GOALS OF THE PROGRAM
Music and song artists must demonstrate a high level of commitment and determination to achieve a successful career. They practise their art intensely in order to maintain and improve their musical knowledge. Artists must be open-minded, communicate easily, respect others, and conform to the ethics of the profession. While keeping up with market requirements and changing trends and technologies, musicians and vocalists should be in touch with other art forms and musical styles. In addition, they must know how to refresh their creative ideas, an ability that is crucial to their artistic development and personal well-being. Moreover, their rejuvenation of ideas is an indispensable trait for their artistic and personal balance.

The Professional Music and Song Techniques program aims to train musicians and vocalists capable of developing in various styles of popular music. These styles include mainly twentieth century musicand song produced as entertainment for a mass market: rock, jazz, blues, pop, industry, ethnic, folk, world beat, etc.

Graduates of the Professional Music and Song Techniques program are able to adapt to various working conditions and respond to the demands of the profession. They are comfortable in different environments and with various media.

Music and song artists are sought for their skills and distinct contributions. Therefore, it is important that they respond suitably to the needs and expectations of the labour market. Beginners work independently and are often isolated and must adapt to an environment with a number of specific and often constraining rules. By being well prepared, they are in a position to make enlightened decisions concerning their career advancement. Those who have acquired management skills can decide on the best strategies for managing their careers well and choosing work partners prudently.

The Professional Music and Song Techniques program includes two distinct specialization streams. The first prepares the student as an arranger and composer for music and songs. The second aims to prepare the student as a music or popular song performer.

Stream A: Composition and Arrangement
This specialization stream allows the students to acquire skills in arranging as well as composing music and songs. Arrangement is distinguished from composition because the starting point for the activity is an already existing work. The arranger modifies or elaborates on a work to improve it or adapt it to a particular context. The arranger generally works alone, although he or she may sometimes be asked to collaborate with the creator of the original song or piece of music. In addition to working with instrumental music and songs, students who arrange and compose may be asked to produce music for a specific context, such as cinema, advertising or multimedia.

Stream B: Performance
This specialization stream aims to train instrumentalists and popular music singers. As performers, instrumentalists and singers may work as soloists, members of an ensemble or accompanists. They must have a high level of skills in performance and sometimes in improvisation and theatrical expression. Generally, musicians work on stage or in a recording studio. Occasionally, they fulfill a particular function, such as providing music for a special event or participating in a television program, with or without a fixed repertoire. On other occasions, they have to produce their own show and take care of the programming. Conducting an ensemble could also be part of working in popular music as well as producing audio material.

AIMS OF THE PROGRAM
The aims of the program-specific component of the Professional Music and Song Techniques program are:
• to enable students to acquire competence in the exercise of the profession, to perform the roles and carry out the functions, tasks and activities of the profession at a level acceptable for entry into the job market;
• to help students integrate into professional life through practical experiences that make the same demands on them as those of the real working environments in the field of music and popular song, and teach them the importance of fulfilling their responsibilities;
• to foster students' personal growth and continuing professional development by helping them attain greater self-understanding and awareness of their musical potential, with emphasis on attention to detail, autonomy, critical thinking, the desire to excel, openness to trends in the arts in general and popular music in particular;
• to facilitate the future job mobility of students by enabling them to adapt to different situations and working conditions and to manage their career with discernment.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Click here for General Requirements for Admission to Cegep

An audition in the principal instrument and an evaluation test in theory and ear training are required. These are usually held on the first or second weekend in March.

Applicants with post-secondary standing will be evaluated on their overall academic performance with emphasis on their current or most recent courses.

Application Deadline: March 1 (fall semester), November 1 (winter semester). Please include a résumé of your musical training and experience with your application. You should contact the Music Department (Chair of Admissions) at least one month prior to the deadline

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In order to graduate with a DEC, you must pass 14 General Education courses, an English Exit Examination and the Épreuve synthèse de programme or Comprehensive Program Assessment by the end of your final semester.

Complementary Music Courses
The Music Department also offers complementary courses to students in other programs. These courses include: Choir, Concert Band, piano workshops, film music, popular music and international music.

For more information,
• visit the Vanier College Music web site or contact the Music Department's coordinator of admissions at (514) 744-7500 x 7688.
• further information can also be obtained by contacting the Information Office at info@vaniercollege.qc.ca or (514) 744-7500.