Performance Track

The doctor of musical arts (D.M.A.) program in performance is designed for musicians who seek to refine their musical skills, expand their repertoire, extend their performing experience, and deepen their understanding of music history and theory. Musicians in this program have earned a master of music (M.M.) degree and are preparing for a professional, public concert career and/or a faculty position in higher education. Students admitted to doctoral study must have demonstrated a professional level of performance and are expected to achieve excellence as both musicians and scholars.

Required Course of Study

It is possible to complete all requirements for the D.M.A. degree within three years of full-time residence. In most cases, a student may not take more than five years to complete the program. With the approval of the graduate director and dean, the school might make an exception to this maximum time limit. A typical schedule for each of the six semesters includes 1 to 6 credits in the major performance study, enrollment in the D.M.A. Forum for three of the semesters, at least one ensemble appropriate for doctoral credit, and one or two courses not involving performance. The specific requirements are as follows:

Performance Study

1. Private study: Six semesters (from 1 to 6 credits per semester) in the candidate's major performance area are required. Collaborative pianists may add as many as two additional semesters in organ and/or harpsichord, if instruction is available.

2. Recitals: Two solo recitals, one lecture-recital, and one chamber music program are required. Voice students perform one lecture-recital and three solo recitals. For voice students, each of the three required solo recitals must include a significant amount of chamber literature. Conducting students do one open rehearsal, one lecture-recital, an aggregate recital, and one full recital. For collaborative pianists, the requirements are one vocal recital, one solo instrumental recital, one chamber recital (three or more musicians), one lecture-recital, and one recital of the candidate's choice. The level of performance, which should be professional at the outset, is expected to mature significantly during the period of study. With the permission of the major teacher, D.M.A. and artist diploma (A.Dpl.) students may petition the School 08 (MGSA) Committee to substitute one appearance on a concerto program or opera performance at Rutgers for one of the required solo recitals.

3. Independent research: Undertaken in connection with the required lecture-recitals, this may be accomplished as 16:700:601 or 08:703:599  Independent Study with an assigned faculty member. The research project culminates in a formal paper that is submitted for approval to the student's recital evaluation committee two weeks before the public presentation. With the approval of the graduate director, a D.M.A. student may present two lecture-recitals and register for another Independent Study. The written documents for the two respective lecture-recitals may be shorter in length than that of a single lecture-recital.

4. Special requirements: All voice students must perform a major role from an opera or oratorio. With the approval of the School 08 Committee, this performance may substitute in some cases for one of the solo or chamber recitals.

5. Repertoire requirement: At the time of admission, students submit a list of repertoire that they have studied. The faculty may require a student to demonstrate how well he or she has mastered the repertoire cited. Working with the major teacher, each student should develop a comprehensive list of repertoire that he or she plans to study for the duration of the program. This list will supplement the student's background and serve as preparation for the comprehensive examinations.

Ensemble

Ensemble participation is required in each semester of residency (six semesters total). One credit is earned each semester. Choice of ensemble must be approved by the graduate director in consultation with the department chair. Collaborative pianists must include work in two or more of the following areas, with the approval of the accompaniment adviser: chamber ensemble or studio accompanying, opera, large instrumental ensemble, and choral ensemble (accompaniment). The department reserves the right to place students in a particular ensemble.

Chamber Ensemble

Graduate Courses in Music History, Theory, and Related Areas: 22 Credits

A minimum of 22 credits in advanced graduate coursework outside the candidate's applied study is required. The requirements include 16:700:501  Introduction to Music Research (3); 16:700:519 or 520  Proseminar in Music History (3,3); 16:700:525 or 526  Studies in Music Analysis (3,3); and 16:700:567 or 568  Proseminar in Performance Practice (3,3). Other requirements include a course in the candidate's repertory, a course in pedagogy, and two electives (3,3) approved by the graduate director. A comprehensive list of graduate courses offered by the Graduate School-New Brunswick (16:700) and by Mason Gross School of the Arts (08:702 and 703) is provided later in this chapter.

Collaborative Piano Specialization

One semester of 08:702:643  Special Topics in Collaboration (BA), two semesters of 08:702:645,646  Special Studies in Advanced Solo Instrumental Repertoire (6 credits), and two semesters of 08:702:647,648  Special Studies in Advanced Vocal Repertoire (6 credits) also are required.

Dissertation Defense - Conducting

Conducting students must complete a doctoral thesis whose topic is determined in consultation with the primary teacher and graduate director, and which is developed and written under the supervision of the primary teacher. An oral defense is scheduled only after completion of all other degree requirements. The dissertation committee will consist of four faculty members, including at least one representative from the conducting faculty, two others from the music faculty, and one who is approved as an outside member. The outside member is appointed by the graduate director in consultation with the student's adviser. This person is expected to be a recognized authority on the subject of the dissertation.

Pedagogical Component

The pedagogical element of the program is particularly important in today's musical culture, as nearly all performing artists are engaged in some form of teaching.

This component is directed by the major teacher in consultation with the graduate director. It may involve assisting the major teacher or taking an approved internship. In other cases, the student may take on a teaching role outside the department or obtain a teaching assistantship in which the candidate, under supervision, instructs his or her own students.

Working under supervision and in consultation with their accompaniment advisers, collaborative pianists may coach undergraduates and/or teach the Art of Accompanying course.

Foreign Language

The program requires a reading knowledge of French, German, or Italian. Voice students must also show diction/International Phonetic Alphabet (I.P.A.) proficiency. Collaborative pianists must demonstrate reading knowledge in two foreign languages (French, German, or Italian) and diction/I.P.A. proficiency in English, French, German, and Italian. The student must take the language proficiency test before he or she begins the third year of residency and must pass this test before beginning comprehensive examinations.

Comprehensive Examinations

Candidates must pass written and oral comprehensive examinations in the literature for their instrument and related issues in history, theory, and performance practice.

D.M.A. Examination Procedures

The committee evaluating written examinations for D.M.A. students consists of three members: the student's teacher, one member of the School 16 (Graduate School-New Brunswick) faculty, and one additional music faculty member. The four-member committee evaluating oral examinations includes the graduate director, a member of the School 08 faculty, one member of the faculty of the School 16 program in music, one member representing the student's major field, and normally one's primary teacher. The decision of the committee shall be by a simple majority vote.

Normally, the examining committee will inform the student of the examination results within 15 working days. A student who has failed is provided with an explanation in writing as part of the notification. Reexamination may be scheduled at a time mutually acceptable to the student and examining committee. Unless the student can show a procedural fault occurred in the examination process, he or she may take only one reexamination. The reexamination deals only with areas of the original examination in which the committee found the candidate's performance to be unsatisfactory.

If a student believes that a flaw in the process led to a negative decision, he or she must file a written appeal to the chair of the music department, who brings the issue to the School 08 Committee. That committee resolves the dispute by a majority vote.