BACHELOR OF MUSIC – CONTEMPORARY

DURATION

3 years full-time, 6 years part-time

INTAKES

February, May, September

Location

Melbourne, Sydney

CODES

Bachelor 075441K
Provider Code: PRV12050
CRICOS Provider Code: 0665C

ENTRY

Domestic and International

Fees

Domestic and International

About

Launch your career journey in the music industry with a Bachelor of Music (Contemporary) at AIM. This course is perfect if you’re an instrumentalist or vocalist looking to take your technical, performance and musicianship skills to a professional level.

The degree combines core topics such as theory, musicianship, arts management and recording to help you develop your knowledge and technical ability.

At AIM, we recognise the variety of styles and genres within contemporary music. You’ll develop your unique sound while exploring areas of interest: songwriting, composition, second instrument studies, digital audio, and more. You’ll create and deliver major performance works, from concept to professional realisation.

You’ll become immersed in the AIM creative community with plenty of opportunities to collaborate with a diverse range of talented peers. You’ll have the chance to play live and record with your fellow students.

COURSE OVERVIEW

Major study:  Immerse yourself in specialised individual lessons, group masterclasses, training and performance practice to develop your craft, culminating in a 40-minute graduation performance.

Scholarship:  Study music theory and develop a deeper understanding of your favourite musical genres.

Ensemble:  Collaborate and cultivate your skills in group jam sessions, leading to live performances.

Associated Studies & Electives:  Sharpen your focus and hone your skills through a vast array of elective choices, helping to define the direction of your career.

ENTRY AND ADMISSIONS

Portfolio and Audition

To apply to study at AIM, you’ll need to provide us with a portfolio of two musical items. This may include any of the following:

A live performance (to be performed during the interview)
A recorded visual or audio performance
A recorded original composition
A PDF score of an original composition or arrangement
A handwritten score of an original composition or arrangement
An audio mix of a musical work

Applicants may choose to provide a combination of evidence, for example a live performance of an existing work and a recording of an original track. You may also be required to attend an interview.

Want to speak to someone about the audition requirements? email enquiries@aim.edu.au

Completion of Secondary Studies

To gain entry into AIM’s undergraduate programs, you’ll need to satisfy the selection criteria outlined below.

Satisfactory completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Year 12 Certificate (or its overseas equivalent as assessed by DET) in the past 2 years OR
Satisfactory completion the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma qualification in the past 2 years OR
Applicants who completed their senior Secondary Year 12 Certificate (or equivalent) more than 2 years ago will be assessed on the basis of work and life experience.

Need Further Information? View Entry Requirements.

Would you like to talk about your options for entry? Email us enquiries@aim.edu.au

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The modern music industry comprises many different activities and roles. At the conclusion of your course, you’ll be able to communicate effectively as a contemporary musician and demonstrate initiative in a variety of contexts. You’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to explore a range of career options including:

Learn more about how AIM helps you to succeed View Career Opportunities

Lecturers

To reach your potential as a musician, you need to learn from experts. Explore who you will study under.

Greg Coffin

Associate Head of Learning and Teaching

Greg is well respected as an outstanding educator at tertiary level. He is passionate about supporting students through their musical journey, specialising in first year student studies and teaching piano and commencing theory courses.

Josh Kyle

Associate Head of Learning and Teaching

Josh Kyle is a highly respected faculty member at AIM’s Melbourne campus. His varied approach to music-making has seen him involved with many different musical experiences and settings. He has released four albums under his own name.

Sam Mudie

Associate Head of Teaching and Learning

Sam was a founding member of the nine-piece band Hipnosis performing, coordinating and arranging a wide cross section of music from in venues, corporate functions and weddings in a full-time capacity.

Dr. Gary Holgate

Head of Learning and Teaching

Dr. Gary Holgate is a highly qualified music academic and a seasoned musician. As an upright and electric bass player, Gary has performed and recorded with many acclaimed jazz artists including Kevin Hunt, Grace Knight, Bill Risby, Joy Yates and Dave MacRae as well as his own band Jazz Nouveau.

Gary Fredericks

Academic Lecturer

Gary Fredericks is a seasoned Australian musician with decades of experience as a live performer, songwriter and recording artist. He has worked with a long list of Australian superstars, including Johnny O’Keefe and Air Supply. In the 80s, his band Full Marks was signed to CBS Records (now Sony Music).

Hugh Fraser

Academic Lecturer

As a bass player (electric and double bass), Hugh has performed with a who’s who of Australian and international performers including Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen, Rhonda Burchmore, Grace Knight, James Morrison, Geraldine Turner and many more.

Jason Weir

Academic Lecturer/ESOL and Foundation Lecturer

Jason Weir is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with over 25 years experience as a session musician, band member, songwriter, composer and producer. A veteran of over 1500 professional shows, he has played The London Forum, The Marquee Club, Maleny/Woodford and Port Fairy Folk Festivals, Splendor In the Grass, The Espy, The Basement and many more.

Jeremy Sawkins

Academic Lecturer

Sydney-based guitarist Jeremy Sawkins has been an active member of the Australian music community since the late 1970’s. As well as being a composer/bandleader, Jeremy has shared the stage and recording studios with Jackie Orszacsky, Tina Harrod, Tom Burlinson, Grace Knight, Darren Percival, Katie Noonan, Kate Miller-Heidke, Wendy Matthews, Lloyd Swanton, Bernie McGann, James Morrison, Monica Trapaga and many more.

Julian Gough

Head of Pathways and Engagement

Julian has been active for 30 years, both nationally and internationally in the creative arts and has extensive experience in tertiary and secondary education, in Jazz and commercial performance, composition, musical direction and management.

Alice Bennett

Academic Lecturer

Alice Bennett is a Melbourne-based flautist with a keen interest in contemporary Australian music and exploratory improvisation. After completing a Bachelor of Music with Honours at Monash University, Alice travelled to Austria for the impuls 8th International Ensemble and Composers Academy for Contemporary Music.

Andrew Batterham

Academic Lecturer

Andrew Batterham is an Australian composer, arranger, songwriter and performer. His music has been performed, recorded and broadcast in Australia, Asia, Europe and the USA, by artists ranging from jazz legend James Morrison to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Bronte O’Neill

Academic Lecturer

Bronte Maree O’Neill is a performer, songwriter, producer and composer. With over 10 years of experience as a professional musician and artist, she has shared the stage with artists like Aston Merrygold, Paloma Faith, Guy Sebastian, Nico & Vinz and Hayley Warner. She has appeared as a session musician on TV programs such as X Factor, Sunrise and The Morning Show.

Dr. Carlos Lopez

Academic Lecturer

Dr. Carlos Lopez Charles is a composer, sound designer, and programmer specialising in the creation of interactive visual music. He holds a PhD and a Masters degree from the Paris 8 University (France), and a Bachelor degree from the Escuela Superior de Musica (Mexico).

Carol Starkey

Academic Lecturer

Carol Starkey’s singing career began when she joined the 1984 Australian and South East Asian tour of Jesus Christ Superstar starring Marcia Hines.  This led to a near-constant stream of major theatrical, cabaret and fringe theatre shows.

Chris Fields

Academic Lecturer

Sydney based drummer/percussionist Chris Fields hails originally from the USA where he grew up in the busy music scene of Atlanta, Georgia. Chris performed extensively in the USA, Mexico and Caribbean before moving to Australia in 2001.

Daniel Wallace-Crabbe

Academic Lecturer

Daniel Wallace-Crabbe has worked as a lecturer at AIM since 2008. He is also a casual lecturer/ tutor at Sydney University. Daniel is a composer/arranger and performer, who works across many different styles of music: from Cuban jazz, Argentine tango to contemporary classical.

Daryl McKenzie

Academic Lecturer

Daryl McKenzie is a composer, arranger, trombonist and conductor. Daryl’s undergraduate studies in music were at the Victorian College of the Arts and North Texas State University. He holds a Master of Education (Music) from RMIT University.

David McLeod

Academic Lecturer

David McLeod’s rich and varied artistic career spans over 30 years as a singer/songwriter, band leader, session and backup singer and actor. As a recording artist he has released three albums and one EP covering jazz, blues, original songs and cast recordings.

Jo Elms

Academic Lecturer

Jo Elms is a singer, songwriter, musician and actress. Born and raised in New Zealand, Jo’s first single, Closest Thing to Heaven was released through Warner Music New Zealand and went to number 5 on the NZ pop charts.

Matt Amy

Academic Lecturer

Matt Amy is a composer, arranger, trombonist and musical director based in Melbourne. His screen credits include Dancing with the Stars, Australia’s Got Talent and Australian Idol and movies such as Death Defying Acts and Corporate Animals.

Michael Bartolomei

Academic Lecturer

Michael has worked across multiple genres and settings, from rock and jazz to classical. He has composed for theatre (the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It) and film (Dive Deep, Resistance). His work has been featured extensively in radio and TV commercials including TVCs for Qantas and Nescafe.

Nic Cecire

Academic Lecturer

Nic Cecire is an in-demand drummer and educator based in Sydney. He has a resume of stage, recording and screen credits to match any professional musician working in Australia today. Nic’s work in pop and rock includes playing with headlining artists such as Wendy Mathews, The Whitlams, Jenny Morris, Boy George/Culture Club, Glenn Shorrock, Grace Knight.

Dr. Phillip Johnston

Academic Lecturer

Dr. Phillip Johnston is known internationally as a jazz saxophonist and composer. He has taught at New York University, the University of the South, the Sydney Institute, and guest lectured at Bard College, the University of Ohio, AFTRS and UNSW.

Samantha Walton

Academic Lecturer

Sam Walton is a singer and musician with a passion for live performance. She began her music career in London, where she was mentored by one of the UK’s most highly regarded vocal coaches, Joshua Alamu (Little Mix, Fleur East, Joss Stone, The Voice UK, Pop Idol) and performed at numerous venues across the UK and Europe. 

Sam Rollings

Academic Lecturer

Sam Rollings is a guitarist and educator who has performed and recorded with a diverse range of local and international artists including James Morrison, Kate Ceberano, and Dan Barnett.

Scott Saunders

Academic Lecturer

Scott Saunders has had a remarkable musical career as a composer, performer, musical director, producer and educator.

Brad Miller

Senior Instructor

Brad Miller began playing the piano at the age of five and completed his musical training in orchestration, arranging and modern harmony through Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music.

Meghann O’Neill

Academic Lecturer

Meghann O’Neill teaches videogame music courses at The Australian Institute of Music and Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Meghann composes music for games, the most recent being emergent stealth game, Wildfire.  

Dr. Mark Oliveiro

Academic Lecturer

Dr Mark Oliveiro is a graduate and distinguished alumnus of the Sydney Conservatorium, the College of Music, the University of North Texas and the School of Music of Indiana University. As well as working as an academic lecturer at AIM, Mark is a composer with diverse extra-musical interests including history, mythology and ancient literature.

Andrew Smith

Academic Lecturer

Andrew Smith is a Sydney-based saxophonist at the forefront of classical saxophone in Australia. Andrew was awarded both a B.Mus (Hons) and M.Mus from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

QUESTIONS?

Call our admissions team on 02 9219 5444 or 03 8610 4241

or email us at enquiries@aim.edu.au

“My favourite thing about AIM was the networking. It introduces you to so many people that are doing so many different things. It was such a good community, everybody welcomed you in…it was a very exciting place to be!”

Tamika Stanton

Bachelor of Music (Contemporary) Graduate

You might also be interested in

BACHELOR OF ENTERTAINMENT MANAGEMENT

Online, Melbourne, Sydney

Learn about the inner workings of the music industry and gain valuable knowledge about business. When you graduate, you’ll have the core skills, behaviours and values the industry is looking for. You’ll also have what you need to be your own boss – to start a business or become an entrepreneur.

BACHELOR OF MUSIC – ARTS MANAGEMENT

Online, Melbourne, Sydney

The Bachelor of Music (Arts Management) is the ideal degree for musicians dedicated to developing their craft whilst learning creative and collaborative music management practices. This unique hybrid undergraduate degree is designed to provide forward-thinking musicians with a head start in a competitive industry.

BACHELOR OF MUSIC – AUDIO

Online, Sydney

Learn the foundations of audio production. This includes professional studio training, live sound, post-production for film and gaming and electronic music production. You’ll study through a combination of specialised one-on-one tutoring and collaborative classes and actively engage with students from other areas of AIM.

Courses

By area of study

Audio

Bass

Classical

Composition

Contemporary

Drums & Percussion

Electronic Music

Guitar

Music & Arts Management

Music Theatre

Piano/Keyboard

Production

Songwriting

Voice

Woodwind

Study

Domestic Students

International Students

About

News & Events

BACHELOR OF MUSIC – CONTEMPORARY

DURATION

INTAKES

Location

CODES

ENTRY

Fees

About

Portfolio and Audition

Completion of Secondary Studies

Lecturers

QUESTIONS?

You might also be interested in

The Australian Institute of Music

Sydney campus

Melbourne campus

International

DOWNLOAD PROSPECTUS

The Australian
Institute of Music