Instrumental Conducting

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DMA in Instrumental Conducting - Orchestral

Major code: D707 R476

Coursework Requirements (PDF)

Required Proficiencies

This degree requires the following proficiencies.

Contacts

Dr. Jonathan Shames

Professor of Orchestral Conducting
OU Opera Theater Artistic Director

Application Deadline

To receive full consideration for admission and graduate assistantships, the application deadline is January 1. The School of Music cannot guarantee an audition, interview, admission, or graduate assistantship if application is received after the deadline.

Residency Requirement

Per Graduate College policy 8.2.1.1, "The student must be in residence at OU for at least two consecutive 16-week semesters during the pursuit of the doctoral degree while enrolled and engaged in coursework or research activities as prescribed by the major academic unit."

Assistantships

There is no separate application for assistantship. Unless the applicant indicates otherwise, we assume that all applicants are interested in being considered for assistantships. Please note that assistantships are usually awarded for the Fall and Spring semesters together. We very seldom have assistantships available for anyone entering in a Spring semester. We do not award assistantships for Summer sessions.

Procedure for Applying

Submit the online application (see Graduate Admissions page) and all materials described below. The Conductor of the OU Symphony Orchestra (major professor for this degree) will review the written and recorded materials to determine whether or not to contact the applicant to schedule an audition. More details about the audition can be found at the bottom of this page.

Application materials required for all graduate degrees

These items must be submitted to the online graduate application system.

Resume
- Submitted to the online application under the Resume tab.
Statement of Purpose
- Submitted to the online application under the Statement of Purpose tab
- Please compose a brief personal statement (approximately 2–3 pages of double-spaced, 12-point font text with 1-inch margins) regarding your desire to pursue a graduate degree in music. Include responses to the following prompts:
  1. How would you describe your professional path to this point?
  2. Why do you want to pursue this degree at OU?
  3. How do you want to grow musically, artistically, pedagogically, and/or intellectually during your graduate studies?
  4. What skills, expertise, and experiences do you bring to graduate study at OU?
  5. Describe your post-degree plans (i.e., How will you apply your newly acquired academic knowledge and expertise?).
Three letters of reference
- Submitted to the online application under Recommendations tab
- Your three reference letters should include:
  - At least one letter from: your studio professor, ensemble conductor, chamber coach, etc., or a person who has considerable knowledge about your abilities as a performer or composer.
  - At least one letter from: a person who can speak to your abilities as a scholar of music.

Scholarly writing requirement

This degree requires you to submit a sample of your scholarly writing.

Submitted to the online application under the Supporting Documents tab
The guidelines for this writing sample are as follows:
1. Should represent your best writing and researching skills.
2. Preferably not more than 3 years old; should be recently revised. If you do not have a recent scholarly writing sample on hand, we ask that you compose something original.
3. Adhere to a consistent method of formatting and citations (e.g., Chicago, MLA, Turabian, APA) and include a bibliography/reference list.
4. A minimum of 5 pages of double-spaced, 12-point font text (not counting bibliography) with typical 1-inch margins.
5. Ensure your writing sample is representative of the field. Consider presenting a complete argument supporting a clear thesis, perhaps methodological in nature for empirical research, or other format reflective of various academic areas in music.
6. Please contact the Graduate Music Office (gradmusic@ou.edu) or the area chair for your program with any questions about meeting these requirements.

Pre-screening application materials required for this degree

These items must be submitted to the online graduate application system

Two short (5 to 8 minute) video recordings of recent performances; and a video recording of similar length of a recent rehearsal.
- Video files or links to online video recordings may be submitted to the online application under Digital Portfolio > Upload Media.
A detailed description of the applicant's current conducting program (ensemble size, ability of performers, rehearsal and performance schedule, repertoire, etc.).
- Submitted to the online application under Supporting Documents.

Audition

The Conductor of the OU Symphony Orchestra (major professor for this degree) will review the written and recorded materials to determine whether or not to contact the applicant to schedule a live, on-campus audition.

Applicants invited to campus for a live audition will present a conducting audition with a University ensemble presented before a committee consisting of appropriate members of the Graduate Music Faculty.
The audition will consist of a 30-minute rehearsal with orchestra of works assigned prior to the audition, and a 15-minute session at the piano with Dr. Shames that will focus largely but not entirely on score-reading.