | $13,550 |
| Tuition & Fees | 1st Year | 2nd Year |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $4,630 | $5,208 |
| Private Lessons | $1,920 | $1,920 |
| Student Union | $172 | $172 |
| Health Insurance Fee | $420 | $420 |
| Fitness Centre Fee | $80 | $80 |
| Graduation Fee | – | $100 |
| Total | $7,222 | $7,900 |
| 1st installment due September 6 | $ 3,947 | $ 4,336 |
| 2nd installment due January 9 | $ 3,275 | $ 3,564 |
| Other Costs | ||
| Books | $500 | $500 |
| Equipment | $150 | - |
| Total | $650 | $500 |
| Tuition & Fees | 1st Year | 2nd Year |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $9,630 | $9,608 |
| Private Lessons | $1,920 | $1,920 |
| Student Union | $172 | $172 |
| Health Insurance Fee | $1,170 | $1,170 |
| Fitness Centre Fee | $80 | $80 |
| Graduation Fee | – | $100 |
| Total | $12,972 | $13,050 |
| 1st installment due September 6 | $9,697 | $9,486 |
| 2ndi installment due January 9 | $3,227 | $3,564 |
| Other Costs | ||
| Books | $ 500 | $ 500 |
| Equipment | $ 150 | - |
| Total | $ 650 | $ 500 |
Course Code:SAFE-1005
An overview of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Prince Edward Island. Students examine the legislation, how PEI employees are protected while on the job and the responsibilities of employees and employers.
Credit Values:0
Course Code:MUSC-1000
Learn basic music theory concepts and the common musical notation used in today's music industry. Learn about the use of major and minor scales to construct intervals and chords. Learn about notating contemporary parts for drums and bass. Develop a working knowledge of basic harmonic analysis, modal harmony and modal interchange.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-1005
Learn the basic aural skills required to function as a professional musician. Learn to perceive common melodic patterns, harmonic progressions, and basic rhythm patterns. Students demonstrate their aural skills through musical dictation, sight-singing, and conducting.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-1010
Students will learn about the stylistic musical and interpretation elements that characterize the Rock genre and the Country genre.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-1015
Build on the knowledge gained from Music Styles: Rock and Country to reproduce the authentic sounds and performance characteristics of both the Rock and Country genres. Students will have an opportunity to use a variety of techniques such as personal and group rehearsals, part building and jam sessions to demonstrate their musical performance skills in these genres.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-1020
Students will learn a "hands-on" introductory approach to the basic knowledge of piano technique, chords and chord progressions for contemporary music.
Hours:1
Course Code:MUSC-1025
Develop techniques for solo and group performance. Students will focus in two areas; their ability to play or sing with fluency, confidence and dexterity, and their ability to arrive at that point through a structured and logical practice routine.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-1030
Learn about diatonic functioning dominant chords, secondary dominants, extended dominants and deceptive resolution. Learn how to develop guide tone lines and work with minor key harmony in terms of available tensions, subdominant minor and modal interchange. Develop a working knowledge of the Blues, melodic scales and intervals, and the relationships between form, melody, harmony and rhythm.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-1035
Further develop skills learned in MUSC-1005 Ear Training II. Continued study on perceiving common melodic patterns, harmonic progressions, and rhythm patterns. Students demonstrate their aural skills through musical dictation, sight-singing, and conducting.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-1045
Students will learn about the stylistic musical and interpretation elements that characterize the Rhythm & Blues (R&B) genre and the Pop genre.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-1050
Build on knowledge gained from Music Styles: Rhythm & Blues (R&B) and Pop to reproduce the authentic sounds and performance characteristics of both the Rhythm & Blues (R&B) and Pop genres. Use a variety of techniques such as personal and group rehearsals, part building and jam sessions to demonstrate musical performance skills in these genres.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-1055
Further develop skills aquired in Keyboard Harmony: Introduction. Students will advance their knowledge of piano chords and increase their skills with keyboard accompaniment for contemporary music.
Hours:1
Course Code:MUSC-1060
Further develop solo and group performance techniques learned in Private Lesson 1. Students will focus on two areas; the ability to play or sing with fluency, confidence and dexterity, and the ability to arrive at that point through a structured and logical practice routine.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-2000
Building on the learning from Harmony: Introduction, gain an understanding of diatonic functioning chord scales, dominant chord functions, diminished chord patterns and modulation considerations.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-2005
Students learn the musical concepts of melody, rhythm, harmony and form as applied to the principles and techniques of writing and arranging for the rhythm section and a lead-line in a solo instrument, two horns or voice. Students explore various contemporary musical styles and musical concepts that comprise them, including writing from the "bottom up" (groove-driven) and "top down" (working with a melody in a lead instrument or voice).
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-2015
Learn about the stylistic musical and interpretation elements that characterize the Celtic genre and the World Music genre.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-2020
Building on knowledge gained from Music Styles: Celtic and World Music, students learn to reproduce the authentic sounds and performance characteristics of the Celtic and Acadian Music genres. Students use a variety of techniques such as personal and group rehearsals, part building, and jam sessions to demonstrate musical performance skills in these genres.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-2025
Develop skills improvising music in contrasting styles such as Rock, Country, R&B and Pop using a variety of techniques such as personal and group rehearsals, part building and jam sessions. Identify personal goals, review progress and implement strategies for improvement.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-2030
Further develop solo and group performance techniques learned Private Lesson 1 and 2. Students will focus in two areas; the ability to play or sing with fluency, confidence and dexterity, and the ability to arrive at that point through a structured and logical practice routine.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-2050
Students will learn about the stylistic musical and interpretation elements that characterize the Jazz genre and the Latin genre.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-2055
Build on knowledge gained from Music Styles: Jazz and Latin to reproduce the authentic sounds and performance characteristics of both the Jazz and Latin genres. Use a variety of techniques such as personal and group rehearsals, part building and jam sessions to demonstrate musical performance skills in these genres.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-2060
Further develop improvisational skills learned in Ensemble: Improvisation Introduction. Demonstrate improvisation techniques at a more complex level using a variety of techniques such as personal and group rehearsals, part building and jam sessions. The focus will be on improvisation in contrasting styles such as Celtic, World, Jazz and Latin.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-2065
Further develop solo and group performance techniques learned in Private Lesson 1, 2 and 3. Students will focus in two areas; the ability to play or sing with fluency, confidence and dexterity, and the ability to arrive at that point through a structured and logical practice routine.
Hours:2
Course Code:MUSC-2070
Gain an understanding of harmonic situations that do not fit into "normal practice" of popular musical styles. Become familiar with different dominant 7th chord resolution situations, modal interchange, pedal point, ostinato, modal harmony, compound chords and constant structures.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-2105
Third in a series of four courses, this course continues to develop the students aural perception of intervals, 7th chords with tensions, common melodic patterns, harmonic progressions and rhythmic patterns. Areas of exploration and focus include: Secondary and Substitute Dominants, Related II's, Modal Interchange, Diminished Chord patterns and Minor Key progressions and melodies. Rhythmic studies will include 2/8, 3/8, 6/8, 12/8, cut time, and 5/4 time signatures. The rhythmic devices explored in Ear Training II will continue to be developed, with additional attention given to syncopated 16th note practices. Students will demonstrate their aural skills through musical dictation, sight-singing, and conducting.
Hours:3
Course Code:ANAT-1000
An introduction to the structure and function of the body in its normal, healthy state. It serves as the basis for understanding pathophysiology and altered body states caused by illness. Students examine individual body organ systems, their components and processes, and how they interrelate.
Hours:3
Course Code:ANAT-1247
The intent of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the structure and function of the human body. Emphasis is placed on the study of the cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular, nervous, and respiratory systems.
Hours:3
Course Code:ARTS-1030
Learn about the development of art in the 19th and 20th centuries and to identify well-known artists throughout history. Explore the key stylistic characteristics of major artistic movements. Using the Feldman method of art criticism learn to discuss and evaluate various forms of creative expression. Gain a wide variety of artistic experiences to help move from the role of observer to one of active engagement in the world of art.
Hours:3
Course Code:BIOL-1100
An introduction to applied microbiology including a practical and theoretical introduction to structure and function of micro-organisms. The diversity of the microbial world is examined by comparing bacterial, fungal, protozoan and viral organisms. The growth, reproduction and enumeration of micro-organisms are studied as well as the effects of environmental conditions on microbial growth. The laboratory component provides hands-on experience in the isolation, cultivation and enumeration of micro-organisms as well as in the preparation of microbiological media.
Hours:2
Course Code:BUSI-2030
Explore the basic principles and concepts of micro and macro economics. Learn the concepts of demand and supply, the theory of the firm, and distribution of income, including the study of business behavior and decision making under various market conditions. A macroeconomics view includes the examination of national income levels, employment and prices, the business cycle, factors affecting economic growth and monetary and fiscal policies.
Hours:3
Course Code:CHEM-1000
A survey of general chemistry, starting with the properties of the basic elements and their chemical reactions and progressing to the behaviour of organic compounds. Students study acid/base chemistry, chemical equilibrium and reductive/oxidative reactions.
Hours:4
Course Code:COMM-1002
Develop professional writing that is concise, clear, and grammatically correct. Students will acquire competency with focus placed on grammar, punctuation, proofreading, editing, and word usage in the first portion of the course. In the later portion, focus will be placed on developing reports and research projects consistent with academic and professional standards.
Hours:3
Course Code:KINE-1146
This course provides students with both a basic understanding of the structure and function of the human body and an understanding of the expected responses and adaptations the body makes during acute exercise. Topic areas include; homeostasis, bioenergetics, neuroendocrinology, the nervous system, the musculoskeletal system, the circulatory system, and acid-base balance. Students examine acute body systems responses to various forms of exercise and chronic adaptations resulting from participation in regular exercise training.
Hours:4
Course Code:MATH-1290
This course provides students with an introduction to the basic concepts of descriptive and basic probability, sampling techniques and inferential statistics. Topics include; proper sampling techniques, measures of center and variation, basic probability concepts, normal distribution, confidence intervals for means and proportions, hypothesis testing, paired samples as two independent samples, contingency tables, introduction to analysis of variance, linear regression and correlation. Students are introduced to a statistical computer package.
Hours:3
Course Code:MKTG-2065
Gain an understanding of the marketing and promotion skills required to successfully launch and sustain a career in the music industry. Learn about the various music associations and identify potential provincial, regional and national funding sources available for music industry projects.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-1040
The course will outline all business and creative aspects of music licensing, including production techniques, composing styles, the various media formats, music libraries, music catalogues, the role of music in each media format, and other related material. Students will learn how to create multiple revenue streams by licensing their music for various media formats.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-1065
This course will introduce students to the various ways in which music technology is incorporated into the production of music. Students will gain a working knowledge of Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), sequencing, the use of virtual instruments (VSTs), effects, editing, mixing, music composition for multiple media formats including television, film, video games, and advertising, sound design, DAWs, Foley, and musical notation utilizing Finale.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-2075
This course is a unique learning opportunity for pianists and guitarists who wish to learn about collaborative musicianship. Students learn how to effectively accompany a vocalist on piano or guitar by learning the performance repertoire of one vocalist and rehearsing this repertoire with the vocalist. Students develop strategies to support and enhance the vocalist's performance. The class teaches students how to collaborate with a vocalist using proper stage etiquette and explores the expectations for formal performances, including proper technique, behavior, and attire. Students gain an understanding of employment opportunities for vocal accompanists in the music industry. Students are required to accompany vocalists on all official evaluations and are encouraged to seek out performance opportunities with their assigned vocalist.
Hours:3
Course Code:MUSC-2200
A thorough exploration of the business practices required to be successful in the music business. Students learn about the role of various professionals, their influence and impact, and how they will interact with them during their career. As well, they apply financial planning, project planning and business planning principles to create a business plan related to their own career.
Hours:3
Course Code:PSYC-1001
The theory, methods and research within the science of psychology will be examined, including sensation and perception, consciousness, conditioning and learning, memory, and thinking and intelligence. In addition, the history of psychology and the connection between biology and psychology will be explored, with a Canadian research perspective highlighted when appropriate.
Hours:3
Course Code:PSYC-1002
The theory, methods and research within the science of psychology will be examined, including lifespan development. emotion and motivation, personality and stress. Additionally, psychological disorders, therapy and treatment will be explored.
Hours:3
