Graduate Division

Curricula for Graduate Degrees

Historical Performance

Doctor of Music in Historical Performance

This degree is offered according to the available faculty for the following majors:  voice (Y911), natural horn (Y933) , Baroque violin (Y941), Baroque viola (Y942), Baroque cello (Y943), viola da gamba (Y944), lute and theorbo (Y951), historical guitars (Y952), harpsichord (Y953), and fortepiano (Y954).

Admission Requirements

Master’s degree in historical performance, with a major in the same instrument, or its demonstrated equivalent. For additional information, see "Admission Requirements" in the Graduate Division section of this bulletin.

Major

36 credit hours

  • Y9-- Historical Performance Graduate Major (16 cr.). See course numbers for performance areas listed above.
  • 4 credit hours from M517-M518-M519-M520 Medieval/Renaissance/Baroque/Classical/Performance Practice (2-2-2-2 cr.)
  • 4 credit hours from
    • F501 Accompaniment of Baroque Music (2 cr.) (May not be chosen by harpsichord majors, for whom this is a tool subject.)
    • F502 Topics in Basso Continuo (2 cr.)
    • F503 Advanced Topics in Basso Continuo (2 cr.)
    • M558 Topics in Historical Performance (1-3 cr.)
  • M522 Historical Notation/Edition Projects (2 cr.)
  • M523 Music and Rhetoric in Performance (2 cr.)
  • Y701 Doctoral Recital in Historical Performance (1-1-1 cr.)
  • Y550 Historical Performance Chamber Ensembles (1-1 cr.)
  • M620 Doctoral Final Project (3 cr.)
Minor and Other Required Credits

24 credit hours. See “Structure of Doctoral Curricula” under General Requirements for Doctoral Degrees in this bulletin.

Major Ensemble

X60 Historical Performance Ensembles (2 cr.) each fall and spring semester until coursework is complete.

Language Proficiency (all students)

Reading knowledge of French, German, Italian, Latin, or Spanish. The choice of language is subject to approval by the chair of the student’s advisory committee and the director of graduate studies. Proficiency in a language may be demonstrated by:

  • passing an examination administered by the appropriate language department,
  • passing a translation examination administered by the historical performance department,
  • earning grades of B or higher in two semesters of reading courses at the graduate level, or
  • earning a grade of B or higher in a literature course in the language at the 300 level or higher.
Language Proficiencies (voice students)

Knowledge of French, German, and Italian grammar equivalent to two semesters at the college level in each, and proficiency in diction in each language as demonstrated by examination or by passing a Jacobs School of Music diction course. Students must take all three diction examinations in their first semester of enrollment; they may take specific examinations for a second time in their second semester of enrollment. Diction examinations are given prior to the beginning of each semester. For any examination not passed, students must pass the appropriate Jacobs School of Music diction course.

Tool Subjects
  • All students:
    • M539 Introduction to Music Bibliography (2 cr.)
    • M635 Performance Practice Before 1750 (2 cr.)  Proficiency will be demonstrated by an entrance examination. Students who do not pass this examination must enroll in M635 Performance Practice Before 1750 during their first semester of enrollment.
  • Harpsichord majors:
    • F501 Accompaniment of Baroque Music (2 cr.). Proficiency will be demonstrated by an entrance examination. Students who do not pass this exam must enroll in F501 during their first semester of enrollment.

Academic Bulletins

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Previous Bulletins

Students are ordinarily subject to the curricular requirements outlined in the Bulletin in effect at the start of their current degree. See below for links to previous Bulletins.