Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Music - Performance Degree program must take the A-State Department of Music entrance examinations in music history and written and aural music theory. The results of this examination assist in planning each student’s exact course of study. A grade of “A” or “B” must be achieved in any remedial coursework. Remedial coursework may not be counted as credit toward the degree. Arkansas State University graduates who begin graduate studies within eighteen months of graduation will not be required to take the entrance examination providing they received an “A” or “B” on all undergraduate music theory and history coursework.

Students seeking admission to the Master of Music - Performance Degree with a concentration in Instrumental or Vocal Performance must audition for the appropriate applied faculty member prior to initial enrollment. International students must submit a video link or audition DVD to the Graduate Program Supervisor, who will distribute it to the appropriate faculty for review. At the discretion of the applied faculty member a three to five member committee may be convened to hear the audition or video recording. The applied faculty member (or committee) will evaluate the performance and report the results to the Graduate Program Supervisor. All graduate instrumental and vocal performance students are required to perform a proficiency jury at the end of the first semester of applied study. Students will receive written comments from the jury panel.

Students seeking admission to the Master of Music - Performance Degree with a concentration in Instrumental or Choral Conducting must submit a video link or DVD to the appropriate applied conducting faculty member prior to initial enrollment, or conduct two pieces in live audition. At the discretion of the applied faculty member, a three to five member committee may be convened to evaluate the video link or live audition. Contents of the video link or DVD should include two or more numbers of contrasting styles with a total time of no less than eight minutes. The video should be a front view of the conductor, not the ensemble. The conducting faculty (or committee) will evaluate the video and report the results to the Graduate Program Supervisor.