The Licentiate in Music Performance (for all instruments except piano, voice and jazz) is a 93 credit program. You may have fewer credits to complete if you receive course exemptions and/or transfer credits.
Students in the licentiate program are required to achieve a minimum grade of A- in all practical instruction/exams and ensembles, as well as attain a minimum CGPA of 2.0 to continue in this program.
Use our sample 3-year program plan to determine when to take each course.
Performance Major (All Instruments except Piano, Voice and Jazz) (L.Mus.) (93 credits)
Offered by: Performance (Schulich School of Music)
Degree: Licentiate in Music
Program credit weight: 93
Program Description
The Licentiate in Music (L.Mus.) Major Performance in All Instruments except Piano, Voice, and Jazz is a 93-credit program.
Ensemble Requirements
- Students majoring in violin, viola, or cello must commence their assigned ensembles with four terms of string quartets.
- Violin Majors will be required to complete two terms of ensemble playing on viola.
Special Requirements
- Continuation in the program requires a minimum grade of A- in practical instruction/exams and ensembles.
- Students must take the L.Mus. Performance 1 Examination at the end of their first year of study and the L.Mus. Performance 2 and 3 Examinations in each of the next two years if they hope to complete the program in the normal length of time.
Required Performance (48 credits)
48 credits selected as follows:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUIN 250 | L.Mus. Practical Instruction 1. | 6 |
L.Mus. Practical Instruction 1. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Practical instruction in an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 251 | L.Mus. Practical Instruction 2. | 6 |
L.Mus. Practical Instruction 2. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Practical instruction in an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 252 | L.Mus. Performance 1 Examination. | 4 |
L.Mus. Performance 1 Examination. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Assessment of student progress. | ||
| MUIN 350 | L.Mus. Practical Instruction 3. | 6 |
L.Mus. Practical Instruction 3. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Practical instruction in an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 351 | L.Mus. Practical Instruction 4. | 6 |
L.Mus. Practical Instruction 4. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Practical instruction in an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 352 | L.Mus. Performance 2 Examination. | 4 |
L.Mus. Performance 2 Examination. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Assessment of student progress. | ||
| MUIN 450 | L.Mus. Practical Instruction 5. | 4 |
L.Mus. Practical Instruction 5. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Practical instruction in an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 451 | L.Mus. Practical Instruction 6. | 4 |
L.Mus. Practical Instruction 6. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Practical instruction in an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 452 | L.Mus. Performance 3 Examination. | 8 |
L.Mus. Performance 3 Examination. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Assessment of student progress. | ||
Complementary Performance (18 credits)
Large Ensemble Training – during every term of enrolment as a full-time or part-time student.
18 credits selected as follows:
12 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUEN 563 | Jazz Vocal Workshop. | 2 |
Jazz Vocal Workshop. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Vocal workshop for jazz musicians. | ||
| MUEN 565 | String Quartet Seminar. | 2 |
String Quartet Seminar. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 An overview of the history of the string quartet genre and literature for this formation. Basic principles of string ensemble playing, intonation, matching sound production, cueing, etc., will be addressed. Regular performances in a masterclass setting. Participation in an orchestra program as assigned when warranted by ensemble needs. | ||
| MUEN 572 | Cappella Antica. | 2 |
Cappella Antica. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 An ensemble of 8 to 12 voices specializing in early music. N.B. This ensemble may substitute as a Basic Ensemble in programs that specify Choral Ensemble, with Departmental approval. | ||
| MUEN 573 | Baroque Orchestra. | 2 |
Baroque Orchestra. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Open to singers and instrumentalists, this ensemble specializes in chamber music primarily of the Baroque era. | ||
| MUEN 587 | Cappella McGill. | 2 |
Cappella McGill. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An ensemble of 16 voices performing challenging repertoire from the Renaissance to the present day. Since the expectation is a level of performance equivalent to a professional chamber ensemble, singers wishing to join this group should have had considerable ensemble experience, and advanced vocal and sight-reading skills. | ||
| MUEN 590 | McGill Wind Orchestra. | 2 |
McGill Wind Orchestra. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Large ensemble for wind instruments. | ||
| MUEN 592 | Chamber Jazz Ensemble. | 2 |
Chamber Jazz Ensemble. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 This ensemble will deal with the extensive repertoire of music which exists for small jazz orchestra (9-13 instruments). | ||
| MUEN 593 | Choral Ensembles. | 2 |
Choral Ensembles. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Students enrolling in Choral Ensembles will be assigned to one of the above groups. | ||
| MUEN 594 | Contemporary Music Ensemble. | 2 |
Contemporary Music Ensemble. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Ensemble for contemporary music - instruments and voice. | ||
| MUEN 595 | Jazz Ensembles. | 2 |
Jazz Ensembles. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Ensemble for jazz - instruments and voice. | ||
| MUEN 597 | McGill Symphony Orchestra. | 2 |
McGill Symphony Orchestra. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Ensemble for orchestral instruments. | ||
Assigned Small Ensemble - during every term of enrolment as a full-time or part-time student.
6 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUEN 540 | Chamber Music Project 1. | 0.5 |
Chamber Music Project 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Chamber music ensemble for various instruments. | ||
| MUEN 541 | Chamber Music Project 2. | 0.5 |
Chamber Music Project 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Chamber music ensemble for various instruments. | ||
| MUEN 560 | Chamber Music Ensemble. | 1 |
Chamber Music Ensemble. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Ensemble for chamber music - various instruments. | ||
| MUEN 562 | Guitar Ensemble. | 1 |
Guitar Ensemble. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Performance of guitar ensemble repertoire and transcriptions throughout music history and in various genres. | ||
| MUEN 580 | Early Music Ensemble. | 1 |
Early Music Ensemble. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 An ensemble of 4-6 vocalists and instrumentalists which performs music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. | ||
| MUEN 585 | Sonata Masterclass. | 1 |
Sonata Masterclass. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Exploration of the vast literature for sonatas with piano and instrument, including multiple issues of ensemble preparation and performing. | ||
| MUEN 589 | Woodwind Ensembles. | 1 |
Woodwind Ensembles. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Ensemble for woodwind instruments. | ||
| MUEN 591 | Brass Consort. | 1 |
Brass Consort. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Ensemble for brass instruments. | ||
| MUEN 598 | Percussion Ensembles. | 1 |
Percussion Ensembles. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Ensemble for percussion instruments. | ||
Required Courses (25 credits)
25 credits of required courses selected as follows:
9 credits of Theory
10 credits of Musicianship
6 credits of History
Theory
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUTH 150 | Theory and Analysis 1. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 1. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Diatonic chords and harmonic progressions, focus on outer-voice framework, cadences, embellishments, building chordal fluency in common-practice tonality, applied chords. | ||
| MUTH 151 | Theory and Analysis 2. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 2. Terms offered: Winter 2027 Sequences and modulation, chromatic vocabulary, analysis of simple theme types (sentence, period, hybrids) and fugal techniques. | ||
| MUTH 250 | Theory and Analysis 3. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 3. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Compositional resources of late 18th and early 19th century music. Analysis of forms common to the period c. 1770 - 1840, including Classical sonata forms in several media. | ||
Musicianship
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUSP 140 | Musicianship Training 1. | 2 |
Musicianship Training 1. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Rhythm and metre basic subdivisions and conducting patterns; intervals, chords, and scale patterns; non-modulating tonal melodies with treble and bass clefs; harmonic progressions emphasizing two-part outer voice structures. | ||
| MUSP 141 | Musicianship Training 2. | 2 |
Musicianship Training 2. Terms offered: Winter 2027 Rhythm and metre mixed divisions and syncopations; triadic and seventh chord voicings and disjunct pitch collections; chromatically embellished melodies adding alto clef; simple modulating harmonic progressions emphasizing two-part outer voice structures. | ||
| MUSP 170 | Musicianship (Keyboard) 1. | 1 |
Musicianship (Keyboard) 1. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Harmonic, melodic and rhythmic analysis at the keyboard through the study of rudiments, repertoire, chorale/score reading, transposition and harmonization. | ||
| MUSP 171 | Musicianship (Keyboard) 2. | 1 |
Musicianship (Keyboard) 2. Terms offered: Winter 2027 Building chordal fluency. Harmonic vocabulary including sequences, chromaticism and modulation. Chorale and score reading with transposing instruments and alto/tenor clefs. | ||
| MUSP 240 | Musicianship Training 3. | 2 |
Musicianship Training 3. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Rhythm and metre mixed divisions and two-part work; additional chordal voicings and pitch collections; melodies modulating to closely-related keys adding tenor clef; harmonic progression including applied chords; two-part keyboard-style passages. | ||
| MUSP 241 | Musicianship Training 4. | 2 |
Musicianship Training 4. Terms offered: Winter 2027 Changing metres; chord voicings and atonal pitch collections; modulating tonal melodies and score reading of transposing instruments; harmonic progression including chromatic chords; two-part passages. | ||
| MUSP 363 | Topics in Global Musicianship. | 2 |
Topics in Global Musicianship. Terms offered: Winter 2027 Musicianship skills from one or more global musical practice(s), with specific challenges and approaches corresponding to the selected topic. | ||
History
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUHL 186 | Western Musical Traditions. | 3 |
Western Musical Traditions. Terms offered: Fall 2026 A survey of Western music from the Middle Ages to the present. Emphasis on key musical concepts and genres in their historical context and aural recognition of style. | ||
| MUHL 286 | Critical Thinking About Music. | 3 |
Critical Thinking About Music. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Examination of various periods and styles: e.g., central works from different traditions, the interaction of music and society, performance practice, and music's relation to other arts. | ||
Complementary Musicianship
2 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUSP 324 | Musicianship for Strings. | 2 |
Musicianship for Strings. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental musicianship issues in the context of performance with an emphasis on intonation accuracy, rhythm, articulation, voice-leading and sound texture for strings. | ||
| MUSP 346 | Post-Tonal Musicianship. | 2 |
Post-Tonal Musicianship. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Extended tonal and post-tonal harmonic and contrapuntal structures, rhythmic practices of the 20th and 21st century, score reading. | ||
| MUSP 354 | Introduction to Improvisation and Ornamentation. | 2 |
Introduction to Improvisation and Ornamentation. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Principles of improvisation and ornamentation for music before 1800, including harmonic progressions and voice-leading and contrapuntal patterns for instrumentalists and singers, along with examples of ornamented vocal and instrumental works from 17th and 18th century sources. | ||
| MUSP 355 | Advanced Rhythm in Musicianship. | 2 |
Advanced Rhythm in Musicianship. Terms offered: Fall 2026 Fundamental musicianship issues in the context of performance with an emphasis on polyrhythm. | ||
| MUSP 361 | Topics in Musicianship. | 2 |
Topics in Musicianship. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced ear training challenges in rhythm, pitch, harmony, form, or timbre. | ||
| MUSP 363 | Topics in Global Musicianship. | 2 |
Topics in Global Musicianship. Terms offered: Winter 2027 Musicianship skills from one or more global musical practice(s), with specific challenges and approaches corresponding to the selected topic. | ||
| MUSP 381 | Singing Renaissance Notation. | 2 |
Singing Renaissance Notation. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Choral sightsinging of mensural notation, with a focus on white notation c. 1420-1600. Development of basic fluency in the notation, interpretation of values in triple meter, addition of accidentals given the contrapuntal context as perceived aurally, Renaissance solmisation. | ||
