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Schulich School of Music

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Schulich School of Music

Location

Location

  • Schulich School of Music
  • Strathcona Music Building
  • 555 Sherbrooke Street West
  • Montreal QC H3A 1E3
  • Canada
  • Telephone: 514-398-4469
  • Website: www.mcgill.ca/music

About Schulich School of Music

About Schulich School of Music

The Schulich School of Music of Â鶹AV is internationally renowned for its leadership in combining professional conservatory-style musical training, humanities-based scholarship, and scientific-technological research at the highest levels. Its programs encourage musicians and music researchers alike to push boundaries and explore new possibilities. The School’s facilities are a physical affirmation of our commitment and belief in the future of music, artists, creators, and researchers, and they encourage multimedia productions and trans-disciplinary collaborations. Among the most notable facilities are:

  • a music library that houses one of the most important academic music collections in Canada;
  • four concert halls;
  • the Digital Composition Studio;
  • sound recording studios;
  • the (CIRMMT);
  • as well as a research network that links the Faculty with other University departments and research institutes.

Nestled in the heart of the city, the School also draws on the rich cultural life of Montreal—a bilingual city with a celebrated symphony orchestra, dozens of annual festivals, and hundreds of live music venues hosting world-class concerts.

The Master of Arts degree (M.A.) is available as a thesis option in Music Education, Music Technology, Musicology (with an option in Gender and Women’s Studies), and Theory (with an option in Gender and Women’s Studies), and as a non-thesis option in Music Education, Musicology, and Theory.

The Master of Music degree (M.Mus.) is available in Composition, Performance, and Sound Recording. Specializations offered within the performance option are: piano, guitar, orchestral instruments (including orchestral training), organ and church music, conducting, collaborative piano, opera and voice, early music, and jazz.

The Graduate Certificate in Performance – Choral Conducting is designed for choral conductors wishing to perfect their technical, pedagogical, and musical skills. This flexible program allows conductors to develop their craft while maintaining their professional activities.

The Graduate Diploma in Performance is a one-year graduate diploma that allows excellent musicians to refine their technique and master repertoire through intensive coaching, practice, and performance projects.

The Graduate Artist Diploma in Performance is the uppermost diploma offered at the Schulich School of Music. It is tailored for artists wishing to achieve the highest level of artistry in their craft.

The Doctor of Music degree (D.Mus.) is offered in Composition and Performance Studies while the Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) is available in Composition, Music – Gender and Women’s Studies, Music Education, Musicology, Music Technology, Sound Recording, and Music Theory. Interdisciplinary studies are encouraged.

Funding

The Schulich School of Music has several sources of funding for graduate students.

Entrance Excellence Scholarships for highly ranked graduate students (including Schulich Scholarships, Max Stern Fellowships, and Â鶹AV Excellence Fellowships) typically range in value from $5,000 to $20,000; some two- and three-year packages are available at the master's and doctoral levels, respectively (see www.mcgill.ca/gps/funding). A limited number of one-year differential fee waivers are also available for the most highly ranked incoming international students. The Scholarships and Student Aid Office offers information and options for out-of-province, American, and other international students (see www.mcgill.ca/studentaid).

Returning students are eligible for a small number of in-course scholarships awarded annually to recognize excellence in academic and performance achievement.

The Schulich School of Music also has a renowned mentoring program that helps students develop applications for a wide variety of external funding for national, international, and university competitions ( Research, , , , , , , , etc.), including various arts and cultural organizations (recordings, commissions, production artistic development). Some provide for multi-year funding, others funding for individual projects.

Opportunities for funding through Work Study and as teaching assistants also provide professional training. Positions include TAs, invigilators, apprentice writers for program notes, sound recording technicians, library assistants, stage hands, Opera Studio, and front-of-house staff, among others. Positions for teaching assistantships are advertised each semester by departmental announcement. Typically there are few, if any, TA positions available for students in their first year of study. Posts are advertised through the Music Research and Performance Departments at the beginning of each semester and through the Work Study website.

A variety of research assistantships in selected areas are also available. Inquiries should be directed to the supervisors, the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in Music, and the Associate Dean for Research (see www.mcgill.ca/music/people-research/staff-directory).

Opportunities for paid performances in the community for soloists, choristers, chamber ensembles, organists, orchestral and jazz musicians, and piano collaborators are facilitated through the Booking Office (see www.mcgill.ca/music/about-us/hire-student-musicians/gig-list).

The Schulich School of Music also provides travel funding for conferences and special performance and research initiatives. Graduate students may apply once per academic year; see www.mcgill.ca/music/student-resources/competitions-awards.

Master's Programs

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Music: Composition (Thesis) (45 credits)

Students in the M.Mus. program develop their own individual voices through private instruction with some of Canada’s most accomplished composers, all of whom have distinguished themselves through high-profile commissions, performances, recordings, and awards. The faculty members' diverse interests ensure that students will find a suitable mentor/supervisor. The resources of the Digital Composition Studios also offer students an opportunity to work with a wide range of cutting-edge approaches to music technology, including mixed works, interactive composition, gestural controllers, acousmatic works, multichannel audio, computer-assisted composition, and more. Students also benefit from international new music festivals and conferences co-sponsored by the Schulich School of Music, a visiting artist series, and high-quality performances, readings, and recordings of their works by some of the school’s most esteemed ensembles (e.g., Â鶹AV Symphony Orchestra, Â鶹AV Contemporary Music Ensemble, etc.) and advanced performers. Commissioning opportunities exist through an established composer-in-residence program and through student-initiated performer-composer and interdisciplinary collaborations.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-composition.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Music Education (Thesis) (45 credits)

This program provides an opportunity for studio- and classroom-based teachers, and music educators working in other community settings, to explore current issues in music education and to implement their own research studies. Seminars develop facility in a breadth of research methodologies and examine pertinent research developments in different fields, while simultaneously providing opportunities to link with other departments such as the faculties of Education, Cognitive Psychology, and Physiology. Ties with The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music, Media, and Technology (CIRMMT), and Teaching and Learning Services provide a strong supportive network for interdisciplinary and multilingual research. Experienced faculty publishes regularly in the field’s leading journals and focuses on the physiological basis of musical performance, development, technology, and global and community-based music education movements including El Sistema, among others.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/ma-music-education.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Music Technology (Thesis) (45 credits)

The M.A. in Music Technology encourages interaction between musical creation, technology, and research, with an intensive focus on scientific research and development of advanced music technologies. Students are accepted from a wide range of musical backgrounds and have solid training in topics like math, computer science, acoustics, and experimental psychology. Core seminars include Computer Music, New Media, Musical Acoustics, Digital Signal Processing, Human-Computer Interaction, Synthesis and Gestural Control, Music Information Retrieval, and Music Perception and Cognition. Students’ research is supported by state-of-the-art research laboratories and computing facilities directed by each faculty member and the multidisciplinary and multi-institutional infrastructure of The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music, Media and Technology (CIRMMT), The Digital Composition Studio, and recording and acoustic environments provide opportunities to collaborate with accomplished performers and researchers in other music disciplines.

Graduates hold commercial positions related to media technologies (e.g., gaming and audio industries) and many continue their studies at the doctoral level in preparation for academic careers.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/ma-music-technology.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Musicology (Thesis) (45 credits)

This program is for talented music students interested in the diverse ways in which music’s political, social, and historical contexts shape its meanings. Students are introduced to foundational methodologies and develop critical thinking skills, while exploring themes in musicological literature and refining analytical skills. The thesis project enables development of personal interests. The area also provides valuable pedagogical training through teaching assistantships in undergraduate music history courses.

Graduates often continue their studies at the doctoral level at Â鶹AV and other major North American universities; others pursue careers in teaching, arts management, music business, journalism, and archival curation, and other fields.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/ma-musicology.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music Musicology (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (45 credits)

This program is open to students who qualify for the M.A. in Musicology (thesis option) who are interested in cross-disciplinary research that focuses on issues centrally related to gender, sexuality, feminist theory, and/or women’s studies. Musicology requirements are augmented by participation in a Graduate Feminism Symposium that engages with a diverse array of critical and empirical perspectives. The program draws on the resources of the Â鶹AV Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies that includes faculty and graduate students from across the University. Supporting music faculty has interests in opera, film studies, aesthetics, theory of performance, and popular/jazz studies.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/ma-musicology.

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Sound Recording (Non-Thesis) (60 credits)

This internationally renowned program is a course-based, professional training program designed for musicians who wish to develop the skills required in the music recording and media industries. It is based on the German Tonmeister program and offers extensive, hands-on opportunities to record a broad spectrum of solo recitals, large opera, and symphonic repertoire with soloists and choirs, and complex Jazz Band and pop idioms. Â鶹AV’s professional-quality facilities provide state-of-the-art equipment for research and the recording of any size of ensemble in high-resolution multichannel audio and high-definition video, and include a variety of audio recording studios equipped for surround recording. The Faculty includes prominent researchers as well as award-winning recording engineers and producers in the fields of music production, television, and film sound familiar with cutting-edge technologies and new developments. The program also has close ties with industry that facilitate opportunities for internships.

Graduates are leaders in the field working in highly respected studios around the world and winning both creative and scientific international competitions.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-sound-recording.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Theory (Thesis) (45 credits)

The M.A. in Theory is for students interested in exploring how specific pieces of music are put together and how this understanding may be generalized to relate to the way other pieces of music are composed. Music theory and elective seminars develop expertise in various analytical models and familiarity with the critical issues that define the discipline as a basis for developing individual research projects. Through collaborations with music researchers from the , the students have the opportunities to explore interdisciplinary research topics in perception and cognition. The area also provides valuable pedagogical training through teaching assistantships in undergraduate theory courses. The Faculty has a breadth of experience in early music theory, formal functions, Schenkerian analysis, mathematical models, theories of rhythm and meter, serialism, and popular music analysis.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/ma-theory.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music Theory (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (45 credits)

This program is open to students who qualify for the M.A. in Theory (thesis option) who are interested in cross-disciplinary research that focuses on issues centrally related to gender, sexuality, feminist theory, and/or women’s studies. Theory requirements are augmented by participation in a Graduate Feminism Symposium that engages with a diverse array of critical and empirical perspectives. The program draws on the resources of the Â鶹AV Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies that includes faculty and graduate students from across the University.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/ma-theory.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Music Education (Non-Thesis) (45 credits),

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Musicology (Non-Thesis) (45 credits), and

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Theory (Non-Thesis) (45 credits)

This course-based program has options in music education, musicology, and theory. Seminars provide breadth of disciplinary knowledge and understanding of research methodologies and critical issues. Expertise in two areas is developed through two written papers. Students receive guidance from leading scholars whose internationally acclaimed research covers a broad spectrum of topics central to each discipline.

The option in Music Education provides an opportunity for studio-, classroom-, and community-based music educators to read, understand, and apply research studies in different fields to their own practices.

The option in Musicology is for students interested in a humanistic orientation to topics in music history and musicology that bridges traditional methodologies with new critical approaches.

The option in Theory develops skill with different analytical models and the ways in which they may be used to explore how specific pieces of music are put together.

Some graduates continue to doctoral studies; others pursue careers in teaching, arts management, music business, journalism, and librarianship, among others.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/admissions/graduate/masters.

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Jazz Performance (Thesis) (45 credits)

The M.Mus. in Jazz Performance is flexibly designed to offer specialization in Jazz Composition, Jazz Performance, and Jazz Orchestra training. All students take courses in jazz pedagogy, composition, and arranging, and benefit from close interaction with a diverse, creative, and professionally active faculty. A recital and a CD recording of original music are the principal thesis requirements. The outstanding ensembles include the Â鶹AV Jazz Orchestra, the ten-piece Â鶹AV Chamber Ensemble, two more jazz orchestras, a saxophone ensemble, and over twenty jazz combos. Teaching opportunities vary from year to year, but are generally available in Jazz Theory, Jazz Ear Training, Jazz Orchestra 3, Jazz Improvisation, and Jazz Combo. Montreal’s vibrant jazz scene also provides rich opportunities for performance and musical engagement.

Graduates have active touring careers, teach in university jazz programs, and have produced recordings that have earned Juno awards.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-jazz.

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Early Music (Thesis) (45 credits)

Established in 1975, this program is the longest-standing Early Music program in North America. It offers early music specialists interested in historical performance practices a rich variety of performing experiences, including 15–20 chamber ensembles, the Cappella Antica, and the Baroque Orchestra. Â鶹AV is also the only North American music faculty to produce a fully staged performance of a Baroque opera every year. Recent productions include: Handel’s Alcina, Agrippina, and Imeneo, Lully’s °Õ³óé²õé±ð, and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. Faculty members are prominently involved in Montreal’s internationally acclaimed Early Music community. The Schulich School of Music also owns a large collection of early instruments that is available to students.

Graduates perform with Montreal-based early music ensembles, including, among others, Caprice and the Arion Baroque Orchestra, as well as Tafelmusik in Toronto, and various ensembles in Europe.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-early-music.

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Orchestral Instruments, Guitar (Thesis) (45 credits)

The M.Mus. in Orchestral and Guitar Performance, Canada's premier orchestral training program, is for talented instrumental musicians and guitarists wishing to hone their artistry and skills in expression and interpretation. The program offers a flexibly designed curriculum rich in performance opportunities while its range of seminar offerings ground performance practice in the broader humanistic and scientific contexts of music and artistic research-creation. The program has a strong focus on healthy performance, individual creativity, and development of the whole musician.

Ensembles emulate professional settings and include four orchestras—the renowned Â鶹AV Symphony Orchestra, the Â鶹AV Wind Orchestra, the Contemporary Music Ensemble, and the Baroque Orchestra—as well as the smaller Beethoven orchestra and a guitar ensemble. Opportunities for chamber music also abound. String players benefit from a rigorous string quartet training program and trail-blazing pedagogical approaches. Brass and wind musicians also perform a wide range of large ensemble repertoire for their instruments; percussionists perform, tour, and record with the esteemed Â鶹AV Percussion Ensemble. Thesis recital options include solo, chamber music, concerto competitions, recording, and orchestral repertoire exams emulating professional auditions.

Ensemble conductors are world-class; faculty include the concertmasters and principal players of major Canadian orchestras, including the Montreal Symphony Orchestra; percussion instructors have international profiles and a breadth of experience in world and contemporary repertoires.

Graduates have secured positions in orchestras throughout North and South America, in Europe, and with the Canadian Opera Company, Ensemble Moderne, and others.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-orchestral-instruments-guitar.

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Collaborative Piano (Thesis) (45 credits)

Students in this program develop their artistry as collaborative musicians in vocal, instrumental, and opera répétiteur settings. The program prepares pianists to assume coaching responsibilities as well as to collaborate with other musicians. Candidates need to have excellent technique and interpretative skills, sight-reading abilities, and previous collaborative experience. The program is flexibly defined to allow students to specialize or gain experience in a variety of settings and with a broad cross-section of vocal, instrumental, orchestral, and theatrical repertoire. Concert recitals, choral ensembles, studio lessons with high-quality performers, and opera productions provide professional settings in which students master their craft. Faculty includes internationally renowned collaborative pianists, vocal coaches, conductors, and stage directors.

Graduates pursue careers as collaborative pianists, accompanists, opera répétiteurs, studio teachers, and coaches.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-collaborative-piano.

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Piano (Thesis) (45 credits)

Students in the M.Mus. in Piano develop artistic expression and interpretative skills by immersing themselves in a vibrant musical environment. The program revolves around an integrated piano seminar involving all studios and provides opportunities for chamber music and a range of recital options including solo and chamber music performance, sound recording, and creative interdisciplinary projects. Faculty members perform internationally and have diverse teaching, coaching, and adjudicating experience in a broad range of solo, chamber, and concerto repertoires.

Graduates often continue their studies at the doctoral level, have been selected for national/international competitions, and pursue careers as collaborative pianists, opera coaches, and independent studio teachers.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-piano.

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Organ and Church Music (Thesis) (45 credits)

This program provides talented organists with an opportunity to hone their artistry and interpretive skills. The program combines performance with seminars in historically-informed performance practice, music and liturgy, counterpoint, improvisation, and continuo playing, among other options. Thesis performance options allow for creativity and diversity by including options for solo and chamber music recitals, concerto performances, recording projects, church music projects, and opportunities for interdisciplinary research and collaborations with strong composers and other departments. A number of assistantships are available in downtown churches with some of Montreal’s most distinguished church musicians.

Graduates have won prizes in major national and international competitions and pursue careers as soloists and/or as church musicians around the world.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-organ.

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Conducting (Thesis) (45 credits)

Students in this program specialize in instrumental or choral conducting. Enrolment is limited to outstanding candidates having highly developed musical skills in voice, instrumental, or piano performance. The program provides for concentrated podium time, interactions with world-class conductors, score study, and the development of rehearsal technique. A range of seminars provides for the in-depth study of performance practice and the development of analytical skills with leading scholars in musicology and theory. Thesis performance projects involve concert recitals with various Schulich School of Music ensembles.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-conducting.

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Opera and Voice (Thesis) (45 credits)

The M.Mus in Opera and Voice develops vocal growth and artistic expression by immersing students in a vibrant musical environment that blends performance training with humanities-based scholarship. The program provides the option for students to specialize in opera performance or to develop artistry in a variety of solo and operatic repertoires.

There are three staged opera productions every year, including one Baroque opera with period instruments. Other performance opportunities include solo recitals, studio concerts, vocal ensembles such as Cappella Antica, oratorios, chamber music ensembles, master classes with leading artists in the field, recording projects, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Performance opportunities emulate professional contexts, including rehearsals in a first-class opera studio and individual repertoire coaching. Voice faculty, stage directors, and set designers are outstanding soloists and creative artists involved with major companies, opera programs, and festivals the world over.

Recent graduates perform with orchestras and opera companies in Canada, as well as companies in the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, and Eastern Europe.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/mmus-opera-voice.

Graduate Certificate

Graduate Certificate (Gr. Cert.) Performance Choral Conducting (15 credits)

This program is designed for choral conductors wishing to perfect their technical, pedagogical, and musical skills, allowing conductors to develop their craft while maintaining their professional activities. The program includes group tutorial instruction in conducting, ensemble participation, and complementary courses offering the opportunity to focus on conducting technique, rehearsal pedagogy, or performance practice. Enrollment is limited.

Graduate Diplomas

Graduate Diploma (Gr. Dip.) Performance (30 credits)

This one-year graduate performance diploma allows excellent musicians to refine their technique and master repertoire through intensive coaching, practice, and performance projects. Designed as a polishing diploma, the program prepares musicians for professional careers as soloists, opera singers, collaborative pianists, chamber, jazz and orchestral musicians, or for further graduate studies in performance. Program requirements are flexible, with a range of performance project options including solo, chamber, recording, orchestral auditions, and creative collaborations. Admission is by audition, with candidates having previously completed a B.Mus., a Licentiate, or an M.Mus.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/gdp.

Graduate Artist Diploma (Gr. Art. Dip.) Performance (30 credits)

The Graduate Artist Diploma is the uppermost diploma offered at the Schulich School of Music. It is tailored for artist performers wishing to achieve the highest level of artistry in their craft through intensive coaching, practicing, and performance projects. Candidates are preparing for stage careers as soloists and orchestral musicians, opera singers, collaborative pianists, and chamber ensembles. Program requirements are flexible, with a range of performance project options relevant to the diverse opportunities of the modern artist (chamber, recording, creative collaborations, etc.). Students can be admitted to this year-long program after completing the Graduate Diploma in Performance (GDP) program or equivalent. Admissibility to the combined Graduate Diploma in Performance and Graduate Artist Diploma can be assessed in a single audition.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/adip.

Doctoral Programs

Doctor of Music (D.Mus.) Music: Composition

Students create extended original works of art that push the boundaries of the discipline. Composers refine their musical language and artistic voice through private instruction with some of Canada’s most accomplished composers, all of whom have distinguished themselves through high-profile commissions, performances, recordings, and awards. The faculty members have diverse interests that ensure composers will find a suitable mentor.

The resources of the Digital Composition Studios also offer composers an opportunity to work with a wide range of cutting-edge approaches to music technology. Students benefit from international new music festivals and conferences co-sponsored by the Schulich School of Music, a visiting artist series, and high-quality performances, readings, and recordings of their works by some of the school’s most esteemed ensembles and advanced performers. Commissioning opportunities exist through an established composer-in-residence program and through student-initiated, performer-composer and interdisciplinary collaborations.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/dmus-composition.

Doctor of Music (D.Mus.) Music: Performance Studies

This program is for the inspired artist/scholar interested in expanding horizons. Students perform at a professional or near-professional level, are curious, and have research interests linked to their artistic practice. A broad range of seminars explore performance practice in the broader humanistic and scientific contexts of music, while encouraging the critical thinking and the fertile exchange of ideas that promote new ways of engaging with music. Two performance (recital/recording) projects extend repertoire interests. Comprehensive examinations develop credentials in different areas of expertise in preparation for teaching careers, while articulating the background and critical issues surrounding students' thesis work. The latter consists of a recital and a research document that is presented in front of a panel. The artistic research may assume a variety of forms from the study of scores, works, and contextual influences through the analysis of performance itself and the creation of new works.

Students benefit from exceptional mentoring by internationally renowned coaches, the research expertise of faculty from the Department of Music Research, master classes, opportunities to collaborate with strong composition students, and the rich performance life of the Schulich School of Music and Montreal. Students win major fellowships (SSHRC, Fulbright, FRQSC, etc.) as well as major performance competitions.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/dmus-performance.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Music (Composition, Music Education, Musicology, Music Technology, Sound Recording, Theory)

The thesis for the Ph.D. in composition involves the creation of an original large-scale work and research that increases our understanding of music and musical processes. Students in music education investigate a broad spectrum of critical issues through a variety of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The Musicology area adopts a humanistic orientation that bridges traditional methodologies with new critical approaches. Research in Music Technology and Sound Recording can lead to patents, among other outcomes and benefits from unlimited technological resources. Theorists engage with all repertoires and analytical methods.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/admissions/graduate/doctoral.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Music: Gender and Women's Studies

This program is open to doctoral students who are interested in cross-disciplinary research that focuses on issues centrally related to gender, sexuality, feminist theory, and/or women’s studies. Music requirements are augmented by participation in a Research Methods course and a Graduate Feminism Symposium that engages with a diverse array of critical and empirical perspectives. The program draws on the resources of the Â鶹AV Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies that includes faculty and graduate students from across the University. Supporting music faculty has interests in Opera, film studies, aesthetics, theory of performance, and popular/jazz studies.

For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/admissions/graduate/doctoral.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2019-2020 (last updated Aug. 13, 2019) (disclaimer)

Schulich School of Music Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

Schulich School of Music Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

Master’s Degrees

Applicants for the master's degree must hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent (as determined by Â鶹AV), typically with a Major in music, including considerable work done in the area of specialization.

Applicants found to be deficient in their background preparation may be required to take certain additional undergraduate courses.

All applicants (except those for Performance, Musicology, and Sound Recording) will be required to take placement examinations.

All M.Mus. performance applicants are required to pass an audition. Applicants can attend a live audition or submit recorded material.

Conducting, female voice, and jazz applicants who apply for the live audition option must submit screening material for pre-selection. Following a review of these materials, selected applicants will be invited to attend a live audition. For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs.

Specific admission and document requirements for each program are outlined at www.mcgill.ca/music/admissions/graduate/masters.

Certificate in Performance: Choral Conducting

Applicants for the Certificate in Choral Conducting must hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent (as determined by Â鶹AV), typically with a Major in music, including considerable work done in the area of specialization.

All applicants for the Certificate in Choral Conducting are required to pass an audition. Applicants can attend a live audition or submit recorded material.

Applicants who apply for the live audition option must submit screening material for pre-selection. Following a review of these materials, selected applicants will be invited to attend a live audition. For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/cert-performance-choral-conducting/admissions/auditions.

Specific admission and document requirements for each program are outlined at www.mcgill.ca/music/programs/cert-performance-choral-conducting/admissions/apply.

Graduate Diploma in Performance

Applicants for the Graduate Diploma in Performance must hold a B.Mus. or a B.A. degree with a Major or an Honours in music, a Licentiate, or an M.Mus., including considerable work in the area of specialization. All diploma applicants are required to pass an audition. Applicants can attend a live audition or submit recorded material. Female voice and jazz applicants who apply for the live audition option will be required to submit screening material for pre-selection. Following a review of these materials, selected applicants will be invited to attend a live audition; see www.mcgill.ca/music/admissions/graduate/diploma. Specific admission and document requirements for each program are outlined at www.mcgill.ca/music/admissions/graduate.

Graduate Artist Diploma

Applicants for the Graduate Artist Diploma must hold a M.Mus., D.Mus., or Graduate Performance Diploma with a Major in music, including considerable work in the area of specialization. Applicants who hold a B.Mus. can apply to enter the two-year Artist Diploma, where they will complete one year in the Graduate Diploma in Performance and continue in the Artist Diploma in year two. All diploma applicants are required to pass an audition. Applicants can attend a live audition or submit recorded material. Female voice applicants who apply for the live audition option will be required to submit screening material for pre-selection. Following a review of these materials, selected applicants will be invited to attend a live audition; see www.mcgill.ca/music/admissions/graduate/diploma. Specific admission and document requirements for each program are outlined at www.mcgill.ca/music/admissions/graduate.

D.Mus. Degree

Applicants for the D.Mus. degree in Composition must hold an M.Mus. degree in Composition, or its equivalent, and must submit scores and/or recordings of their compositions at the time of application.

Applicants for the D.Mus. degree in Performance Studies must hold an M.Mus. degree in Performance, or its equivalent, and are required to submit screening material, samples of written work, and a statement of proposed artistic research interests by the specified application deadlines. Following a review of these materials, selected applicants will be invited to attend a live audition.

Ph.D. Degree

Applicants for the Ph.D. degree in Composition must hold an M.Mus. in Composition or equivalent and must submit scores and/or recordings of their compositions at the time of application, and a written description (no more than two pages) of the research path(s) they wish to follow.

Applicants for the Ph.D. degree in Music Education, Music Technology, Musicology, Sound Recording, Music – Gender and Women's Studies, or Theory must hold a master's or a bachelor's degree equivalent to a Â鶹AV degree in Music Technology, Music Education, Musicology, Theory, or Sound Recording. Applicants with a bachelor's degree will normally be admitted to the M.A. program for the first year and may apply for admittance to the Ph.D. program after the completion of one full year of graduate coursework. Qualified applicants who have already completed an appropriate master's degree will be admitted to the second year of the Ph.D. program.

Application Procedures

Application Procedures

Â鶹AV’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available at www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply.

See University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Graduate Â鶹AV and Application Procedures > Application Procedures for detailed application procedures. Please also consult for detailed application procedures and document requirements.

Additional Requirements

Additional Requirements

The items and clarifications below are additional requirements set by this department:

  • $70.41 audition fee for Performance degrees

Application Dates and Deadlines

Application Dates and Deadlines

Application opening dates are set by Enrolment Services in consultation with Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), while application deadlines are set by the Schulich School of Music and may be revised at any time. Applicants must verify all deadlines and documentation requirements well in advance on the appropriate Â鶹AV departmental website; please consult the list at www.mcgill.ca/gps/contact/graduate-program.

Ìý Application Opening Dates Application Deadlines
Ìý All Applicants Non-Canadian citizens (incl. Special, Visiting & Exchange) Canadian citizens/Perm. residents of Canada (incl. Special, Visiting & Exchange) Current Â鶹AV Students (any citizenship)
Fall Term: Sept. 15 Dec. 1 Dec. 1 Dec. 1
Winter Term: N/A N/A N/A N/A
Summer Term: N/A N/A N/A N/A

Admission to graduate studies is competitive; accordingly, late and/or incomplete applications are considered only as time and space permit.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2019-2020 (last updated Aug. 13, 2019) (disclaimer)

Schulich School of Music Faculty

Schulich School of Music Faculty

Dean, Schulich School of Music
Brenda Ravenscroft
Associate Dean, Graduate Studies
Lena Weman
Chairs
Stéphane Lemelin – Department of Performance
Chris Paul Harman – Department of Music Research
Associate Dean (Research and Administration)
Lloyd Whitesell
Associate Dean (Academic and Student Affairs)
Douglas McNabney
Professors
David Brackett; B.A.(Calif.-Santa Cruz), M.M.(NEC), D.M.A.(Cornell)
William Caplin; B.M.(USC), M.A., Ph.D.(Chic.) (James Â鶹AV Professor)
Brian Cherney; B.Mus., M.Mus., Ph.D.(Tor.)
Kevin Dean; B.M.E.(Iowa), M.Mus.(Miami)
Hans-Ola Ericsson; Mus. Dir. Exam.(Royal Swedish Academy of Music), Graduate, Hochschule für Musik(Freiburg)
Kyoko Hashimoto; B.Mus.(Tokyo), Professional Studies(Juilliard)
Steven Huebner; B.A., B.Mus., L.Mus.(McG.), M.F.A., Ph.D.(Princ.) (James Â鶹AV Professor)
Stéphane Lemelin; B.Mus., M.Mus.(Peabody Inst.), D.M.A.(Yale)
Stephen McAdams; B.Sc.(McG.), Ph.D.(Stan.), D.Sc.(Paris) (Canada Research Chair)
Brenda Ravenscroft; B.Mus.(Cape Town), M.Mus.(King's, Lond.), Ph.D.(Br. Col.)
John Rea; B.Mus.(Wayne), M.Mus.(Tor.), M.F.A., Ph.D.(Princ.)
Peter Schubert; B.A., M.A., Ph.D.(Col.)
Marcelo Wanderley; B.Eng.(Federal Univ. of Paraná), M.Eng.(Federal Univ. of Santa Catarina), Ph.D.(Paris VI & IRCAM) (William Dawson Scholar)
Wieslaw Woszczyk; M.A., Ph.D.(F. Chopin Academy of Music, Warsaw) (James Â鶹AV Professor)
Associate Professors
Stefano Algieri; B.Mus., M.Mus.(Manhattan School of Music)
Lisa Barg; B.A.(Antioch), M.A., Ph.D.(SUNY Stony Brook)
Theodore Baskin; B.Mus.(Curtis), M.Mus.(Auck.), Principal Oboe, Montreal Symphony
Nicole Biamonte; B.F.A.(SUNY Purchase), Ph.D., M.Phil.(Yale)
Rémi Bolduc
Denys Bouliane; B.Mus., M.Mus.(Laval), Graduate, Hochschule für Musik(Hamburg)
Alain Cazes; Premier Prix(Cons. de Montréal)
Carolyn Christie; B.Mus.(McG.)
Isabelle Cossette; Premier Prix(Cons. de Québec), M.Mus.(McG.), D.Mus.(Montr.)
Julie Cumming; B.A.(Col.), M.A., Ph.D.(Calif., Berk.)
Martha de Francisco; Diploma(Musikkhochschule, Detmold)
Philippe Depalle; B.Sc.(Paris XI and ENS Cachan), D.E.A.(Le Mans and ENS Cachan), Ph.D.(Le Mans and IRCAM)
Sean Ferguson; B.Mus.(Alta.), M.Mus., D.Mus.(McG.)
Ichiro Fujinaga; B.Mus., B.Sc.(Alta.), M.A., Ph.D.(McG.)
Matt Haimovitz; B.A.(Harv.)
Patrick Hansen; B.Mus.(Simpson), M.Mus.(Missouri)
Chris Paul Harman; Ph.D.(Birm.)
Robert Hasegawa; B.A.(Bard Coll.), M.A.(Calif.), Ph.D.(Harv.)
Alexis Hauser; Diplom(Konservatorium der Stadt, Wien)
John Hollenbeck; B.Mus., M.Mus.(Eastman Sch. of Music)
Melissa Hui; B.Mus.(Br. Col.), M.F.A.(Calif. Inst. of Arts), D.M.A./M.M.A.(Yale)
Timothy Hutchins; Dip. L.G.S.M.(Guildhall), B.A.Hons.Mus.(Dal.), Principal Flute, Montreal Symphony
Richard King; B.Mus.(Dal.), M.Mus.(McG.)
Hank Knox; B.Mus., M.Mus.(McG.)
Roe-Min Kok; B.Mus.(Texas), M.A.(Duke), Ph.D.(Harv.)
Sara Laimon; B.Mus.(Br. Col.), M.Mus.(Yale), D.M.A.(SUNY Stony Brook)
Jacqueline Leclair; B.Mus.(Eastman Sch. of Music), M.Mus., D.M.A.(SUNY Stony Brook)
Philippe Leroux; Premier Prix(Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris)
Jean Lesage; Concours, Diplôme d'études supérieures(Cons. de Montréal)
Fabrice Marandola; Premier Prix(Cons. de Paris), M.Mus., Ph.D.(Sorbonne)
George Massenburg
Michael McMahon; B.Mus.(McG.), Graduate, Hochschule für Musik(Vienna)
Douglas McNabney; B.Mus.(Tor.), M.M.(W. Ont.), D.Mus.(Montr.)
Marina Mdivani; Post-graduate Dip.(Moscow Cons.)
Violaine Melançon; Premier Prix(CMQQ/Curtis Inst.)
Christoph Neidhöfer; Graduate, Hochschule für Musik(Basel), Ph.D.(Harv.)
Jean-Michel Pilc
Ilya Poletaev; B.Mus.(Tor.), M.Mus., M.A., D.M.A.(Yale)
André Roy; B.Mus.(Curtis)
Gary Scavone; B.Sc., B.A.(Syrac.), M.Sc., Ph.D.(Stan.)
Richard Stoelzel; B.Mus.(S. Miss.), M.Mus.(Conn.)
Axel Strauss; Dipl.(Musikhochschule Rostock), Prof. Studies Cert.(Juilliard)
Joe Sullivan; B.A.(Ott.), M.M.(New England Cons.)
Lena Weman; M.A.(Uppsala), Ph.D.(Luleå)
André White; B.A.(C'dia), M.Mus.(McG.)
Lloyd Whitesell; B.A.(Minn.), M.A., Ph.D.(SUNY Stony Brook)
Jonathan Wild; B.Mus., M.A.(McG.), Ph.D.(Harv.)
Assistant Professors
Simon Aldrich; B.Mus., L.Mus.(McG.)
Guillaume Bourgogne; Premier Prix(CNSMDP)
James Box; B.M.(Southern Methodist U.), M.M.(Cleve. Inst. of Music), Principal Trombone, Montreal Symphony
Jinjoo Cho; B.M., M.M., P.S.(Cleve. Inst. of Music)
Alain Desgagné; Premier Prix(Cons. de Québec), M.Mus.(N'western)
Russell DeVuyst; B.Mus.Ed.(Boston Cons.), M.M.(New England Cons.)
Elizabeth Dolin; B.Mus.(Tor.), Artist Dip.(Ind.)
Jean Gaudreault; LL.L.(Montr.), Graduate(Cons. de Québec), Montreal Symphony
Stephen Hargreaves; B.Mus.(Ind.)
Edward Klorman; B.Mus.(Juilliard), M.A., Ph.D.(CUNY)
Joanne Kolomyjec; B.Mus.(Tor.)
Dominique Labelle; L.Mus.(McG.), Artist Dip.(Boston)
Stéphane Lévesque; Premier Prix(Cons. de Montréal), M.Mus.(Yale), Principal Bassoon, Montreal Symphony
Lisa Lorenzino; B.Mus.(Tor.), B.Ed.(Sask.), M.A.(McG.), Ph.D.(Alta.)
John Mac Master; L.Mus.(McG.)
Brian Manker; B.Mus., M.Mus.(New England Cons.)
Annamaria Popescu; A. Dip.(Acad. of Vocal Arts)
Richard Roberts; B.Mus.(Ind.), Concertmaster, Montreal Symphony
Brian Robinson; B.Mus.(Tor.), Montreal Symphony
Jennifer Swartz; Dip.(Curtis), Principal Harp, Montreal Symphony
Jean-Sébastien Vallée; B.Mus.(Laval), Grad.Dip.(Sher.), M.Mus.(Calif.-Santa Cruz), D.M.A.(Ill.-Urbana-Champaign)
Andrew Wan; B.Mus.(Juilliard), Concertmaster, Montreal Symphony
Ali Yazdanfar; B.A.(Johns Hop.), Principal Bass, Montreal Symphony
Adjunct Professors
Durand Begault; B.A.(Calif.-Santa Cruz), M.F.A.(Mills Coll., Calif.), Ph.D.(Calif.-San Diego)
Jonas Braasch; Dipl. Physics (Dortmund), Doct-Eng, Ph.D.(Ruhr-Univ. Bochum)
Rachelle Chiasson-Taylor; M.Mus., D.Mus., Ph.D.(McG.)
Steven Epstein; B.S.(Hofstra)
Jean Piché
Axel Mulder; Drs.(Rijks Universiteit Groningen), Ph.D.(S. Fraser)
Marc-Pierre Verge; B.A., M.Sc.(Laval), Ph.D.(Eiden.)
Jérémie Voix; M.Sc.A.(Sher.), Ph.D.(ÉTS)
Faculty Lecturer
Hélène Boucher; B.Mus.(Laval), M.Mus.(Montr.), Ph.D.(McG.)
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2019-2020 (last updated Aug. 13, 2019) (disclaimer)

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Music: Composition (Thesis) (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Music (M.Mus.) Music: Composition (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Music Education (Thesis) (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Music Education (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Music Technology (Thesis) (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Music Technology (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Musicology (Thesis) (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Musicology (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music Musicology (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Music Musicology (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (45 credits).

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Sound Recording (Non-Thesis) (60 credits)

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Theory (Thesis) (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Theory (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music Theory (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Music Theory (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (45 credits).

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Music Education (Non-Thesis) (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Music Education (Non-Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Musicology (Non-Thesis) (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Musicology (Non-Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Theory (Non-Thesis) (45 credits)

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Music: Theory (Non-Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Jazz Performance (Thesis) (45 credits)

Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Drums, Piano, Guitar, Bass, Voice

For more information, see Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Jazz Performance (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Early Music (Thesis) (45 credits)

Voice, Baroque Flute, Recorder, Baroque Oboe, Baroque Bassoon, Baroque Violin, Baroque Viola, Baroque Cello, Early Music Clarinet, Viola da Gamba, Organ, Harpsichord, Lute, Early Brass, Fortepiano ...

For more information, see Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Early Music (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Orchestral Instruments, Guitar (Thesis) (45 credits)

Applicants to the Performance program are expected to have a background in Music Theory equivalent to the B.Mus. in Performance. Applicants found to be deficient in their background preparation may be required to take certain additional music theory undergraduate courses.

For more information, see Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Orchestral Instruments, Guitar (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Collaborative Piano (Thesis) (45 credits)

Applicants to the Performance program are expected to have a background in Music Theory equivalent to the B.Mus. in Performance. Applicants found to be deficient in their background preparation may be required to take certain additional music theory undergraduate courses.

For more information, see Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Collaborative Piano (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Piano (Thesis) (45 credits)

Applicants to the Performance program are expected to have a background in Music Theory equivalent to the B.Mus. in Performance. Applicants found to be deficient in their background preparation may be required to take certain additional music theory undergraduate courses. ...

For more information, see Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Piano (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Organ and Church Music (Thesis) (45 credits)

Applicants to the Performance program are expected to have a background in Music Theory equivalent to the B.Mus. in Performance. Applicants found to be deficient in their background preparation may be required to take certain additional music theory undergraduate courses.

For more information, see Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Organ and Church Music (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Conducting (Thesis) (45 credits)

Instrumental and Choral Applicants to the Performance program are expected to have a background in Music Theory equivalent to the B.Mus. in Performance. Applicants found to be deficient in their background preparation may be required to take certain additional music theory undergraduate courses.

For more information, see Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Conducting (Thesis) (45 credits).

Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Opera and Voice (Thesis) (45 credits)

Applicants to the Performance program are expected to have a background in Music Theory equivalent to the B.Mus. in Performance. Applicants found to be deficient in their background preparation may be required to take certain additional music theory undergraduate courses.

For more information, see Master of Music (M.Mus.) Performance: Opera and Voice (Thesis) (45 credits).

Graduate Certificate (Gr. Cert.) Performance Choral Conducting (15 credits)

** NEW PROGRAM ** ...

For more information, see Graduate Certificate (Gr. Cert.) Performance Choral Conducting (15 credits).

Graduate Diploma (Gr. Dip.) Performance (30 credits)

A one-year graduate performance diploma that allows excellent musicians to refine their technique and master repertoire through intensive coaching, practice, and performance projects. Designed as a polishing diploma, the program prepares musicians for professional careers as soloist, opera singers, collaborative pianists, chamber, jazz and orchestral musicians or...

For more information, see Graduate Diploma (Gr. Dip.) Performance (30 credits).

Graduate Artist Diploma (Gr. Art. Dip.) Performance (30 credits)

A one-year graduate performance diploma that allows excellent musicians to refine their technique and master repertoire through intensive coaching, practice, and performance projects. Designed as a polishing diploma, the program prepares musicians for professional careers as soloists, opera singers, collaborative pianists, chamber, jazz, and orchestral musicians or...

For more information, see Graduate Artist Diploma (Gr. Art. Dip.) Performance (30 credits).

Doctor of Music (D.Mus.) Music: Composition

A minimum of two years' residence is required beyond the M.Mus. in Composition, or its equivalent. Details concerning the comprehensive examinations, composition performance, thesis, and academic regulations are available from the Graduate Coordinator, Schulich School of Music or from the Music Graduate Handbook (http://www.mcgill.ca/music/current-students...

For more information, see Doctor of Music (D.Mus.) Music: Composition.

Doctor of Music (D.Mus.) Music: Performance Studies

A minimum of two years' residence is required beyond the M.Mus. in Performance, or its equivalent. Details concerning the comprehensive examinations, composition performance, thesis and academic regulations are available from the Graduate Studies website (http://www.mcgill.ca/music).

For more information, see Doctor of Music (D.Mus.) Music: Performance Studies.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Music (Composition, Music Education, Musicology, Music Technology, Sound Recording, Theory)

(Composition, Music Education, Musicology, Music Technology, Sound Recording, Theory) ...

For more information, see Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Music (Composition, Music Education, Musicology, Music Technology, Sound Recording, Theory).

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Music: Gender and Women's Studies

Additional prerequisite courses may be assigned to candidates in Composition, Music Education, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Musicology following transcript review and/or placement exams.

For more information, see Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Music: Gender and Women's Studies.

Schulich School of Music—2019-2020 (last updated Aug. 13, 2019) (disclaimer)
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