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Music
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Graduate Degrees
We
bring together advanced students and professional faculty in a high-level,
collaborative environment. The program is highly selective and deliberately
limited to a small number of students—resulting in a student-teacher
ratio averaging 2:1. Private studio instruction is at the center of
the performance and composition degrees, while seminars and hand-on
experiences
are the focus of degrees in music education and music history. We
groom our graduate students for professional life, provide a solid
foundation
for doctoral studies, train teachers for college positions, and prepare
public school teachers to achieve an advanced specialized degree.
Graduate assistantships and significant scholarships are available,
and the Graduate String Quartet Residency program offers two-year fellowships
to existing quartets. Graduate conducting students serve as assistant
conductors for instrumental and vocal ensembles.
Additional
information is available in the SFSU Bulletn
Areas of Study
Master of Music in Classical Performance
Master of Music in Chamber Music
Master of Music in Conducting
Master of Arts in Composition
Master of Arts in Music History
Master of Arts in Music Education
Master of Music in Classical Performance
Orchestral
instruments, voice, piano, and guitar
Private studio instruction is at the heart of the
performance program. Our faculty of artist-teachers, many of whom perform
with the San Francisco
Symphony, Opera, and Ballet, work with well-prepared and talented students
to achieve levels of performance suitable for entrance to the world of
professional music as performers and teachers or for admission to
doctoral-level study. In addition to solo recitals and large-ensemble
concerts, high-level
performance opportunities also include chamber ensembles coached by the
Alexander String Quartet, operas, concerto competitions, and positions
in the highly acclaimed touring chamber choir. Significant scholarships
are available for incoming students.
Master
of Music in Chamber Music
Orchestral instruments,
voice, piano, and guitar
Artists in residence: The Alexander String
Quartet
Private lessons with our artist-teachers together
with extensive chamber music coaching with the Alexander String Quartet
form
the
hub of the
master’s
degree in chamber music. Electives include secondary instrument
or voice instruction, advanced score reading and transposition,
and
numerous seminars
in history and literature. Scholarships are available, including
the String
Quartet in Residency Fellowship for a preformed quartet.
Master
of Music in Conducting
Orchestral or
Choral
Private studio instruction combined with large-ensemble
podium time is at the core of our curriculum, which is designed for preparation
for professional
conductors and those wishing to continue in doctoral programs. In
order to provide maximum conducting experience, this program is kept
very
small—a limited number of students are accepted into each program at any time.
You will spend at least one year as assistant conductor of a university
ensemble.
In private lessons and seminars you will refine your conducting and
rehearsal techniques, develop score preparation skills, explore literature,
continue
to develop a broad knowledge of music history and theory.
Master
of Arts in Composition
This small
and highly selective program works with a maximum of six students
at any
one time. You will work closely with your faculty mentors,
some
of the most highly respected composers in the country. [footnote:
Awards garnered by our current faculty include the Pulitzer Prize,
four Fromm
Foundation awards, and three each of Guggenheim fellowships, Rockefeller
fellowships, American Academy of Arts and Letters awards, and Koussevitsky
Foundation commissions. As a graduate student, you will have opportunities
to write for a professional ensemble in residence, faculty ensembles,
and advanced student ensembles coached by the Alexander String Quartet.
Orchestral works are read each semester. Performances and readings
are digitally recorded, preparing you for entrance into the professional
world
or developing your portfolio for doctoral programs. In addition to
private
lessons, courses are available in a variety of topics including tonal
and post-tonal analysis and composer-specific seminars. Scholarships
and
Graduate Assistantships are available
Master
of Arts in Music History
Prepared to study.
Prepared to teach others. Prepared to teach yourself. Surrounded
by vibrant classical music and vital cultural life in San Francisco, our
music
history program is intended to advance your
career, either as
a teacher in a two or four-year college or as a student in a doctoral
program. More importantly, we teach you to teach yourself, so you
can continue to learn after your formal studies are over. In classes
and
seminars,
you will study music research techniques and study music of all periods.
In a yearlong period of one-on-one study under a faculty specialist,
you
are able to cultivate one or more areas of your specific interest
Master
of Arts in Music Education
We offer
two different education tracts to suit your individual needs: one
as a
terminal degree, the other as preparation for a doctoral program.
•The terminal degree option is for those wishing to advance their
career in K-12 education while enrolled in the teaching credential program.
You will add breadth to your understanding by learning research techniques
specific to music education, participating in classes on designing and
implementing curricula, and taking part in seminars on secondary education.
And your will add depth through fieldwork and a master’s thesis
in an area of your particular interest. We have scheduled classes
late in the day, to allow you to participate even if you have a full-time
position
•The preparation for doctoral study option is an opportunity for
teachers with a credential and two years’ experience to lay
the groundwork for advanced studies. In addition to classes in
research methods specific to music education and in curricular
development,
you
are encouraged to take non-music classes in areas related to
your particular interest, further honing your knowledge in areas
you may
wish to explore
at the doctoral level.
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