Study with us
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20+
Student ensembles
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40
Spacious, light-filled practice rooms
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1:5
Ratio of faculty members to students
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$600,000+
Value of scholarships, bursaries and prizes awarded annually
Program details
This flexible program allows students to select courses from the Bachelor of Music program as well as other faculties and schools at the University of Manitoba. Students are mentored by distinguished artists and enjoy extensive opportunities to participate in ensembles and display their abilities through solo performance.
Expected duration: 1 year
Students must complete 30 credit hours of study to earn a PBDP. The program requires 15 credit hours of core courses from the Bachelor of Music program, plus 15 credit hours of electives. A minimum of 18 credit hours must be taken in the faculty, however students may take all 30 credit hours within the faculty.
Core courses
MUSC 5400: Major practical study with the principal teacher (6 credit hours)
MUSC 5180: Ensemble (3 credit hours)
MUSC 5560: Recital – solo performance (6 credit hours)
Electives
Students choose their electives from 3000 and 4000 level courses (15 credit hours)
For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.
Admission requirements
Prospective students to the Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Performance program, you must have completed:
- A four-year Bachelor of Music degree, or
- A conservatory diploma taken in residence.
All prospective students must successfully pass the audition to be considered for the program.
Obtaining a second PBDP
Students who hold the PBDP from the University of Manitoba (or equivalent post-baccalaureate diploma from another institution) may apply for a second PBDP if studying a different applied instrument than that of their first PBDP in their major practical study, ensemble, and recital courses and if the remaining course credits taken do not duplicate those in their first PBDP.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program
How to apply
Domestic student application fee: $100
International student application fee: $130
Step 1: Apply online
Applications to the University of Manitoba are completed online. To begin your application, select the "Start or continue your application" button. The online application includes several parts:
- Application fee (non-refundable)
- Two letters of recommendation
- A personal essay of 250-300 words which outlines your musical aspiration and plans to achieve them
- Curriculum Vita
- Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
- Proof of English Language proficiency (if applicable)
Applicants will be emailed 1 - 2 weeks after the application deadline to arrange their audition and interview.
Step 2: Audition
Your audition may take up to 30 minutes. Whether you are auditioning in-person or by video recording, the audition will involve:
- performing up to 15-20 minutes of prepared music fulfilling the audition requirements for your area of study;
- an interview covering a range of areas, your background and experience in music performance;
- assessing aural and technical skills
Accompanists: Vocal and instrumental pieces must be accompanied. Arrangements for accompanists on the day of the audition or video recording are the responsibility of the student.
Classical instrument or voice audition fee: Students auditioning in-person must pay a $25 fee. This fee reserves the audition spot. If an applicant auditions to more than one (1) instrument or voice, they must pay an additional $25 fee per audition. Payments must be made before the audition at the Music General office.
Jazz audition fee: Jazz students auditioning in-person must pay a $50 fee. This fee covers the expense of the collaborating musicians to be provided by the Faculty. Payments must be made before the audition at the Music General office.
Collaborative Piano audition fee: Collaborative piano students auditioning in-person must pay a $50 fee. This fee covers the expense of the collaborating musicians to be provided by the Faculty. Payments must be made before the audition at the Music General office.
Collaborative piano audition requirements
The audition program should consist of the following:
Instrumental
- First movement of any Beethoven violin or cello sonata
- One movement of any violin or cello sonata by Brahms or Franc
Vocal (All to be played in original keys)
- Schubert - Gretchen am Spinnrade OR Ganymed
- Strauss – Allerseelen OR Zueignung
- Debussy – Il pleure dans mon Coeur OR Faure – Clair de Lune
Solo
- Piano solo of your choice, approximately 7-10 minutes in duration. This can be a short piece or movement(s) from any larger work.
Jazz audition requirements
Audition pieces
The audition program should consist of:
- A medium tempo blues selection:
- Play melody and a minimum of two improvised choruses
- Rhythm section players must comp for a soloist
- A jazz standard of your choice:
- Play melody and a minimum of two improvised choruses
- Rhythm section players must comp for a soloist. Drummers must trade fours with the rhythm section.
Sight Reading
A short sight-reading passage.
Interview
There will be a brief interview covering a range of areas, including your background and experience in jazz performance.
Technical Requirement
Play a major scale, one octave ascending and descending, in any key. Drummers and singers must perform this on piano.
Additional Information
You must provide three copies of charts for the music you perform (in your key).
Piano audition requirements
Audition pieces
The audition program should consist of:
- A minimum of two contrasting movements of a classical sonata, one of which is in sonata form
- A romantic work
- A minimum of two other works chosen from the Baroque, Impressionist and/or 20th century/contemporary periods
Audition programs must be approved by the area coordinator. At the time of the audition, jurors will select repertoire from the candidate’s approved program totaling 20-30 minutes in length.
Musicianship
There may be a short test to check your basic musicianship skills (sight reading, rhythm and melody playback, interval singing, etc.).
Interview
There will be a brief interview covering a range of areas, including your background and experience in piano performance.
Strings audition requirements
The audition program should consist of the following.
Viola
Memorization is preferred but not required.
- J.S. Bach: One movement from any Sonata or Partita for violin solo, or any movement from Suite for cello solo
- First movement of any Baroque or Classical concerto
- Piece of your own choice for viola solo or viola and piano
Cello
Memorization is preferred but not required.
- One etude by Duport or Popper
- Two contrasting movements from the Bach Cello Suites
- One movement from standard concerto (e.g. Haydn C or D major, Dvorak, Schumann, Elgar, Shostakovich)
- Piece of your own choice for cello solo or cello and piano
Double bass
Memorization is preferred but not required.
- Two contrasting pieces of applicant’s choice
- Three orchestra excerpts by: Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart or Strauss
- One major scale, one harmonic minor scale, one minor scale of choice in two or three octaves
- Sight-reading may be required
Guitar
Memorization is preferred but not required.
- One movement of a Baroque or Renaissance suite.
- One movement of a Classical or Romantic major work (concerto, sonata, suite, etc.) for guitar
- One piece representing a major 20th or 21st century work for guitar
Voice audition requirements
Audition pieces
The audition program should consist of:
- two arias (one opera, one oratorio)
- three art songs in contrasting languages
Sight reading
There may be a short test to check your basic musicianship skills (sight reading, rhythm and melody playback, interval singing, etc.).
Interview
There will be a brief interview covering a range of areas, including your background and experience in vocal performance.
Woodwinds, brass and percussion audition requirements
Details to come
Notification of decision
Decisions will be posted to the applicant's portal. Applicants must log in to their application portal to view the decision and to accept or decline their offer by the deadline date indicated in the letter. It is imperative that email accounts remain current and that emails and application portals are regularly checked.
Term | Audition dates |
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Fall 2024 | March 6 - 8, 2024 |
Learn more
Contact us
Admission and application inquiries
Mailing address
Undergraduate Admissions
424 UMSU University Centre
University of Manitoba
65 Chancellors Circle
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
Office location
Room 424 UMSU University Centre
65 Chancellors Circle
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Submit a question
Phone: 204-474-8808
Toll-free: 1-800-224-7713 ext 8808
Program inquiries
Desautels Faculty of Music
Room T319
150 Dafoe Road West
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2