Historical Performance, Undergraduate Certificate

About the Historical Performance Undergraduate Certificate

Historical Performance (HP) is a field of musical scholarship and performance that focuses on the research and practice of historical instruments, techniques, and repertoires, particularly in music of the pre-modern and early-modern eras, spanning a period from Gregorian chant to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the early Classic era. HP has become the prevailing approach to pre-19th-century western music repertoires, and the skills associated with HP are highly valued in the world of both performance and academic music research. Many performers, educators, and even instrument builders have made it the primary focus of successful careers, and many musicians have also embraced HP as a career-enhancing secondary specialization.

The undergraduate certificate in Historical Performance offers Texas Tech music students the opportunity to pursue an HP specialization while simultaneously allowing them to complete the standard undergraduate Bachelor of Arts, Music, or Music Education, with a minimum of extra coursework. Students with this certificate will be better equipped to pursue 1) graduate programs that offer a concentration in historical performance; 2) musicology graduate research focused on pre- and early-modern music; and 3) other advanced post-diploma training in historical instruments/vocal techniques.