Choral Conducting The University of Oklahoma Choral Conducting program is an elite program limited to a handful of graduate students a year. Study focuses on the awareness of repertoire from all historical eras, with attention to perfomance practice considerations. Upon completion of the program, students will be well versed in a broad repertoire and fully conversant with genres, composers and representatives. Each choral conducting student will receive conducting experience with university ensembles, including orchestral conducting experience. Graduates of the university’s choral conducting program are well prepared for a professional career in music performance or music education/research., and OU’s graduates currently hold significant conducting and teaching positions throughout the country. Graduate Study There are no more than 10 graduate students in residence, the normal distribution being 5 Each candidate receives conducting experience with university ensembles, including the top-level graduate chorale. Each candidate also receives orchestral conducting experience. A scholarship is regularly offered to selected students to cover the expenses of professional orchestral musicians playing for recitals. The scholarship allows students to receive a high-level experience and a high-quality tape for career purposes. Most candidates receive graduate assistantships. There are four choral assistanships: Assistant to the Director of Choral Activities; Assistant to the Conductor of the University Choir; Conductor of the University Chorus; Choral Librarian. All assistanships carry conducting responsibilites except for the Choral Librarian. Candidates not receiving choral assistanships often receive voice, theory, music appreciation, or other assistanships, depending upon specialization or skills. Study focuses on the awareness of repertoire from all historical eras, with attention to perfomance practice considerations. Candidates will be exposed to a broad range of repertoire, with the expectation that by the completion of the degree they will be fully conversant with genres, composers and representative works. In addition, candidates will be involved in major research and will be active in the pursuit of knowledge of current trends, techniques, procedures and historical data. Master's candidates perform one recital and are responsible for no final paper. Doctoral candidates perform three recitals and write a major document. Doctoral candidates may and often do perform more recitals than are required. Performances generally include four to six choral/orchestral works and four to six programs of varied repertoire each year. The psychological atmosphere is ambitious, yet supportive and congenial, with the general feeling that each achievement contributes to the overall success of the program, each experience is met with thorough preparation, and each opportunity is a benefit to each candidate. See also the application information for graduate choral conducting. |
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