Master of Music

Program Description

The Master of Music in Performance degree is for students with an undergraduate degree in music who wish to pursue advanced studies in either instrumental or vocal performance or conducting. This degree combines private study with our artist faculty with graduate-level courses in music history, theory, and research. Students perform in large ensembles, chamber music, and present at least one graduate recital as well as a graduate research project or lecture recital, preparing them as performers and scholars. This is a two-year program.

Career Opportunities

• music performance
• production
• studio instruction at the advanced/collegiate level

Admission Requirements

For more information, or if no information is listed, please contact the individual teacher.

Voice

• Aria from opera or oratorio
• German Lied
• French mélodie
• 20th-21st Century English art song
• Baroque piece in Italian or English

Please note that all four major languages (English, Italian, German and French) must be represented. Therefore, if the aria is in a language other than Italian, the Baroque selection must be Italian rather than English.

Flute

• Mozart: First movement from either the G or D Major Concerto
• Bach: Two movements from a sonata of your choice
• A 20th century work for solo flute or flute and piano
• Three standard orchestral excerpts

Oboe

• Mozart C Major Concerto (first movement with cadenza)
• Poulenc Sonata (all three movements)
• One solo work of the applicant's choice.
• Orchestral excerpts:
• Beethoven--Symphony No. 3, Mvt. 2
• Brahms--Violin Concerto, Mvt. 2
• Rossini--La Scala, slow and fast solos

Clarinet

• First movement of either of the Brahms Op. 120 Sonatas
• One movement of the Poulenc Sonata
• One unaccompanied work of the applicant's choice
• Three standard orchestral excerpts

Saxophone

• Concertino da Camera by Jacques Ibert
• A baroque transcription such as J.S. Bach BWV 1035 (Sonata No. 6, trans. Mule)
• A sonata such as the Muczynski Sonata or the Fuzzy Bird Sonata by Yoshimatsu
• An unaccompanied work such as Caprice in Forme de Valse by Bonneau or Maï by Noda OR any medium-up tempo blues such as Tenor Madness or Now's the Time (performance of the blues tune must be entirely from memory)

Bassoon

• Mozart Concerto, any two movements
• An additional solo work of your choice
• Orchestra excerpts: Tchaikovsky IV, second movement; Mozart, Marriage of Figaro overture

Brass

The audition for the Master's Degree in Performance and the Graduate Assistantship requires approximately 20 to 25 minutes of playing, to include solo literature of the student's choice, plus 3-5 standard orchestral excerpts. Piano accompaniment is encouraged, but not required, and will not be provided.

Trumpet players should perform on different keyed trumpets in the audition.

Tuba players should expect to showcase a balance between bass-tuba and contrabass-tuba solos and excerpts.

Percussion

• One concert snare drum solo: Delécluse: Douze Etudes (any)
• One advanced four-mallet marimba work
• One solo timpani work: Elliott Carter, Delécluse etude or concerto

Violin

• Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied Bach sonata or partita, or the entire Chaconne
• Two Paganini caprices, or any Ysaye sonata for solo violin
• A complete sonata for violin and piano from the 19th or 20th century
• A complete concerto from the Romantic period or 20th century*

* Works 1, 2, and 4 must be memorized.

Viola

A varied selection, approximately 30 minutes in length, representing three contrasting styles of music. Single movements may be played. A selection from the standard concerto repertoire and a movement of Bach is highly recommended (from 6 Sonatas & Partitas for Violin/Viola solo or from 6 Suites for solo cello/viola).

Cello

A varied selection, approximately 30 minutes in length, representing three contrasting styles of music. Single movements may be played. Suggested Repertoire: Any Bach or Reger Suite, several movements; any movement of a concerto, such as: Haydn, D major; Schumann; Dvorak; Barber; Bloch, Schelomo; Tchaikovsky, Rococo Variations; or equivalent. Virtuoso pieces such as: Dvorak, Rondo op. 94; Bruch, kol Nidre; Hindemith, Capriccio, etc.

Double Bass

• An advanced etude, such as Bille, Simandl, Rossi, Storch, etc.
• A movement from Bach's unaccompanied cello suite
• Two contrasting movements from a major concerto, such as Dragonetti, Bottesini, Koussevitzky, etc.

Guitar

• Any 3 movements of a Suite, Sonata, or Partita of J.S. Bach (Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, BWV 998 is also acceptable)
• Any significant 19th century work (e.g. Giuliani, Sor, Coste, Aguado, Regondi, etc.)
• A 20th century work of Turina, Torroba, Ponce, Tedesco, Rodrigo, Brouwer, or comparable
• One contrasting work of the applicant's choice

Harp

One movement of a concerto from the following list:

1. Debussy Dances Sacree and Profane
2. Ravel Introduction and Allegro
3. Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto
4. Handel Concerto in B Flat
5. Dittersdorf Concerto for Harp

One Tchaikovsky orchestral cadenza from the following list:

• Nutcracker
• Swan Lake
• Sleeping Beauty

Piano

• Any Prelude and Fugue from WTC, or a Toccata, Partita, or English Suite or French Suite or the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue
• A complete Classical Sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert
• A significant composition from the Romantic era
• A composition from the 20th century

The program must be performed from memory. A short interview will be conducted in which the applicant should demonstrate a knowledge of music history and the history of piano performance.

Organ

• One of the following works by J. S. Bach:
  • Any of the complete Trio Sonatas
  • One of the large Preludes/Toccatas/Fantasias and Fugues* or the
  • Passacaglia in C minor*
• A major work from the Romantic or Impressionist tradition
• A major work written since 2000

Optional addition: an improvisation on a theme given at the time of the audition (The theme will be given 30 minutes before the audition is scheduled to begin, so that the candidate can complete a study of the material at a piano.)

*This repertoire must be approved by the University Organist in advance of the audition

Learning Outcomes

• Ability to work independently and make effective artistic and intellectual judgments and professional decisions in the area of specialization. 

• Demonstration of professional competence in the area of specialization.
• Production of a final project demonstrating significant preparation in music performance and related disciplines.  

Additional Program Requirements

Proficiency Requirements

Exams in music history, music theory, and ear training will be given just before the start of fall semester each year. Students who do not successfully pass all exams will have the option to re-take the exams once more before the following spring semester before completing remedial coursework where required by the music faculty.

Program of Study

Area 1: Performance
MUSA 6231 or 6251 or 6331 Applied Music
MUSA 6232 or 6252 or 6332 Applied Music
MUSA 6233 or 6253 or 6333 Applied Music
MUSA 6234 or 6254 or 6334 Applied Music

MUSA 7105 Graduate Recital

Area 2: Academics
MUSC 6115 Bibliography
MUSC 6740 Graduate Theory Seminar
Select one of the following courses:
MUSC 6125 Music of the Romantic Period
MUSC 6126 Music of the Baroque Period
MUSC 6127 Music of the Renaissance Period
MUSC 6128 Music of the Twentieth Century
MUSC 6129 Music of the Classical Period

Area 3: Concentration Courses
Wind Conducting:
MUSC 6555 Wind Ensemble Literature
Take four times:
MUSP 7080 Wind Ensemble Activities

Guitar:
Any 3-credit graduate MUSP 6321 Guitar Ensemble

Piano/Organ:
Any 3-credit graduate MUSA 6211 Applied Harpsichord
Take three times:
MUSP 6305 Collaborative Piano

Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, Harp
Any 3-credit graduate MUSP 7070 Orchestral Ensemble Activites OR MUSP 7080 Wind Ensemble Activites (two times)
Any MUSP ensemble
Any MUSP ensemble

Vocal
Any 3-credit graduate MUSC 7090 Vocal Ensemble Activities (two times)
Any MUSP ensemble
Any MUSP ensemble

Area 4: Music Electives
Four hours additional electives (MUSA, MUSC, MUSE, MUSP) at the graduate level.

Area 5: Capstone Requirements
MUSC 7000 Oral Examination
Choose one of the following:
MUSA 7907 Lecture Recital
MUSC 7999 Graduate Research Project
MUSE 6899 Independent Study in Music Education

Total Hours Required: 36