Excellence and Innovation in 21st Century Training for Performing Artists
The Peabody Conservatory’s Breakthrough Curriculum ensures an educational experience that meets not only high artistic standards, but also the unique and changing needs of today’s cultural environment.
The Breakthrough Curriculum is a series of required Professional Studies courses for Bachelor’s degree students (3 courses) and Master’s degree students (2 courses). These courses address key career-related topics, including:
Articulating artistic identity,
Networking and communication,
Managing personal and project finances,
Finding and applying to opportunities,
Building professional materials (e.g. resume, biography, and website),
Marketing and sharing artistic work,
Developing a creative project, and
Grant writing and crafting a verbal pitch.
Supported by industry and academic research, these essential professional skills complement the high-level artistic training and real-world experience students gain through Peabody’s curricular and extracurricular programs. The Breakthrough Curriculum sequence is designed to prepare emerging artists to build sustainable 21st century arts careers, empowering graduates to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving industry.
Core Curriculum
Exploring Arts Careers (1 credit)
Through reflection on their unique skills, interests, and goals, this course empowers students to expand their perspectives on the arts industry and cultivate connections with potential mentors through a final Interview Project. Course activities and assignments build foundational skills in communication, networking, and multimedia to support expression of artistic voice and engagement with community. Students come away with the tools to explore broad career possibilities, access resources to advance creative interests, and discover future opportunities.
Building a Brand and Portfolio (2 credits)
In this course, students develop professional skills and materials, examining their own values and goals to establish a personal brand and artistic presence. By the end of the course, students build a digital portfolio, including a website, supporting media, artist bio, and resume, and practice key career skills including networking, negotiating, applying for jobs, and financial management.
Pitching Your Creative Idea (2 credits)
In this project-based course, students develop and practice project development, grant writing, and verbal communication skills essential for the 21st century performing artist. Throughout the course, they craft a proposal for an artistic project of their choosing, and learn skills in ideation, audience research, programming, collaboration, and professionalism. They also build experience advocating publicly for their artistry both verbally and in writing. As the capstone for this class, students create a written grant application and verbal pitch, with the option to enter a juried competition for project funding through the Peabody Launch Grant.
“The more I learn about Peabody's pioneering Breakthrough Curriculum, the more excited I get about its significance for lucky Peabody students and for the field of conservatory learning worldwide.”
Eric Booth
Author
The Music Teaching Artist's Bible ‘09
Breakthrough Curriculum FAQ
Frequently asked questions for current and prospective students.
The Breakthrough Curriculum is a series of required Professional Studies courses for Bachelor’s degree students (3 courses) and Master’s degree students (2 courses). The courses cover career paths in the arts, essential professional skills, and foundational concepts of entrepreneurship including ideation and project development. These courses aim to prepare students for 21st century arts careers by equipping them with the tools they need to effectively navigate professional life.
These courses are required for graduation. Learn more about the Breakthrough Curriculum here.
Beyond artistic craft, professional skills are essential for sharing your work publicly and navigating an evolving arts industry. Through training in key skills (communication, finance, etc.), development of artistic identity and professional materials (resume, website), and creating/sharing an artistic project proposal, the Breakthrough Curriculum courses are designed to equip students to build sustainable arts careers.
Recent alumni surveys through SNAAP show that Peabody graduates who have taken Breakthrough Curriculum courses were more likely to acquire professional skills needed for 21st century arts careers, such as business, financial, entrepreneurial, and technology skills.
The courses include a mix of asynchronous content (online material to complete on your own time) and synchronous “sync” sessions which can take place either online or in-person (including 1:1 meetings, instructor-led Zoom classes, and larger in-person workshops). Generally, you’ll complete some core content asynchronously, then interact with your instructor/classmates to reflect and build on that content in a sync session.
While the three courses follow a similar structure, the synchronous sessions for each course are designed uniquely to best support the course objectives.
Exploring Arts Careers: You’ll attend a Zoom class at your section time (listed in SIS) every other week, with a few exceptions for 1:1 meetings and all-section workshops.
Building a Brand & Portfolio: You’ll periodically select times for 1:1 meetings with your instructor, and choose from a series of workshops to attend on Wednesdays at 12:30pm.
Pitching Your Creative Idea: You’ll attend a Zoom class at your section time (listed in SIS) most weeks, with a few exceptions for 1:1 meetings and all-section workshops.
Students are required to take the courses in the designated sequence.Please contact Academic Affairs if you have questions about your specific circumstances.
The courses must be taken in the required sequence (see above) since you’ll build on what you learn in each course. It’s also not possible to take two Breakthrough Curriculum courses in the same semester.You must pass the full course sequencein order to graduate.
There is an option to test out ofBuilding a Brand & Portfolio each summer during placement exam week, usually in late July or early August. Details are posted on the Nest each spring. There is no test-out available for Exploring Arts Careers or Pitching Your Creative Idea.
The Breakthrough Curriculum resides within the Professional Studies department and is managed by the Peabody LAUNCHPad office. Contact LAUNCHPad if you have any questions. You can also reach out to LAUNCHPad for 1:1in-person, email, or phone support withcoursework for any Breakthrough Curriculum class.
