Degree: Master of Music
One of the outstanding features of the master's program is the inclusion of six different areas of research (Composition, Musicology, Voice, Piano, Strings, and Winds and Percussion) under a single major. Students receive individual lessons and attend seminars in order to develop expertise in their specific areas of research. Because all master's students belong to the single discipline of "music", the curriculum allows them to transcend traditional boundaries and take classes across a variety of disciplines. A student may choose, for example, to specialize in Baroque or modern music in addition to getting their practical education in chamber, orchestral, or opera music. Master's students also study the basics of art management to equip them with practical career-building skills.
Composition
Composition program is designed for the development of people who can creatively link musical art to society. Students learn the foundations of composition in their undergraduate study, and then dive deeper into researching compositions in their area of focus. They find their own answers to the question, "What is composition?"
At the core of the curriculum, faculty advisors provide one-on-one guidance for student research and help them translate their findings into a musical composition and a thesis paper. Upon conclusion of their graduate studies, students will gain the ability to contribute to the wider world through music--not only as composers and artists, but also as educators, researchers, planners, and creators.
Musicology
Built on the foundations developed during their undergraduate studies, students in the graduate musicology program will be able to conduct more specific research in their areas of interests. The two-year curriculum is designed to students through the research process. Students also take a variety of other classes to learn how they can use music to make a broader contribution to society.
Voice
The voice program develops the singers with skills ready to perform professionally. In the program, students pursue individual research topics while participating in a variety of courses, including Specialized Research classes that allow students to learn about classical and modern works from around the world, Seminar in Vocal Music that focuses on learning as part of ensembles, and finally, Opera Comprehensive Training, where students participate as cast members in university opera performances.
Piano
Students will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of performance activities while simultaneously researching a topic of their choosing. The program is designed to aid young pianists in their transition from students to professionals (performers, researchers, or educators), musicians that can create artistic value in the world.
Strings
The master's program builds on students' abilities as musicians and performers developed during their four years of undergraduate study so that they can engage in a broader range of higher-level activities. Students tackle sophisticated and technically demanding chamber music works, so as to develop their expressive capabilities. Unlike undergraduate classes, the master's program involves specialized research. Students take classes from visiting professors in their areas of specialization, deepening and broadening their musical horizons. Cross-disciplinary research is another signature of this program.
Winds and Percussion
Graduate students in the winds and percussion department have the opportunity to research a wide variety of topics while receiving advanced practical training in orchestral and modern music performance practices. Classes are also offered that allow students to interact with and contribute to the community through the arts. Master's students build on the fundamentals they learned in their undergraduate studies, adding greater skill in specific areas of research to become multifaceted professionals with practical abilities and a global mindset.