The Catholic University of America

This text is exerpted from the CUA Announcements. Please refer to the Announcements for further information on academic policies and programs.

Master of Music Degree

ORCHESTRAL CONDUCTING

Entrance Requirements

The applicant must demonstrate prior experience in conducting orchestral ensembles. The student must meet the general requirements for admission to the music school, complete a music history placement examination and a music theory placement examination, and pass an entrance audition on campus with the CUA Symphony Orchestra. In addition, an examination (both written and aural) and interview with faculty audition committee are required. In cases where all of the above cannot be undertaken due to time or distance constraints, every effort will be made to evaluate the candidate as fairly as possible, by viewing a video or live rehearsal and scheduling an interview by telephone. First consideration will be given to candidates who audition in person. This is a select program and the above procedure is used when there are openings for candidates.

Program of Study Semester Hours
Applied Conducting 6
Graduate Seminar in Conducting I, II* 6
Performing Ensemble 2
Core Electives 6
Suitable Electives include:  
The Musician in Modern Society (2)  
Music in the Baroque (3)  
Music in the Classical Period (3)  
Music in the Romantic Period (3)  
History of Opera (3)  
Twentieth-Century Music (3)  
History of Orchestration (3)  
History of Jazz Through Analysis (3)  
Schenkerian Analysis, I, II (3,3)  
The Symphony I, II, III (3) (3) (3)  
Tone Poems of Richard Strauss (3)  
Analytical Techniques I, II 6
Research Methodology 3
Music History Elective 3
Internship/Field Experience for Orchestral Conductors (see below) 0
Recital 3
Total 35

 * If a student stays at CUA past one year working on the Master's degree in Orchestral Conducting, it is expected that he/she take the Graduate Seminar in Conducting every semester that he/she is in residence.

Internship/Field Experience Requirements for M.M. Orchestral Conductors (0 credit)

1. To fulfill the requirements of the internship/field experience, the master's student will work as an assistant conductor on at least one CUA opera production and at least one CUA musical theatre production.  The requirement could alternatively be fulfilled with outside organizations with the approval of the major professor. Satisfactory completion of the requirement is contingent upon approval of the major professor and a positive evaluation from the supervising/host conductor.

2. To fulfill the requirements of the internship/field experience, the master's student will also spend a minimum of two semesters of work as an assistant conductor/intern for an approved outside ensemble. The orchestral conducting division will assist the student in finding a suitable placement with an outside organization. In the event that an appropriate outside ensemble cannot be found, the student may fulfill the requirement with CUA ensembles as approved by the major professor. Satisfactory completion of the requirement is contingent upon approval of the major professor and a positive evaluation from the supervising/host conductor.

Graduation Requirement

Successful completion of a 70-minute graduation recital is required. The recital is to be conducted in public before a committee of the music school faculty, and is graded on a pass/fail basis. The repertoire, to be determined with the conducting professor, should include a variety of style periods, including music written after 1920. The performing ensemble may consist of players from the CUA Symphony Orchestra or another appropriate ensemble from outside the school of music.

Minor in Latin American Music

This degree program is not offered with a minor in Latin American music.