BTEC Level 3 Music Performance (Pearson)

Why study this subject?

BTEC Music Performance allows you to develop practical and industry skills whilst also improving your music theory. The BTEC course is equivalent to one full A Level. The course is widely accepted for progression onto degree level qualifications in music.

As part of the course, you will have the opportunity to perform both as a soloist and as part of an ensemble in a variety of situations. If you enjoy performing and want to focus on the more contemporary / popular side of music and performance – this is the course for you.

Which Music course should I choose?

About the Department

Music is at the heart of college life at Greenhead and as a student, you have a huge range of opportunities available to you. As a music student at Greenhead, you have a flexible choice of courses to choose from and we boast a wide range of opportunities to get involved with a variety of enrichment ensembles and performance opportunities. There are currently over 100 students studying on music courses at Greenhead and many more involved in music enrichment.

Students can take advantage of the purpose-built college recording studio along with our practice and rehearsal facilities on the top floor of the music department. We encourage students from all three of our courses and from our enrichment programme to play, record and socialise together to create a real Greenhead Music community based around the department.

There are a variety of performance opportunities – from our termly concerts to our fortnightly big gigs and live lunches.

You will be joining a vibrant department, supported by two full time members of experienced staff and a dedicated and specialist music technology technician. Most importantly, you will meet like-minded and enthusiastic students in an environment where you can continue to study something you’re passionate about. Music at Greenhead has something for everyone – whatever style you enjoy or instrument you play!

Topics you will cover

On the Music Performance course, you will study four units:

Session styles
Ensemble performance
Professional practice in the music industry
Practical music and theory

The course offers students the chance to focus on their performance skills as a starting point for their further musical study. The course particularly appeals to students with popular contemporary musical interests. Students perform in a variety of situations across the two years on the course. To study the BTEC course at Greenhead, you must be a confident performer with a desire to perform in front of others.

Entry Guidelines

Other than the College’s general entry requirements there are no additional qualifications needed to study BTEC Music other than to be a confident performer with a desire to perform in front of others.

It is possible for you to study a combination of BTEC Music, A Level Music and Music Technology at A Level. We would discuss this with you at interview to make sure it is the right choice for you.

Recent student destinations

BIMM Institute Manchester: BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals

What the students say

Watch the longer version of the video here.

Studying Music at Greenhead was a great decision. I learnt an incredible amount in both Music and Music Technology. There is a fantastic dynamic between staff and students which facilitates everyone becoming their best musical selves. The rich extracurricular aspect of the department also means that anyone with a love for making music can get involved and perform in numerous concerts – Jack

I think I really benefitted from how wide-ranging the course at Greenhead is; you get a solid grounding in a lot of music history and theory, but the department also encourages you to combine different disciplines and be inventive with your approaches to them. I think this dual ethos—of providing the opportunity to experiment with a composition, while also offering a technical basis for making that experimentation more fruitful—is what made the course so useful and so enjoyable – Kiran

The Greenhead music staff and facilities are top notch – there is a great relationship between students and staff that is really encouraging and productive. The opportunity to play or sing in the numerous ensembles and perform in the college concerts is also a great addition – George