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Graduate Wind Conducting Program

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KU offers cutting edge MM and DMA programs in Wind Conducting. These competitive programs offer students the opportunity to conduct a broad range of ensembles in preparation for a professional conducting career. The art of conducting is examined from the perspective of gesture and movement, score study/analysis/ear training, and rehearsal techniques and strategies. In addition, students learn a broad range of repertoire within social and historic contexts. A focus is placed on contemporary music and the development of the wind band as a serious artistic medium.


Audition Procedures:


AUDITION REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDY IN WIND CONDUCTING

General Information

It is preferred that all applicants for the Master of Music in conducting degree have two years of successful professional-level conducting experience that can be documented. It is preferred that all applicants for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting have four years of successful professional-level conducting experience that can be documented. This may include public school teaching, directing a professional or semi-professional ensemble, or other equivalent professional arenas.


Deadline for Applications

Priority consideration for graduate fellowships and graduate teaching assistantships AND preliminary audtion materials:

Deadline: December 15, 2009

  1. Music Application
    -Make a request to receive a teaching assistantship application to Ms. Joy Simpson, Assistant to the Director of Graduate Studies (musicgrad@ku.edu)
    -Send preliminary audition materials and completed teaching assitantship application to:

    Director of Graduate Studies
    School of Music,
    460 Murphy Hall,
    1530 Naismith Drive,
    The University of Kansas,
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    musicgrad@ku.edu

  2. - KU Application
    Fill out and return an application to the University of Kansas: www.ku.edu

Preliminary Audition Requirements

  • a complete application and the applicant’s resumé.

  • a videotape that shows the applicant conducting at least two compositions in performance and two compositions in rehearsal. The conductor must be in full frontal or a partial profile view and at least part of the ensemble must be in view. The repertoire selected for the video must be appropriate to the musical and technical abilities of the ensemble.

  • a performance audio tape or CD of an ensemble that the applicant has trained.

  • a formal analysis (two-pages typed maximum) of the following literature:

  • MM & DMA applicants - Grainger, Percy: Lincolnshire Posy.

  • a list of three references who can speak to the applicant’s musical abilities. Include name, professional title, relationship to applicant, address, phone number with area code, and e-mail address.

Faculty Review of Materials/Invitation to Audition

Upon faculty review of the materials that are submitted, a limited number of finalists will be invited to audition and interview at the University of Kansas on a specific audition date. If an applicant has been selected as a finalist, they will be notified four weeks prior to the specific audition date. While the auditions take place in February 2010, no applicant should make travel arrangements until they have been invited for a final audition.


Formal Audition

The live audition will include three parts:

  1. An interview with Dr. Weiss discussing the applicants professional goals, teaching philosophy, and experience.
  2. A musical skills and knowledge diagnostic including aural skills, score recognition, and knowledge of wind/percussion instruments and musical terminology.
  3. A twenty minute audition with the KU Wind Ensemble adjudicated by the heads of the conducting divisions. The audition will begin with a run-through to assess non-verbal communication and gesture. The candidate will then be asked make several adjustments to their conducting. The audition will conclude with the candidate rehearsing the piece in the remaining time.

Notification

The applicants will be notified of their status within three weeks of the
audition.

Assistantships and fellowships notifications will come from the Chair of Department of Music and Dance and the Director of Graduate Studies offices, not from the Conducting and Ensembles area.