The Certificate in Performance is a three-year program designed for performers who do not yet hold a bachelor's degree and who aim to study their craft at the highest level. Students in this program are most often younger or nontraditional students.Certificate students must register for 16 credit hours per term for each of six terms for a total of 96 credits. All students give a public degree recital in their final year, some departments require a recital each year.The Certificate is not the equivalent of a bachelor's degree. If graduates of the Certificate program later earn a bachelor's degree, they can petition to convert the Certificate into a Master of Music degree. In order to convert the degree in the future, students must complete all the requirements for the M.M. degree, including the foreign language and piano proficiencies, while in residence at Yale.Wind players receive private lessons and participate in weekly seminars. They are encouraged to acquaint themselves with as broad a repertoire as possible in all fields, including performance of baroque and contemporary music.In addition to working on the solo repertoire, students play in chamber groups, New Music New Haven, and in the Yale Philharmonia. The orchestra plays a wide variety of repertoire and offers frequent opportunities to work with guest conductors.Students interested in teaching have opportunities to teach Yale undergraduates and to work with young musicians through the Music in Schools Initiative.