Percussion

VCU Percussion faculty prepares students for a multifaceted career in performance, teaching, and creative entrepreneurship. All three are important. Through personal mentorship, students learn to broaden their horizons, become business savvy, and, of course, hone their craft.

The VCU Percussion Studio specializes in the undergraduate music experience. You’ll study with our fantastic faculty and have access to our top performing ensembles. And, when artists like Third Coast Percussion come to Richmond, it’s our undergraduate percussionists who get to work with them!

VCU is located in downtown Richmond, the Virginia state capital with character! Richmond is historic, artsy, food-obsessed, diverse, and laid-back. With more than 40 museums (including VCUarts’s own ICA), a full-time symphony orchestra, ballet company, and independent galleries and performing arts spaces on every corner, Richmond is THE place for creative musicians and artists! And VCU Percussion is right in the middle of it.

Attend a shadow day to spend the day with us, take a lesson, and see what we’re all about.

Or attend a pre-college event that take place throughout the year.

Degrees Offered

Movement within degree programs is flexible. You can enter VCU in one degree track and move to a different one while you are here.

The BM in Music Education is designed for those who plan to teach in a public school setting. The licensure you receive is valid in Virginia and 29 license-reciprocal states.

The Music Ed program includes classes in performance (lessons, orchestra, chamber music, masterclass), musicianship (theory, aural skills, history, music industry), music education (teaching techniques and methods), and general education requirements. Detailed degree requirements.

The Bachelor of Music in Performance is designed for those who want to become performing musicians. It includes performance classes (lessons, master class, orchestra, chamber music, etc.), musicianship classes (theory, aural skills, history, music industry), electives, and general education requirements. Most performance majors go on to graduate school for further study. Detailed degree requirements.

Performance majors often add minors to increase their earning power (minors, by the way, are declared after you start at VCU). Some popular minors are:

The Media Scoring major prepares you for a dynamic career as a composer for visual media. In addition to taking courses in performance, musicianship, and general education, media scoring majors take courses in composition techniques, digital audio, music production, plus orchestration and arranging.

For more information, please visit the media scoring page.

The Bachelor of Arts in Music is the most flexible music degree as it includes 30 open electives. Students tailor the degree to match their career goals. The degree includes 60 credits of core music (lessons, master class, orchestra, chamber music, theory, music history, etc.), 30 general education requirements, and 30 open electives. Detailed degree requirements.

Bachelor of Arts in Music majors are often interested in working in the broader music industry—retail, arts management, studio work, etc. BA majors commonly add minors to further career goals. We also have many BA students who complete a pre-med sequence. Some popular minors are: