Advance your craft as a conductor while developing your conducting skills. You receive individual mentorship from faculty and have opportunities for significant podium time with an instrumental or choral ensemble.
The MM in performance with a concentration in conducting presents conductors of orchestras or wind bands with the opportunity to improve their art, craft and scholarship in pursuit of both professional and academic career aspirations. This program is also beneficial for public school teachers of orchestras and wind bands who want to strengthen their skills.
There are three tracks within this concentration.
The wind band track allows conductors to study privately with the director of bands and work closely with other members of the conducting faculty, including the director of athletic bands, to develop their conducting and rehearsal skills.
Podium time is essential for the development of conducting skills; therefore, wind band conductors enjoy significant time leading the ASU Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony, serving as assistant conductor of the Maroon Band, and co-directing the Gold Band. Another exciting opportunity is the ASU Chamber Winds, a stand-alone graduate-level chamber wind group that the wind band conducting students have the opportunity to work with twice a week.
The orchestral track is designed to meet the needs of the conductor who focuses on orchestral conducting. Required courses are specific to orchestral conducting, and elective courses provide additional opportunities for further orchestral study.
The music direction track is designed to meet the needs of the musical director focusing on musical theatre and opera conducting. Required courses focus on music theatre and opera rehearsal techniques, technical production and repertoire.
At A Glance
Performance (Conducting), MM
- Offered by: Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Location: Tempe
Plan of study
The Plan of study is the required curriculum to complete this graduate level program.
Degree requirements
Required Core (4 credit hours)
MUP 527 Studio Instruction (4)
Concentration (7 credit hours)
MUP 596 Solo Performance (1)
MUP 597 Solo Performance (1)
Choose from the following for a total of 5 credit hours:
MUE 564 Instrumental Music, Advanced Rehearsal Techniques (3)
MUP 540 Principles of Integrated Conducting (2)
MUP 551 Repertoire: Music Theatre Repertoire (2)
MUP 571 Music Theatre: Workshops (2)
MUP 573 Music Theatre: Performance (1)
Track (9-10 credit hours)
Other Studies in Music (11-12 credit hours)
music history (6)
music theory (5-6)
Culminating Experience (0 credit hours)
written comprehensive exam (0)
Additional Curriculum Requirements
Students select a track from the following: wind band, orchestral or music direction. Students should see the academic unit for specific concentration and track course requirements for each track.
The other studies in music requirement includes six credit hours of MHL coursework and five to six credit hours of MTC coursework.
Track credit hours may include electives depending on course selections.
Completion of diagnostic exams in musicology and music theory is required of all new graduate music students prior to enrollment in courses for these programs through the ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre. This is tracked internally within the academic unit.
Additional information on degree requirements for all graduate music majors may be found on the check sheets posted under each degree. https://musicdancetheatre.asu.edu/degree-programs/music/graduate
Admission requirements
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a U.S. bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution or the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree from an institution in another country that is officially recognized by that country.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee: https://admission.asu.edu/graduate
- School of Music, Dance and Theatre application (including a resume, personal statement and repertoire list): https://musicdancetheatre.asu.edu/admissions/music/graduate-steps-to-apply
- official transcripts
- prescreening video
- three letters of recommendation
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of current residency. Information is available at https://admission.asu.edu/international/graduate/english-proficiency. The School of Music, Dance and Theatre does not offer conditional admission under any circumstances.
A bachelor's degree in music is not required for admission to a master's program. However, all applicants without a bachelor's degree in music should contact MDTAdmissions@asu.edu for information on potential remedial courses. Remedial courses may be taken at ASU, another accredited university, or a community college before or after admission to this program, but they must be completed prior to starting graduate-level course requirements in music history and music theory.
Applicants should see the program website for application deadlines. After an applicant's complete application materials have been received, including recommendation letters, transcripts and English proficiency requirements, and a review has been conducted of prescreening materials, the applicant may be invited for a live audition. Information about the audition component may be found at https://musicdancetheatre.asu.edu/admissions/music/graduate-auditions.
Information about this program
Visit the School of Music website for full details.