Bachelor in performance (DNSPM)

In 2025, the pôle Aliénor and the PESMD Bordeaux (higher education institution in music and dance) are partnering to create an innovative educational offer aimed at strengthening the professional integration of future performing artists and teachers. Starting from the 2025/2026 academic year, students will benefit from teaching provided by teams of artist-educators from both institutions, supported by ambitious and multidisciplinary artistic projects. This collaboration will also allow future graduates to take advantage of the artistic partnerships (opera companies, orchestras, festivals, professional ensembles, national theatres, Scenes of Actual Music, etc.) and educational alliances (higher education institutions, conservatories, music schools, etc.) of both institutions, thereby expanding their networks in a broader region.

Bachelor in performance

The bachelor in performance (DNSPM) is an undergraduate degree recognizing higher education in music performance. The program leading to the DNSPM is associated with a university program leading to a bachelor’s degree in music. Since 2008, the pôle Aliénor, the University of Poitiers and the University of Tours have jointly offered a curriculum leading to both the professional musician bachelor (DNSPM) and a bachelor’s degree in Musicology. Starting in the 2025 academic year, the DNSPM is expected to be recognized as equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. It will no longer be systematically linked to a bachelor’s degree in music. These diplomas lead to professional fields or towards further studies (Master’s), either in France (including at pôle Aliénor) or abroad, in performance or musicology.

The DNSPM is listed in the French national register of professional certifications at level 6 according to the new classification of the National Framework of Professional Certifications (as of January 1, 2020). Level 6 corresponds to the former level II (Bachelor’s).
RNCP Code: 37687
Issuing authority: Ministry of Culture

Depending on the study field, courses can be located in Poitiers or Tours. The bachelor program is available in the « instrumentalist, singer Â» section of the following fields:

  • Classical to contemporary music
    • Brass: trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba (in Tours)
    • Percussion (in Tours)
    • Strings: violin, viola, cello, double bass
    • Saxophone
    • Piano
  • Early music: all instruments, voice, organ
  • Traditional music: cultural areas of France (all instruments, voice)

In the 2025/2026 academic year, as part of the unified program between the PESMD and Pôle Aliénor, the professional musician bachelor will be available at PESMD Bordeaux Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the following instrumental fields:

This diploma is linked to a program leading to a Bachelor’s degree in Musicology. These two diplomas, which are inseparable, are issued by Pôle Aliénor and the University of Tours for the brass and percussion departments, and by Pôle Aliénor and the University of Poitiers for the others. Starting in the 2025 academic year, the professional musician bachelor is expected to be recognized as equivalent to a university bachelor’s degree. It will no longer be systematically linked to a Bachelor’s degree in music.

It is possible to combine the bachelor in performance with the bachelor in music and vocal teaching (DE).

Main features of the courses

  • Artistic practice: instrument and chamber music courses
  • Artistic culture
  • Ensemble sessions, orchestra, and chamber music
  • Specific artistic projects
  • Integration with pedagogical education (pedagogical bachelor courses)
  • Professional immersion and insertion: internships with many partners, ensembles, orchestras, and performance venues
  • Inter-regional project based on numerous partnerships
  • Broad aesthetic openness with an emphasis on historically informed performances

Tailored programs

The student’s program is defined during the first year of study: developed with the teaching team, it considers the student’s wishes, the validation of prior learning (Pôle Aliénor and university), the results of the entrance exam, and the overall pathway envisaged by the student. This program has an orientation value and can be modified during the studies. It may lead the student to obtain the various diplomas sought within a variable period of time. Many pathways are possible, however, certain pathways leading to specific situations are excluded.

Program pathway

Admitted candidates will join the first year of a program, which is a common one between the bachelor in performance (DNSPM) and the bachelor in music and vocal teaching (DE). At the end of this first year, they will have the option to choose from different pathways.

Note: The pedagogical pathway may be accessible directly in the 2nd year of the program, depending on the candidate’s profile. The application to enter the 2nd year of the Pedagogical bachelor in music teaching program is subject to acceptance based on the candidate’s form and will include additional tests during the entrance exam (cf. document Epreuves_concours2025). A candidate who wishes to enter the Pedagogical bachelor in music teaching program directly in the 2nd year must indicate this on the application form. A response regarding the possibility of this type of application will be given after review of the file.

Music degrees (performer and teacher) are accessible through apprenticeship. Musicians in a program can thus alternate between work  in a professional structure and educational sessions in a CFA (Centre for Apprenticeship Education).

For the 2025/2026 academic year, Pôle Aliénor and   PESMD Bordeaux Nouvelle-Aquitaine  provide this type of education for:

  • The second and/or third years of the bachelor in performance (DNSPM) in various areas (classical to contemporary, amplified contemporary music, traditional music, early music)
  • The bachelor in music and vocal teaching – DE (more information on the PESMD website)

The CFA (centre de formation d’apprentis) Culture Nouvelle-Aquitaine is the project of 9 cultural higher education institutions in Nouvelle-Aquitaine’s consortium, made up to develop apprenticeship opportunities for cultural professions (Visual Arts, Fine Arts, Music, Dance, Theatre). The project is supported and accompanied by the Ministry of Culture – DG2TDC, the DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and the Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It aims to open apprenticeship opportunities in the partner schools in the 2025 academic year.
This CFA aims to adapt apprenticeship methods to the specificities of the professions and employment sectors involved, particularly with tailored schedules that balance educational period and time spent in the company, as well as providing personalized support for apprentices through content that meets the needs of the companies.

Become a professional musician and obtain a professional musician bachelor via Apprenticeship

Starting in the 2025/2026 academic year, PESMD Bordeaux Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Pôle Aliénor Poitiers-Tours will offer an access to the DNSPM through apprenticeship. This program is available for the second and/or third years of education, for candidates already enrolled in one of the institutions offering the DNSPM, aged between 16 and 29 years old.

The program combines time in a company or cultural structure with education. Apprenticeship education helps students understand professional codes, workplace behavior, and gain valuable professional experience. This type of education is provided by the CFA CULTURE NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE, which offers apprenticeship status and makes the candidates employees (https://urls.fr/SYVp2c). The CFA CULTURE NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE is dedicated to education in the cultural sector and aims to adapt apprenticeship methods to the specificities of the professions and employment sectors concerned.

The link between the CFA and higher education institutions (Pôle Aliénor and PESMD Bordeaux Nouvelle-Aquitaine) allows apprentices to:

  • receive complementary lessons fully integrated with their practice in professional structures
  • benefit from a schedule adapted to their training time, in coordination with their work schedule in the company
  • engage in artistic dynamics alongside students in initial program (collective practices, chamber music, artistic and scenic projects…)

For any inquiries:

Apprenticeship contact: Caroline Bordes  â€“ CFA mission officer at info@cfaculture-na.com  +33 7 61 30 05 24

The training for the bachelor in performance (DNSPM) prepares students to embrace artistic careers and helps them build a personal musical and artistic approach that considers the current developments in artistic fields.

A career as a professional musician is rich in various activities (a “portfolio” career):

  • Orchestra musician, instrumental or vocal ensemble member
  • Chamber music
  • Live performance, cross-disciplinary artistic projects (music, dance, theatre, etc.)
  • Music teacher, professor at conservatories and music schools (in connection with the education within the Pedagogical bachelor in music teaching)

Professional integration preparation activities are tailored differently depending on the fields of study and the areas of practice within the profession. 

Bachelor in performance (DNSPM) is a first-cycle higher education diploma recognizing specialized studies in music performance. The program leading to the DNSPM is associated with a university degree program leading to a Bachelor’s in Music. These two diplomas, inseparable, are jointly awarded by Pôle Aliénor and the University of Poitiers , except for the brass and percussion departments, where the diploma will be jointly awarded by Pôle Aliénor and the University of Tours. Starting in the 2025/2026 academic year, the DNSPM is expected to be recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree. It will no longer be systematically linked to a bachelor’s in music. These diplomas lead to professional fields or towards further studies (Master’s), either in France (including at the pôle Aliénor) or abroad, in performance or musicology.

Connection between the Professional musician bachelor and Pedagogical bachelor’s in Music teaching programs


It is possible to obtain the bachelor’s in music and vocal teaching (DE). The skills expected for the DE are generally those at the end of a first cycle of higher education, enhanced by specific pedagogical skills. Access to the DE program therefore requires a higher level of general musical knowledge, artistic maturity, and personal development than the requirements for entry into the first year of the DNSPM program. Thus, general music studies are addressed first, followed by specific studies for musicians who wish to teach. This has implications for student pathways and the relationship between the two programs: as part of the complete program (DNSPM and DE), the DE program cannot begin before the second year (unless prior knowledge is validated). Depending on the candidate’s file and their entrance exam results, it is possible to enter a program leading to the DE alone in three years. Full details of the programs are presented in the student guide.

Success rate

  • For the year 2020, the success rate for the DNSPM was 92%.
  • For 2021, it was 93%.
  • For 2022, the success rate was 100%.
  • For 2023, the success rate was 70%.
  • For 2024, it was 77%.

Classes take place from September to June, generally from Monday to Friday. However, some workshops or class sessions may occur on weekends or during school holidays.

Average weekly class time:

  • Between 15 and 20 hours per week

Brass and Percussion Study Departments in Tours (37)

The brass and percussion study departments are based in Tours, in the Indre-et-Loire department.
Classes are held from September to June, generally from Monday to Friday. Some workshops or class sessions may take place on weekends or during school holidays. Classes are mainly held at the Francis Poulenc conservatoire and the University of Tours, with a smaller number of sessions at Pôle Aliénor (Poitiers).

Each study department is managed by a coordinator. The coordinator ensures the coherence between regular and occasional courses and maintains communication among all the teachers in the department.

The coordinator provides individualized academic support for all students in the department. Their in-depth knowledge of the professional field allows them to play an advisory role, particularly on the following points:

  • Monitoring education: tailored programs, courses
  • Designing content and scheduling: masterclasses and sessions, professional simulations
  • Immersion internships: advice and evaluation
  • Assessment: academic advice, juries, validation of intermediate and final evaluation programs

Each student has an individual meeting at the beginning of the academic year and can subsequently contact the coordinator for any specific questions related to their study department.

The programs are accessible through initial or continuous professional training. In the first case, access to the program is contingent on succeeding the entrance exam, while in the second case, it depends on passing an entrance examination. Initial education is intended for individuals who have never interrupted their studies, while succeeding is for individuals who have completed a cycle of studies, entered the workforce, and intend going back to studies. These two statuses lead to different funding methods for the program but does not alter the content or organization of the curriculum. An application may require an interview to determine, through the review of the applicant’s background, whether the application falls under initial or intend going back to studies.

Admission requirements in Initial training

Candidates eligible to apply for the entrance exam are those who hold a high school diploma (baccalauréat) or a French or foreign diploma recognized as equivalent or accepted for equivalence, and who:
– Either can justify having followed a course preparing for entry into higher education institutions in artistic creation in the music specialty, provided by an institution authorized to offer this training;
– Or hold the national diploma specified in Article L. 216-2 of the French Education Code, or a national diploma of professional musician orientation (DNOP), or a diploma of musical studies (DEM), or a foreign diploma of equivalent level.

Candidates who do not meet the above conditions may, after review by an admissions validation committee, receive an exemption from the institution’s administration to take the entrance exam. In such cases, it is particularly important to clearly indicate and justify all elements concerning the candidate’s education and experiences.

PARCOURSUP
The undergraduate programs of the pôle Aliénor are listed on the Parcoursup platform, but candidates do not register for the entrance exam via Parcoursup. Candidates also do not indicate their wish to enter the pôle Aliénor on Parcoursup. Candidates admitted after passing the entrance exam will be required to provide a certificate of withdrawal from all their Parcoursup wishes or a certificate of non-registration on Parcoursup.

FOREIGN CANDIDATES
Foreign candidates or French citizens living abroad abroad can ask for a digital audition. Foreign candidates must follow the same registration procedure as French students. The programs are taught exclusively in French. Candidates who are not from French-speaking countries, who do not hold a French high school diploma, or who do not have a first year of higher education in French, must provide proof of their French language level with their application. More information is available on the international page.

Admission requirements in Continuous professional training 

Access to the continuing professional development for the bachelor in performance is conditioned on passing an entrance examination, open to candidates who answer YES to one of questions 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 in the Employment section of the application form and can provide proof of this answer. Admissions will be decided based on the number of places available for students – trainees as determined by the institution. In some cases, an application may require an interview to determine, through the review of the applicant’s background, whether the application falls under initial or continuing professional education. Admission to the program is subject to the candidate’s acceptance of the indicated cost.

Exams

Note: Candidates who are abroad at the time of the entrance exams can request to take the exams remotely. The conditions are the same as for foreign candidates.

Please refer to the “Application Instructions” (in French)
Please refer to the detailed exam information for the 2025 entrance exam (in French)

For the 2024/2025 academic year, the bachelor program will be accessible to candidates who have paid a registration fee of €290 per program chosen.

Candidates who wish to apply for a scholarship and/or accommodation must do so online before May 31, 2024, via the following website: www.messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr 

Note: This request is made through the student social file (DSE) and must be submitted even before receiving the results of your exams. It is possible to make several choices. For a request under the pôle Aliénor -> choose the Poitiers Academy -> check “Art and Architecture School Program (DNAT)” -> click on the pôle Aliénor institution.

The pôle Aliénor conducts surveys among its graduates to track their professional integration.
What do they become? How many continued their studies? How many are employed? What type of position do they hold? Did they encountered any difficulties ? How satisfied are they with the education they received at the pôle Aliénor?

Consult the results of surveys conducted with graduates (the bachelor in performance and the bachelor in music and vocal teaching)
– 9 months after obtaining their degree(s):

– 30 months after obtaining their degree(s):

Study departments

BRASS

PERCUSSION

STRINGS

SAXOPHONE

PIANO

EARLY MUSIC

TRADITIONAL MUSIC