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A Drake Music Business student performs a recital on a grand piano situated in a hall with photographs of other musicians

Music Business Major

Great music deserves an audience. Take your spot behind the scenes as a Music Business major at Drake.

College of Arts & Sciences | On-Campus

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What You'll Learn

Drake University’s Bachelor of Music (B.M.) with Elective Studies in Business program positions you to work in the space where the arts and business intersect.

Our students learn to operate venues, run arts organizations, and manage artists. And they do it all while growing into expert musicians.

Drake is one of the few institutions to offer a Bachelor of Music degree with elective studies in business. This is an ideal place to learn the trade: our students get an up-close look at Des Moines’ thriving arts scene through internships and on-the-job training. You’ll also benefit from the world-class instruction that defines our Department of Music, where you’ll become an accomplished musician through performance and academic studies in music.

Classes in music theory, history, and technique provide a thorough perspective of playing and analyzing music. To prepare you to oversee operations, events, and performers, you’ll couple this insider’s view with courses in marketing, accounting, and economics from the Zimpleman College of Business.

Audition Information

About the Music Major

  • One of a handful of undergraduate Music Business programs in the U.S.
  • Gain experience working inside arts organizations, arenas, clubs, or other venues.
  • Perform with one of Drake’s award-winning student ensembles.
  • Master an instrument or vocal performance through one-on-one lessons with expert musicians.
  • Contribute to a department offering over 150 performances every year.
  • Drake University has received accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music on the strength of our Music Department program quality.

Program Facts

  • On campus
  • 120 total credits; 97 credits for the major
  • Full-time; four years to completion

Program Options

Drake’s Music Business major provides intensive training in both music and business. You’ll be fluent in both worlds, gaining experience on stage and in orchestrating the full production.

B.M. With Elective Studies in Business

Combine musical training with the Zimpleman College of Business’s minor in Business with a concentration in marketing and retailing. In addition to participating in an ensemble, seniors have the option to perform an hour-long recital.

Music Minor

You don’t have to plan a career on stage to cultivate your musical talents. Music minors become proficient in an instrument or vocal performance while also taking classes in music theory, history, and sight-singing. An audition is required.

Meet the Faculty

At Drake, you’ll study with faculty who are renowned performers and skilled business operators. Most of all, they’re expert teachers dedicated to your success.

Dr. Eric Barnum

Dr. Eric Barnum

Director, Choral Studies; Associate Professor, Music

Dr. James Romain

Dr. James Romain

Professor, Saxophone and Jazz Studies

All Faculty Members

Outside the Classroom

You’ll engage in classes, learning music theory and history, perfecting your instrumental or vocal technique, and analyzing business case studies. But it’s the time you spend putting those lessons to work that sets Drake apart.

The cello section of Drake's student orchestra, an option for Music Business Majors to get performance experience

Ensembles

From jazz to opera, choirs to orchestras, find your on-stage home in one of our award-winning ensembles. Ensembles frequently perform off-campus and even back professional musicians on records.

A conductor in front of Drake's wind and brass ensemble, a performance option for Music Business majors

Masterclasses and Recitals

Every year, Drake welcomes Grammy winners, avant-garde performers, symphony superstars, and rising talents for intimate masterclasses with students and recitals on our world-class stages.

A Drake Music Business student, in a sweetheart neckline dress, stands in front of Sheslow Auditorium before their recital

Optional Senior Recital

Before graduating, showcase your talent in an optional recital in the 775-seat Sheslow Auditorium or the club-sized Patty & Fred Turner Jazz Center.

A Drake music instructor and a Music Business student review vocal technique during a lesson

Internships

Work with touring acts, build community arts programs, or help local musicians find their audience as you intern with one of the dozens of Des Moines-area arts groups. All Music Business majors must complete an internship before graduation.

A trumpet player in one of Drake's student bands performs during a basketball games

Student Organizations

Step up and get involved on campus, in our community, and in our craft through one of our student groups. Join an international music fraternity, Drake’s Student Music Advisory Committee, or the National Association for Music Education.

A Fine Arts Scholarship recipient practices marimba in one of Drake's concert halls

Fine Arts Scholarship

Every year, the Department of Music awards over $650,000 in Fine Arts Scholarships to our most gifted students. Your audition for entry into the program automatically qualifies you for consideration.

Careers & Skills

Music is more than an art—it’s big business. Every year, music pumps $212 billion into the U.S. economy and supports 2.5 million jobs, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Drake’s Music Business major gives you the knowledge, skills, and experience to be part of that.

Opportunities

  • Performing arts management
  • Artist representation
  • Not-for-profit administration
  • Facility management
  • Performance
  • Teaching
  • Recording
  • Marketing

Skills

  • Become proficient at your instrument
  • Develop performance skills through ensemble work
  • Study marketing or retailing through a business minor
  • Gain real-life lessons through a required internship
  • Develop critical thinking and communication skills through the Drake Curriculum
A conductor leads a practice session for one of Drake's winds and brass ensembles

Salary & Growth Outlook

$

Median annual wage for facilities managers as of 2023. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Performing or managing? The career path for 2013 graduate Devin Van Holsteijn shows that music business students can do both. Now the executive director for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, Van Holsteijn served as the event coordinator and general manager for Drake’s Turner Center while a student, earned an MBA after completing his bachelor’s, and started a regular gig as the alto saxophonist for the Dandelion Stompers, an Iowa City jazz ensemble.

Related Programs

The intersection of business and music is just one avenue you can explore. If music is your passion, discover how else you can pursue it at Drake.

Music, BA

Pair your love of music with diverse academic interests in the Bachelor of Arts in Music program.

Music Performance/Applied Music, BM

For students interesting in pursuing careers as solo/ensemble performers, teaching at the college level, and more. Choose from four specialized program tracks.

Music Education, BME

Build a foundation in music theory, history, and piano as you complete the requirements for certification to teach in K-12 school music programs.

Take the Next Step

Grow your talents while training to manage talent in Drake’s innovative Music Business program.

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A Drake Music Business student reviews sheet music in a well-lit classroom