Graduate Studies in Music

Cynthia R. Curtis, Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts

Kris Elsberry, Director of Graduate Studies in Music

Jeffery Ames, Anthony Belfiglio, Bruce Bennett, Paula Bressman*, Madeline Bridges, Wayne Causey*, Jennifer Coleman, Billy Contreras*, Sarah Cote*, Jennifer Craig*, Cynthia Curtis, Bruce Dudley, Sandra Dudley, Kris Elsberry, Matthew Endahl*, Deen Entsminger, Kelly Garner, Alex Graham, Robert Gregg, Ellen Goebel*, Alison Gooding*, Richard Hoffman, Todd Kemp, Tammy Rogers King*, Jeff Kirk, Kristian Klefstad, Terry Klefstad, Barry Kraus, Peter Lamothe, Virginia Lamothe, Daniel Landes, Todd London, David Madeira*, Lesley Mann, Steve Mauldin*, Robert Marler, Keith Mason, Keith Moore, Craig Nelson*, Paul Nelson*, Christopher Norton, Kathryn Paradise, John Pell, William Pursell, Susan Ramsay*, Andrew Risinger*, Radu Rusu*, Megan Santi*, Richard Shadinger, Elisabeth Small, Henry Smiley, Buddy Spicher*, Chester Thompson*, Robert Thompson*, Carolyn Treybig, Joel Treybig, Michael Valeras*, Roy Vogt, Mark Volker, Jane Warren, Derico Watson*, Mark Whatley, Kristi Whitten, James Wigginton, Ted Wylie, Marjorie Yankeelov*, Xaio-Fan Zhang*, Zoro*
*Part-Time

Vision:

To be a nationally recognized, comprehensive graduate program where talented students and expert teachers practice scholarship, performance, and creativity in the study of music.

Mission:

To provide a challenging environment for graduate students which fosters excellence in performance, creativity, and research in the areas of music composition, church music, commercial music, music education, performance, and pedagogy.

Goals:

The goals for graduate study in music are:
1) To enhance and extend the educational knowledge of students preparing for careers in music.
2) To offer various curricula in graduate study for the student desiring to pursue advanced study in music.
3) To enrich the cultural and musical environment of the university and regional community.

Accreditation

The Belmont University School of Music is a fully accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

The Master of Music Degree

The Master of Music Degree is a professional music degree designed for students seeking advanced study in music in the areas of Church Music, Commercial Music, Composition, Music Education, Pedagogy (keyboard, instrumental, vocal), or Performance (keyboard, instrumental, vocal). Students applying to this program typically will have completed undergraduate degrees in music. The professional goals of students in this program include doctoral study in music, careers in performance, elementary and secondary school music teaching, private or college teaching and church music positions.

Master of Music Curricula

The Belmont University Master of Music Degree includes six majors: Church Music, Commercial Music, Composition, Music Education, Pedagogy, and Performance. Each of these strong musical and academic curricula consists of 34 total hours. Graduate students in each major are required to successfully complete comprehensive written and oral examinations as well as a culminating project. Culminating Project track options vary according to the major and include: (a) lecture recital track (includes a research project), (b) full recital track (includes a recital paper), (c) thesis/project track, (d) recording project track (includes a production paper). Requirements for each track are described in the Guidelines to the Master of Music Degree, accessed through the Belmont University portal.

Master of Music - Major in Church Music

Students pursuing advanced academic study in Church Music are preparing to be ministers of music, choirmasters, organists, children's choir leaders or a combination of these roles. Students in this program may focus on performance, research, and/or conducting.

Master of Music - Major in Commercial Music

The Master of Music in Commercial Music is designed for students to further develop their knowledge and skills of music in commercial styles. The major offers two emphasis areas: performance and media composition and arranging. Graduates will enhance their opportunities to become professional commercial performers, composers/arrangers, producers, and musicians in a variety of creative media in the commercial music industry. This degree will also make possible the pursuit of doctoral programs within certain discipline areas.

Courses in studio technology, entrepreneurship, and apprenticeship are included in both emphases. Supporting coursework includes research, history, ensemble participation, and theory.

Commercial Music majors are required to successfully complete comprehensive written and oral examinations. The culminating project is a choice of a full recital, lecture recital, or recording project.

Master of Music - Major in Composition

The Master of Music in Composition is designed for students wishing to further develop their skills and knowledge in the area of music composition. Graduates with a major in Composition pursue careers as professional free-lance composers/arrangers, serve as adjunct instructors in regional and community colleges, and/or continue study in a doctoral program leading to a university teaching position.

Coursework is required in applied composition, composition seminar, compositional analysis, and theory pedagogy. Supporting courses in music include research, history, ensemble participation, and theory.

Composition majors are required to successfully complete comprehensive written and oral examinations. The culminating project for the MM in Composition includes a 50-minute chamber recital of original compositions as well as a research paper.

Master of Music - Major in Music Education

The Master of Music in Music Education is designed to train today's music teacher as both musician and educator. Graduate students majoring in Music Education choose from three specializations: elementary/middle school, secondary choral, or secondary instrumental.

In addition to courses in the area of specialization, coursework is required in music education foundations and contemporary educational issues. Supporting courses in music include research, theory, history, ensemble participation, and applied studies.
Music Education majors are required to successfully complete written and oral comprehensive examinations. The culminating project is a choice of either the lecture recital or thesis/project track.

Master of Music - Major in Pedagogy

Students entering the Pedagogy Major seek specialization in the teaching of their particular performance area. Emphasis is placed on excellence in performance as well as excellence in teaching. Pedagogy majors are interested in establishing private teaching studio businesses and/or teaching in community colleges. Some will continue graduate study in doctoral programs leading to college and university teaching positions.

Pedagogy courses include two semesters of pedagogy and one to two semesters of supervised teaching. Applied study and repertoire are also part of the major. Supporting music courses include research, theory, and history, and ensemble.

Pedagogy majors are required to successfully complete comprehensive written and oral examinations. The culminating project is a choice of either the lecture recital or the thesis/project track.

Master of Music - Major in Performance

Students who have achieved a high level of skill in their performance area during undergraduate careers and wish to further develop their performance abilities seek this degree. Performance majors specialize in their applied performance area with a secondary component in the teaching of that area.

In this degree, students prepare to become professional performing musicians. It is assumed that most graduates of the Performance Major will either become professional performers or continue study in doctoral programs leading to university teaching positions.

Performance majors are required to successfully complete comprehensive written and oral examinations and follow the full recital track for the culminating project.

Academic Policies

Please see the header link "Academic Policies" at the top of this page for information including admission to the program, K-12 Licensure, and undergraduates petitioning to take a graduate course.