The Master of Music in Choral Conducting provides for intensive development of performance skills, broad knowledge of literature in the area of specialization and greater understanding of the musical profession.

NASM (National Association of Schools of Music).

Graduate Assistantships are available. While all students are encouraged to apply for assistantships as a means of alleviating the costs of graduate study and of developing teaching skills, appointments are not guaranteed to all applicants who are admitted. Students interested in applying for Graduate Assistantships should fill out the form on the graduate page. (Go back to the Department of Music web page, and click "future students," "degrees," "graduate" and scroll to the lower portion of the page and click on "Application for Graduate Assistantships.")

Auditions begin in November and conclude in late February. Auditions are done on Mondays and Wednesdays only. Please contact Dr. Stroope for an audition. There are two assistantships open for the 2012 season.

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Choral conducting students do not all have music graduate assistantships, but they are encouraged to submit applications for them.

Priority will for acceptance will be given to applicants with post-undergraduate degree conducting experience. A great degree of seasoning takes place with community chorus, church choir, teaching or other conducting experience following the bachelor's degree.

Full-time students in the MM (Choral Conducting) are the priority for this program, although there are occasional part-time students. It is expected that graduates will spend two years at OSU, and should be able to complete the degree during that time. No scholarships or graduate assistantships are available for part-time students.

The OSU Men's Choir and Women's Choir are both partially lead by graduate conductors, and provide a wonderful opportunity to get additional podium time and hone skills in conducting. Graduates also assigned other conducting responsibilities at various times during the year with the other choral ensembles.

It is expected that graduate conducting students are a member of both Concert Chorale and Chamber Choir. They may also be a member of the opera or other ensembles as well, such as Women's Choir, Men's Choir or University Singers.

The audition is a two-step process.

1) The applicant should apply graduate school at OSU, and send Dr. Stroope a curriculum vitae, CD of three works recently conducted, and a DVD of the applicant conducting in a rehearsal. The applicant also needs to submit a written list of REPERTOIRE CONDUCTED and a list of REPERTOIRE PERFORMED.

REPERTOIRE CONDUCTED (for example)
» Handel, G. F. - Zadok the Priest
» Martinaitis, Algirdas - Alleluia
» Pearsall, Robert - Lay a Garland
» Vaughan Williams, R. - Dona Nobis Pacem
» Etc.

2) After the materials are evaluated, selected applicants will then be invited to do a "live" audition on campus. The campus audition will consist of the following:

The applicant will conduct the OSU Concert Chorale for a 25-minute rehearsal. (This group meets 3:30 MTWR.)

The applicant will conduct three works:

The first work is a performance-ready work by Concert Chorale. The applicant will conduct through the work without stop. This work will be assigned to the applicant by Dr. Stroop.

The second and third works are selected by the candidate in consultation with Dr. Stroope. The candidate will bring 45 copies of each work to the audition. An accompanist will be present if needed. The two pieces should be for mixed chorus (unaccompanied or accompanied) and the applicant will teach a section (not enough time for an entire piece) to the Chorale from each of the two works.

The material taught should be contrasting. (For example, the "B" section of the first work might be highly rhythmic, and the "last section" of the second work might be expressive and legato.)

The audition helps determine the conductor's communication skills, rehearsal pacing and efficiency, conducting gesture, knowledge of the mechanical aspects of the score, ability to solve rehearsal problems concisely and quickly, and general attitude and manner.

Applicants seeking the MM in Performance and Pedagogy must demonstrate proficiency in French, German, and Italian diction. Dr. Anne-Marie Condasce will administer a three-part language proficiency examination to students during the first week of classes each semester. Students must pass each section of the exam. A student who fails any of the three parts must re-take that portion in a subsequent semester. To remediate the deficiency, a student may enroll in an appropriate undergraduate course or may study independently.

Applicants will be asked to sight read several examples to show their preparation in music literacy. They will also be asked to bring one solo vocal work (art song or aria) to demonstrate their vocal ability, range, color and so on.

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"CONTINUING A TRADITION OF EXELLENCE"
All choirs/opera are open to any OSU student
regardless of major. Placement hearings occur
the weekend before school begins.


Choral Music Office
Seretean Center for the Performing Arts
Room 122
405.744.6013