Conducting (Low-Residency) Concentration

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Additional Admissions Requirements

The Conducting (Low-Residency) Concentration only admits for the summer term. The application deadline is February 1st.

Applicants must submit the following:

(1) a prescreening video audition containing at least 20 minutes of rehearsal and/or performance footage, uploaded within the Acceptd application;

(2) a personal statement (can be up to 500 words in length, approximately 2-pages, double spaced, using 12-point font) responding to the following prompt: Please discuss your academic and musical goals and your reasons for applying to GSU’s graduate music program.

Concentration Requirements (36 Credit Hours)

Prerequisite: Must have an ensemble the student can conduct.

Conducting Seminar

12 Hours

MUS 8670 - Conducting Seminar (Low-Residency) - 6 Credit Hours (12 credits) (two summer sessions)

Conducting

4 Hours

Select four credit hours (courses may be taken twice):

MUS 6480 - Choral Conducting 2 Credit Hours
MUS 6490 - Instrumental Conducting 2 Credit Hours

Literature Requirement

6 Hours

Select two:

MUS 6640 - Choral Literature I 3 Credit Hours
MUS 6641 - Choral Literature II 3 Credit Hours
MUS 6910 - Chamber Music Literature 3 Credit Hours
MUS 6940 - Orchestral Literature 3 Credit Hours
MUS 6941 - Orchestral Literature II 3 Credit Hours
MUS 8800 - Wind Band Literature 3 Credit Hours

Music History

3 Hours

Select one 8000-level course in Music History

Music Theory

3 Hours

One graduate-level course in Music Theory.

MUS 6110 - Instrumentation and Orchestration 3 Credit Hours
MUS 6450 - Advanced Tonal Analysis 3 Credit Hours
MUS 6460 - Analysis of Post-Tonal Music 3 Credit Hours
MUS 6500 - Historical Counterpoint 3 Credit Hours
MUS 8430 - Special Topics in Music Theory 3 Credit Hours

Conducting Project

3 Hours

Selct one:

MUS 8690 - Choral Conducting Project 3 Credit Hours
MUS 8970 - Instrumental Conducting Project 3 Credit Hours

Graduate Music Electives

5 Hours

Select five credits of graduate-level electives in music.

Comprehensive Examination

By the midpoint of the final Spring semester of study, the student will schedule an oral and/or written examination. The committee should include at least three faculty members (including the applied instructor or area coordinator, one theory faculty member, and one history faculty member). The examinations will assess the student’s knowledge regarding repertoire, pedagogy, music theory, and music history. The student will be expected to synthesize his/her knowledge and demonstrate a high level of musical understanding. Preparation should include a detailed review of all graduate courses taken and a review of the music that has been studied and performed as part of the master’s program. Each area will determine the proficiency requirements for the Comprehensive Exam for the Major Area.

The appropriate area will administer the Major Area portion of the comprehensive exam and students will be required to demonstrate proficiency as determined by their major professor and/or area coordinator. These exams may consist of paper, an oral exam, program notes for recital, a short lecture to be presented in conjunction with a recital, etc. Each foundation studies member will determine appropriate comprehensive examination questions based on the coursework the student has completed at Georgia State University in their appropriate field, and will administer the exam as they see fit. This can be an oral exam, written exam, papers, etc. It will be the student’s responsibility to complete all portions of these comprehensive exams and collect appropriate approval signatures from their major area, music history, and music theory and turn their final comprehensive exam form into the graduate director. Students planning to graduate following the final summer session must complete the comprehensive examination by the end of the twelfth week of classes in the final Spring semester.