Applied Music
OSAP Eligible
Overview
Thank you for your interest in Mohawk College!
This program is not currently accepting applications.
Need help finding a program or not sure which program or career is right for you? Our career tools can help you narrow the search in just a few easy steps.
Or, connect with an Outreach and Education Advisor who can help you narrow down your options, identify programs that fit your interests and goals, and discuss career opportunities.
You can also return to the list of all programs to search again. International Students can visit the International Student site for more information.
Develop your skills in musicianship, performance, song writing and composing, producing and more, through Mohawk College’s performance based 3 year Applied Music Program. Develop skills that will prepare you for the music industry or help further your education.
Students have the choice to focus their studies in either Classical or Contemporary stream, in their choice of instruments/vocal. Students who apply to the Applied Music Program will have to complete an audition, theory and ear training test, and an interview. For more information on audition requirements please visit Music Auditions.
Streams and Instrument/Vocal Options:
976: Applied Music (Classical Strings and Guitar)
977: Applied Music (Classical Winds)
978: Applied Music (Drums and Percussion)
979: Applied Music (Contemporary Winds)
980: Applied Music (Contemporary Guitar)
981: Applied Music (Classical Piano)
982: Applied Music (Contemporary Piano)
983: Applied Music (Classical Voice)
984: Applied Music (Contemporary Voice)
986: Applied Music (Bass)
Program Highlights
- Personalized instrumental or vocal instruction by some of the industry’s most experienced and accomplished faculty.
- Performance opportunities in McIntyre Performing Arts Centre at Fennell Campus in the community and for various recording projects.
- Clinics and workshops with world-renowned guest musicians and artists.
- Learn about, develop and perform in a variety of different styles.
- Develop your composing and music production skills, using the latest music technology, through collaborations within the department and with Animation, TV Production, Radio and Journalism students.
- Opportunities to teach private lessons through practical experience working in the community.
- Hands on experience through an internship program and several community partners.
- Take advantage of Partnership agreements to further your education with McMaster University and Berklee College of Music.
- Access to Berklee’s Global Network, including workshops and sessions offered by Berklee for their Global Partners.
What you'll learn
- Perform in a variety of ensembles, coached by faculty.
- Use the latest music technology for recording, creating and producing music.
- Write musical scores for various collaborative productions.
- Appreciate the diverse array of musical styles and rich history of music across global cultures.
- Personal and social awareness of music’s cultural and health roles.
- Explore the business side of the music profession.
- Gain the advice of industry experts.
- Learn how to teach private lessons through practical experience working in the community.
Program Streams
Applicants may apply to only one Music Stream (contemporary or classical) on their ontariocolleges.ca application. However, any applicants that are unsure to what stream they align can call our Music department at 905-575-2144. We can help you assess which category you fit into. Typically, if you play rock or pop, you will likely fit into the contemporary category. Applications are for one instrument major only. During your audition, you may mention that you play an additional instrument and you may be given further instruction at that time. There may be opportunities to play additional instruments during your studies in ensemble classes
Important Academic Dates
.
.
Video Resources
Advanced Diploma Program
Meet Jamshed Turel
Mohawk College Music Department's Students Behind-the-Scenes
Admission
Admission
Domestic and International student admission requirements
Admission Requirements
- OSSD or equivalent (Mohawk Academic Upgrading, GED) including:
- Grade 12 English, C or U or equivalent
- Background in Music
- Audition on your instrument or voice, ear-training test, theory exam and a meeting with music faculty.
- Applicant acceptance will be based on ability and talent in a principal instrument or voice.
Options are available for mature applicants.
Language Requirements for Applicants with English as a Second Language
- See below for accepted equivalents for Grade 12 English:
- Successful completion of the GAS-English for Academic Purposes (478 or 278) program
- TOEFL minimum score of 550 (80 Internet based)
- or IELTS Academic minimum score of 6.0 overall with no band less than 5.5
- More information about acceptable certificates, can be found on the International Admission Requirements
Don't have the necessary requirements?
Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and Fees
2023 - 2024 Domestic Tuition and Fees
| Description | Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Ancillary Fees | $864.60 | $758.46 |
| Co-op Fees | N/A | N/A |
| Compulsory Program Fees | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Domestic Tuition | $1,837.30 | $1,837.30 |
| Total Domestic Charges Per Semester | $2,701.90 | $2,595.76 |
| Total 1st Year Fees | $5,297.66 | |
Above fees based on full-time September program start date. Contact Student Services to confirm fees for other start dates or semesters.
- Full Cost Breakdown
- Explore payment options
- Book costs for your program can be found through the Campus Store
2023 - 2024 International Tuition and Fees
| Description | Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Tuition & Ancillary Fee | $8,875.00 | $8,875.00 |
| Co-op Fees | N/A | N/A |
| Program Compulsory Fees | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| International Tax Recovery | $450.00 | $375.00 |
| Total International Per Semester | $9,325.00 | $9,250.00 |
| Total 1st Year Fees | $18,575.00 | |
If you pay by wire transfer, please note your bank might charge you a fee to transfer money. Make sure your transfer includes the Mohawk payment and the wire transfer fee. This applies to each wire transfer payment you make.
Additional Information
- View the Additional Information Tab for any additional costs
- Better Jobs Ontario (formerly Second Career)
Financial Assistance
Financial Assistance
When it comes to paying for your education, investing in your future can be more affordable than you think. A Mohawk education is one of the most cost-effective means of acquiring the skills and knowledge you need to have a prosperous and rewarding career.
As you start on your chosen career path, it's important to have a realistic set of expectations regarding the expenses associated with attending college. In addition to your tuition fees, you will also need to budget for books, supplies, housing, and other related living expenses. You may be able to supplement your income and savings with scholarships, bursaries, or loans. It pays to do some research into what types of financial assistance you may qualify for.
Available Financial Assistance Resources:
- OSAP Eligible. Learn about Ontario Student Assistance Program - OSAP (domestic students only)
- Working on Campus
- Additional Sources of Funding
- Financial Assistance Home Page
Apply for Awards:
By submitting a Scholarships and Bursaries Application every semester, students have access to over $3 million in Mohawk College scholarships, bursaries and Ministry-partnered funding to help meet their financial needs.
Financial Literacy and Money Coaching:
Whether saving for school, sticking to a budget, or planning for a major purchase, financial literacy affects us all. That's why Mo' Money is committed to helping our students improve their money skills and become more confident with their money.
- One-on-One Money Counselling
- Complete the free online Money Matters Module to earn Co-Curricular Credit!
- Financial Resources and Calculators
- Events and Workshops
Program of Studies
Course Overview & Descriptions
Click on the course title for a course description.
Experiential Learning
Experiential Learning
How you'll gain skills:
- Participate in multiple performance-based learning opportunities on-campus and in the community.
- Through a mix of on-campus labs and interactive simulations.
- Select Mohawk music students perform in various industry events, such as part of Jazz FM’s Jazzology program, Supercrawl, and various music festivals.
- Practice in dedicated practice studios and the synthesizer-computer laboratory.
- Foster civic responsibility and leadership by delivering music education through a service learning experience in our community.
- Gain industry connections by completing two internship/field placement courses.
To learn more, please visit the Centre for Experiential Learning.
Career Opportunities
Career Opportunities
- Performance (bands, orchestras, choirs, touring, solo)
- Composition and media scoring
- Songwriting
- Music production
- Music education*
- Music business and industry
- Music therapy*
- Community music*
*Additional training is required through one of our partner institutions.
Alumni Features
One of the first students to use our articulation with Berklee College of Music, Lorenzo received advanced placement to study film scoring at Berklee College of Music in Boston. After graduating from Berklee, Lorenzo returned to Toronto and quickly began a successful career writing music for television and advertising. His music can be heard on such productions as Sesame Street (PBS), Rocket Monkeys (Teletoon), Japanizi: Going Going Gong! (YTV), Hollywood Death Trip (E!), Gourmet Escapes (Travel & Escape), Super WHY! (PBS), to name a few.
Lorenzo has also written music on numerous advertisements for Nissan, McDonalds, Jackson Triggs, Yellow Pages, BMO, Tim Hortons, Bell, Shoppers Drug Mart, and many more.
Juno nominated pianist and composer Adrean Farrugia is one of Canada’s most distinct voices on the piano and is high in demand as a freelance performer and teacher. Adrean has toured extensively across Canada, the United States, and Japan, with some of jazz’s greatest and most diverse artists of today’s time. As a composer, Adrean has released three albums; one of which was nominated in 2011 for a Juno award for best contemporary jazz recording.
He has served on the faculties of York University, Humber College, and Mohawk College, and has held workshops at the University of Colorado, University of Toronto, The University of Western Ontario, The Banff Centre for the Arts, and at The Sydney and Brisbane Conservatories.
Hope Bozzo is a graduate from Mohawk College. She has had a successful career as a bassist, music supervisor, composer, and entrepreneur, founding her own music summer camp program. She now works as an Associate Marketing Manager at Warner Music. Of her time at Mohawk College, Hope writes: “My time at Mohawk was an amazing experience. Not only did the program help me to develop skills for being a musician, but the collaborative small community was great for interacting with others, being able to play with people that were at a higher level of playing, explore new music, and be a part of the Hamilton community. The program prepares you to be a well-rounded musician from playing, to teaching, to recording, producing, entrepreneurial skills and so much more".
Educational Pathways
Educational Pathways
Pathways to Mohawk
If you've successfully taken a course at another post-secondary institution, you may be able to earn course exemptions toward your credential here at Mohawk.
Pathways beyond Mohawk
Credit transfer agreements have been arranged to make it easier for students to move from Mohawk to another institution.
Transfer From Applied Music To
Athabasca University
Bachelor of Commerce - PD
Bachelor of Commerce - PD with major
Bachelor of Human Resources and Labour Relations - PD
Bachelor of Management - PD
Bachelor of Professional Arts in Communication Studies
1 University Dr
Athabasca AB T9S 3A3
Canada
Berklee College of Music
Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Professional Studies
1140 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02215
United States
Davenport University
Bachelor of Business Administration General Business
6191 Kraft Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
United States
McMaster University
Bachelor of Music (Hons)
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton ON L8S 4L8
Canada
Technological University of the Shannon
Bachelor of Science (Honours) Music Technology and Production
University Road
Athlone
Co. Westmeath
N37 HD68
Ireland
Mohawk College makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of each transfer opportunity. Please note that changes may occur in program offerings, admission requirements, and transfer credits granted by the receiving institutions. We advise all students to check with the receiving institution directly for the most up-to-date information.
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Search ONTransfer.ca for more pathways with Ontario public colleges and universities.
Mohawk College makes no warranty or endorsement of material contained within links to external websites, nor does the College assume any responsibility for the linked website or its contents.
Additional Information
Additional Information
All music students except piano-majors are expected to have their own instruments and/or microphones for practice. Select equipment is available for check-out within the department. Practice rooms and ensemble rooms, with pianos and keyboards, are available during college hours for students to regularly practice.
The Applied Music program has a mandatory laptop requirement. All students are required to have a laptop that is capable of effectively running the software packages that we use for instruction. This provides our students with 24/7 access to industry-relevant production tools and learning resources.
The requirement of an approved music production capable laptop is foundational to our learning structure and is necessary upon program entry. We have updated our policy to include laptops capable of meeting our required software specifications.
Mohawk College currently has a partnership agreement with Apple® Canada. We recommend that you shop on Mohawk's Custom Online Apple® store to receive educational discounts when purchasing your new MacBook Pro. We also recommend that you wait until late spring/early summer to take advantage of the "back to school" specials offered by Apple®.
To Access Mohawk's Custom Online Store
- Log into your MyMohawk account with your MohawkID and password.
- Click on the Technology Solutions tab.
- Navigate to the Computer Store and click “Online Apple Store.”
- Once you arrive to our Mohawk College Discount store webpage, select “See recommended systems” to view a list of the MacBook Pros we recommend for this program.
If you have any additional questions, feel free to call the friendly Apple experts over the telephone at 1-800-MY-APPLE to get the answers you are looking for.
It is strongly recommended that students purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan, which is included in the various recommend bundles by default. You will require the use of your MacBook Pro for day-to-day productivity and any potential downtime could have a significant impact on your academic success. AppleCare will ensure that you will have the best possible experience with your new MacBook Pro, especially if something out of the ordinary should happen. However, if you do not wish to purchase AppleCare, you can remove AppleCare from the bundle using the Remove button in the cart.
If you currently own an Apple® laptop that meets our minimum standard and is capable of running the required software, a new purchase will not be required.
Minimum and recommended Workstation Laptop configurations for Fall 2023
- macOS Workstation
- OS: macOS 12 Monterey
- CPU: Apple M2 Pro (10-core) or better
- GPU: Apple M2 Pro (16-core) or better
- RAM: 16GB unified memory or greater (32GB recommended)
- Internal storage: 512GB (1TB recommended)
- Recommended machine: Apple MacBook Pro
Note: PC laptops and Chromebook devices will not be accepted in the Applied Music program.
Software Requirements
- Apple Garageband
- Apple Logic Pro
- Audacity
- AVID Sibelius
- Microsoft Office: Download at no cost through your Mohawk College account.
Hardware
Personal External Storage:
- Minimum capacity: 1TB
- Technology: solid-state drive (SSD)
- Read/Write Speeds: approximately 500MB/second or greater (USB 3.1 or better)
- Connector: USB
Faculty
Faculty
Contact Us
Contact us
Domestic Canadian Students
Contact Student Recruitment
Haven’t applied yet and have questions?
Contact our Student Recruitment team for information on programs, how to apply, and more.
Contact Admissions
Contact our Admissions advisors for help with your application.
Contact Admissions
Phone: 1-844-767-6871
International Students
Contact International Student Recruitment
Contact our International Student Recruitment team for information on programs, how to apply, and student life.
Contact International
Email: intl.representatives@mohawkcollege.ca
Phone: 1-905-575-2254
Toll free phone numbers:
For general questions: 1-888-Mohawk9 (1-888-664-2959)
North China: 10-800-714-2521
South China: 10-800-140-2541
Brazil: 0800-022-7408
Philippines: 180011102544
Contact International Admissions
Contact our Admissions advisors for help with your application.
Contact International Admissions
Phone: 1-905-575-2254
*Not all programs are international eligible. Please see our programs available for international students.
Accessible Learning Services
Are you a student with a confirmed or suspected disability? Visit our Accessible Learning Services website to discover how we can help you.
Canadian Domestic Students
Create your personalized viewbook
Build (and share) your online Mohawk College experience.
Stay Connected!
Join our email list to receive college and program updates, upcoming events and stories about our students!
We're here to help
We’re here for you to support applications and admissions by providing online and virtual service.
Applied and have questions?
The admissions team is available to help, you can contact them via Admissions or by phone at 1-844-767-6871.
Haven’t applied and need help?
Contact us or phone 1-844-767-6871.
Take a virtual campus tour
Explore Mohawk College from the comfort of home! Our virtual campus tours provide a guided visit of our buildings, labs, services, classrooms and athletic and recreation centre.
Program delivery
Learn about program delivery terms.
Please note: in-person, virtual, and hybrid classes vary according to the program and some programs may be in-person only. Refer to the Program Overview for more information.