BFA

4-Year Program

The Music BFA program offers a broad and rigorous general musical education alongside highly individualized lesson instruction and mentoring. All undergraduate students engage in intensive shared training in musical techniques and concepts spanning classical, jazz, popular, electronic, and experimental styles, and both Western and non-Western musical cultures. They will graduate with experience in creating original work, ensemble performance, music notation and theory, professional development, and artistic metiers outside of music.

About the Specialization

Undergraduate Music Technology students develop their creative engineering skills through a broad spectrum of classes at the intersection of art and technology. These cover concert production, acoustics, sound synthesis, electronic composition and performance, interface design, audio electronics, interactive media and a number of wide-ranging elective topics. Students become trained artists able to work in any orchestral, ensemble or global music production, including knowing how to produce a concert, manage a stage, understand a sound board and run stage monitor and main audience sound.

Students in the BFA track also take part in digital performance ensembles, such as the Machine Orchestra, Sonic Boom, Creative Electronic Ensemble and Improvisation Ensemble, or groups formed specifically in connection with classes offered by the specialization.

Full Curriculum

View Curriculum Requirements


The Undergraduate Experience

CalArts is committed to providing a broad program of general education designed to enable students to consider aesthetic questions within larger socio-cultural, ethical and political contexts.

Learn more about the General Education curriculum


Interdisciplinary Opportunities

In addition to CalArts' rich and diverse community and naturally collaborative atmosphere, the Institute provides several programs of study that can be pursued concurrently with a student's chosen metier.

Music Theory Minor

The Minor is intended for undergraduate students who wish to receive advanced training and accreditation in Music Theory as a supplement to their major.

Music Theory Minor

Digital Arts Minor

The Minor is designed to help undergraduate students grasp the knowledge to build, engineer and design innovative custom systems.

Digital Arts Minor


Ready to Begin?