Prerequisites and Entrance Requirements

Acceptance as a graduate student by the Departments of Music is required. The applicant must have extensive performance and teaching experience after receiving a master's degree from an accredited institution in piano performance.

The applicant must submit the following to the advisory committee:

  1. two letters of recommendation (including one from a professional colleague, not teacher of the applicant) attesting to the applicant's past and potential ability as a concert performer and teacher;
  2. programs and critical reviews, if available;
  3. completed repertoire and professional experience record, obtainable at: academics/incoming-current-music-students/index

The applicant must successfully complete the following entrance requirements:

  1. written placement examinations (two hours each) in (a) music history, (b) music theory.

The contents of the public recital, determined by the advisory committee from repertoire proposed by the candidate, are to be communicated to the applicant by the committee not less than 30 days in advance of the recital date. The applicant is responsible for the overall quality of the performance on this and all other recitals required for the degree. Entrance recitals and placement and entrance examinations are given during the first and second semester registration periods. An interview with the committee takes place after the examinations are completed.

Program of Study

Based on the results of the entrance examinations, the advisory committee, in conference with the student, will arrange a program of study of 54 to 72 hours beyond the master's degree. The courses and repertoire to be completed as part of the degree requirements will be communicated to the student in writing.

The contents of the five required recitals are to be selected by the candidate in consultation with the committee, each is to be of approximately 70 minutes playing time and must be performed from memory, except for the chamber music recital. The concerto repertoire (two concertos) must together total 70 minutes of performance time. The required concertos will normally be accompanied by piano. The securing of the accompanist is the responsibility of the soloist. The recitals may be given in any order:

  1. a public solo recital (MUS 907 or MUS 908, 3 semester hours);
  2. a public chamber music performance (MUS 907 or MUS 908, 3 semester hours);
  3. a public lecture-demonstration recital, the topic of which must be approved in advance by the committee (MUS 907 or MUS 908, 3 semester hours), together with a written document on the topic;
  4. two concerto recitals (MUS 907 and MUS 908, each 3 semester hours).

A final recital (MUS 997A w/ classes; MUS w/o classes) (0 semester hours) of 70 minutes' duration is the final comprehensive examination and demonstrates the candidate's ability independently to solve performance issues related to technique, learning, discipline and style. The program content of this recital will be communicated to the candidate 90 days in advance of the performance, and the candidate must prepare this program without the aid of a teacher or coach.

Minor in Latin American Music

The advisory committee, in conference with the student, will arrange a program of study of 54 to 72 semester hours beyond the master's degree, which will include at least 12 semester hours of Latin American music electives. Repertoire for applied piano instruction and for the required solo, chamber, and concerto recitals must in total include a significant proportion of Latin American music. The lecture- demonstration recital and written document must be based on a Latin American music topic.

Minor in Musicology

The advisory committee, in conference with the student, will arrange a program of study of 54 to 72 semester hours beyond the master's degree, which will include at least 12 semester hours of musicology courses beyond the minimum number of hours already required for the degree. Three of those semester hours must be Research Methodology (MUS 731), unless the student has taken a similar course for the master's degree. At the conclusion of coursework, the student will take a written, four-hour minor comprehensive examination (based on four musicology courses selected by the student).