BA (HONS) PERFORMANCE – ACTOR MUSICIANSHIP

Validated by University of East Anglia

Duration: 3 years (full-time)
Application Deadline: Feb 17 2025 at 9:00AM

2025/26 Course Fees

Audition Fee : £50
UK/ROI students : £15,775 p/a
International students : £20,595 p/a
APPLY FOR THIS COURSE

Explore the course:

Course Overview
Course Content
Graduates
Entry
Fees
Auditions and interviews

Course Overview

Actor-musicians are increasingly in-demand performers who combine first-rate acting ability with a high level of musicianship.

Mountview’s Actor Musicianship course develops these dual skills to the highest level, enabling graduates to combine them in their performance.

Whilst a high level of prior musical experience is a pre-requisite, it is not necessary to have achieved formal music qualifications before applying.

 

Course Content

2025/26 Term Dates
Autumn term 8 September – 12 December 2025
Spring term 5 January – 2 April 2026
Summer term 20 April – 17 July 2026

delivery

Study takes place over three 12-week terms a year for three years. It is an actor training programme with specialised music elements. Students work in small classes and receive over 25 hours of direct teaching time each week, including one-to-one singing and instrumental lessons.

The course is delivered through classes, projects, workshops and performance opportunities. During the course students engage in a range of performance projects, working on Shakespeare, contemporary plays, and musicals as well as devising original work. The first half of each term is devoted to skills classes whilst in the second half of each term these skills are applied to performance projects.

Skills
  • Acting
  • Improvisation
  • Actor & text
  • Voice
  • Singing
  • Solo & ensemble music
  • Context & musicianship
  • Movement & dance
  • Alexander Technique
  • Research
  • Reflection on acting practice

Performance
  • Realism project
  • Ensemble project
  • Music & text project

2025/26 Term Dates
Autumn term 10 September – 12 December 2025
Spring term 5 January – 2 April 2026
Summer term 20 April – 17 July 2026

delivery

In the second year, skills are further explored in collaboration classes which include peer integration and team teaching to enhance your creativity and help you to make connections between subjects.

Additionally, there is time given to tailored ‘surgeries’ to focus on detail and help develop independence and confidence in each individual’s practice.

Skills
  • Acting
  • Acting for camera
  • Actor & text
  • Voice
  • Movement & dance
  • Singing
  • Solo & ensemble music
  • Context & musicianship
  • Stage combat
  • Career development
  • Reflection on acting practice
  • Audition technique

Performance
  • Bespoke Text
  • Shakespeare
  • Book Musical

2025/26 Term Dates
Autumn term 1 September – 19 December 2025
Spring term 5 January – 19 April 2026
Summer term 20 April – 7 June 2026

Skills
  • Audition technique
  • Reflection on acting practice

Performance
  • Three public productions
  • Showcase
  • TV showreel
  • Recorded voice reel

Our Graduates

Actor Musicianship graduates include:

  • MOLLY-GRACE CUTLER – Daisy in The Great Gatsby (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre), Carole King in Carole King The Musical (UK Tour)
  • AJ JENKS – Buddy Holly in Buddy Holly: The Buddy Holly Story (UK Tour)
  • LUCINDA COYLE – Artistic Director of Bullet Point Theatre and writer of Our Last First (The Space)
  • LUCAS KOCH – Sam in Crazy for You (West End), Choir of Man (West End)
  • TONNY SHIM – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (West End), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Musical(Southwark Playhouse)
  • CHARLOTTE GRAYSON – Lord of the Rings The Musical (Watermill Theatre), Songs for A New World (London Palladium)
  • MICHAEL JEREMIAH –The Lion King (UK Tour), Get Up Stand Up! (West End)

For a full overview of what our recent graduates are up to, check out our Alumni News. 

"The combination of strong acting with strong music skills is, for me, absolute gold dust. Audiences love the dexterity, the ensemble and the virtuosity of actor musician companies. Actor musicians are true performing artists."

- Peter Rowe, Artistic Director, New Wolsey Theatre

Entry Information

Applicants must be able to display a high level of proficiency on at least one instrument.  Formal music or academic qualifications are not essential.

Applicants must be aged 18 or turn 18 within the first term of the course. Admission onto the course is by audition and previous academic qualifications are not essential.

Mountview recognises that talent cannot always be measured by conventional academic achievement and welcomes applications from people without standard entry qualifications. However, one of the following is desirable:

• Five GCSE passes and two A-Levels or
• Four SCE Higher Grade passes
• BTEC National or Higher National Certificate or Diploma with merit grades
• Foundation course
• Access to Higher Education Diploma

If an applicant requires a student visa and their first language is not English, they will need to prove their knowledge of the English language before applying for their student visa. This must be demonstrated by passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider or having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that they began when they were under 18.

Mountview welcomes applications from people with disabilities and is keen to support all applicants to achieve their best. If applicants have any special requirements or access needs, these should be discussed with the course leader/administrator.

Mountview is committed to a comprehensive policy of equal opportunities for students in which individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. No applicant will receive less or more favourable treatment on grounds of sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnic origin, disability, religion and marital/parental status or any comparable grounds.

Upon offer, students must be sure that they are prepared to engage with a wide range of material that may challenge their personal ethical, religious, spiritual or moral beliefs, and present it in a wide range of settings including public performance.

Fees

Audition Fee£50
UK/ROI students£15,775 p/a
International students£20,595 p/a

Students may apply for a maximum Student Tuition Fee Loan of £6,000. For more information, please refer to our Funding and Scholarships page below.

All fees listed are for Year 1 2025/26 entry. Fees are subject to annual review and may increase in years 2 and 3 in line with inflation. One term’s notice will be given of any increases.

Limited audition fee waivers and reductions are available for candidates with a household income of less than £21,000.

Additional costs include grey palette active wear for workshops and dance shoes – allow around £180. In year 3 there will be additional costs for headshots, Spotlight membership and some travel – allow £350. Instruments must be insured and have a hard case.

There are a number of student scholarships available.

Funding and Scholarships

Auditions Info

First round BA Performance auditions will take place in-person. For international candidates and those with exceptional circumstances, the option of an online first-round audition is available.

For detailed information on what you need to prepare for auditions and for audition dates visit:

Auditions and Interviews