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Studies & Degrees in Music Performance (Keyboard)

Keyboard performance is the branch of music performance devoted to the piano and, at some schools, the organ and the harpsichord. It is aimed at students who want to work as pianists: as soloists, chamber musicians, accompanists or teachers. The piano is also the second instrument of many students of composition, conducting and music education, but a performance degree makes it the centre of the course and demands several hours of daily practice.

What students learn

The core is the weekly individual lesson, reinforced by performance classes, master classes and public recitals. Temple University's Department of Keyboard Studies, for example, describes weekly private lessons backed by regular performance classes and a series of master classes. Around the instrument come music theory and analysis, counterpoint, music history, keyboard literature, sight-reading and improvisation. Two areas are specific to pianists: accompanying, which means playing with singers, instrumentalists and dancers, and keyboard pedagogy, because most pianists teach. The Bachelor of Music in Keyboard Performance of the University of Miami includes courses in accompanying, keyboard literature and keyboard pedagogy.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's level. In the United States the degree is the Bachelor of Music (B.M.). At the Frost School of Music of the University of Miami the B.M. in Keyboard Performance has 121 credit hours, and the school also lists a performer's certificate in keyboard performance. In Spain piano is studied at a conservatorio superior, within the higher artistic education system rather than at a university; the national rules set four academic years of 60 credits each, 240 credits in total. At the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid (RCSMM) the Interpretación route that includes piano lasts four years and has 240 ECTS credits, 157 of them practical. Harpsichord and organ belong to its early music route.
  • Master's level. The University of Miami offers a Master of Music in Keyboard Performance, and another in keyboard performance and pedagogy. The RCSMM lists a Máster de Pianista Acompañante y Repertorista among its master's programmes.
  • Doctorate. In the United States the performance doctorate is the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), which Miami offers in keyboard performance.

Admission by audition

Places are awarded by audition. In Spain the specific entrance test for Interpretación is taken on the candidate's principal instrument. At the RCSMM it consists of a written music analysis exercise and an instrumental exercise in which the candidate plays at least three works of different styles, up to 30 minutes in total, and sight-reads a piece; harpsichord candidates sight-read from a figured bass. The analysis counts for 20% of the mark and the instrumental exercise for 80%. In the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), applicants are typically required to submit recordings or to audition in person, and sometimes both. At Miami, master's candidates have an interview with the performance faculty after the live audition, and enrolment in the doctorate is only by audition.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists four active schools for keyboard performance: two in the United States, one in Spain and one in Argentina. They are the University of Miami and Florida State University in the United States, the RCSMM in Madrid and the Universidad Nacional de La Plata in Argentina. Teaching is in English in the United States and in Spanish in Madrid and La Plata. Ask each school for its current audition repertoire, whether recorded auditions are accepted from abroad and how many practice rooms and instruments students can use.

Careers

Pianists rarely have a single employer. Typical work includes solo and chamber concerts, accompanying singers, instrumentalists, choirs and dance classes, working as a répétiteur in opera houses and conservatoires, playing in churches, and teaching privately or in music schools. The University of Miami states that its degree aims to provide the foundation for a teaching career at an institution or private studio as well as for a performance career. The BLS notes that teaching music in schools typically requires a bachelor's degree and a teaching licence.

The BLS counted 170,400 jobs for musicians and singers in the United States in 2025 and projects little or no change in employment from 2025 to 2035. Competition is strong, which is why most programmes pair performance with pedagogy and accompanying.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a piano performance degree take?

Four years in most systems. In Spain the higher music studies have 240 credits over four academic years; the University of Miami lists 121 credit hours for its Bachelor of Music in Keyboard Performance.

What does the audition involve?

At the RCSMM candidates play at least three works of different styles, up to 30 minutes in total, sight-read a piece and complete a written analysis. US schools typically ask for recordings, a live audition or both.

Does keyboard performance include organ and harpsichord?

It depends on the school. At the RCSMM piano has its own route, while harpsichord and organ are studied in the early music route.

Can I continue after the bachelor's degree?

Yes. The University of Miami offers a Master of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts in keyboard performance, and the RCSMM a master's programme for accompanists and répétiteurs.