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Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ

Major code: D724

Dr. Damin Spritzer
  • Associate Professor of Organ

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Concentration and Code
(click for Coursework Requirements)

Standard (R479)

Church Music (R114)

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This degree requires the following profiencies. View the PDFs linked below for more details.

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Application Deadline

We are no longer accepting applications for this degree program for Fall 2024.

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

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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."

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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.

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Procedure for Applying

Submit the online application (see Graduate Admissions page) and all materials described below. After submitting the online application, contact the organ faculty to schedule an audition. More details about the audition can be found at the bottom of this page.

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Application materials required for all graduate degrees

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

  • Resume
  • Personal Statement
    • Submitted to the online application under the Statement of Purpose tab
    • What aspects of the program attract you to OU? Additionally, please answer one of the following prompts:
      • Why do you want to pursue this degree?
      • How would you describe your professional path to this point and your aspirations going forward?
      • What skills, expertise and experience do you bring to the degree, and how will you use your degree, post-graduation?
      • What is important to you musically, artistically, pedagogically, and intellectually?
  • 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.

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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
  • Preferably not more than 3 years old.
  • Should be recently revised.
  • Should be a minimum of 5 pages of double-spaced text, not counting bibliography.
  • Should represent your best writing and researching skills.
  • Should present a complete argument supporting a clear thesis.
  • Should feature a consistent method for citations and should contain a bibliography.
  • Please contact the Graduate Music Office (gradmusic@ou.edu) or the area chair for your program with any questions about meeting these requirements.

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Audition

After submitting the online application, contact the organ faculty to schedule a live, on-campus audition. Recordings may be submitted for preliminary consideration, but they will not take the place of the live audition. Audio or video files or links to online recordings may be submitted to the online application under Digital Portfolio > Upload Media.

The audition experience will include:

  • Thirty minutes of prepared music, demonstrating Baroque, Romantic, and contemporary styles. Playing from memory is strongly encouraged but not required.
  • One sight-read piece
  • One figured bass exercise
  • One transposition exercise
  • One harmonization on a given melody
  • A short interview
With the approval of the applied teachers/area chair, a current graduate organ student at OU who plans to apply to the DMA program within twelve months of their planned graduation from the MM may use their degree recital as the DMA audition. The recital must meet DMA audition requirements. In order for a faculty committee to be organized to attend the recital to evaluate it for DMA application purposes, the student must inform all members of the organ area faculty at least one week before the recital.