Master of Music (MMus) Degree in the field of Viola Performance
Program Learning Outcomes for the MMus Degree
Upon completing the MMus degree, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate technical and musical competence in performance, composition, or historical scholarship at a professional level.
- Develop advanced analytical skills in music theory and a deep understanding of how those skills inform music performance.
- Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the relationship between music history and music performance.
- Develop career development skills that complement their professional-level performance skills.
Requirements for the MMus Degree
The MMUS degrees can be thesis or non-thesis master's degrees depending on the field declared. For general university requirements for thesis master's degrees, please see Thesis Master’s Degrees. For general university requirements for non-thesis master's degrees, please see Non-Thesis Master’s Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the MMus degree programs must complete:
- A minimum of 43-54 credit hours depending on field of study to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate-level study (coursework at the 500-level or above).
- A minimum of 24 credit hours must be taken at Rice University.
- A minimum residency enrollment of one fall or spring semester of full-time graduate study at Rice University.
- A minimum overall GPA of 2.67.
- A minimum GPA of 2.67 in required coursework.
Students completing the MMus degree in all fields of study must participate in core music, applied music, and other required music courses as well as in chamber music and large ensembles, plus electives. They are entitled to one hour of private lessons each week of each semester they are enrolled as an MMus degree candidate; private or group lessons beyond this may result in additional fees.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the program's academic advisor, or where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the department or program's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the MMus Degree in the field of Viola Performance | 44 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Performance Requirements | ||
| MUSI 693 | VIOLA FOR MAJORS-ADVANCED (minimum of 4 semesters) | 3 |
| MUSI 635 | ADVANCED ORCHESTRA (minimum of 4 semesters) | 2 |
| MUSI 636 | ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC (minimum of 4 semesters) | 1 |
| MUSI 531 | ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE (minimum of 4 semesters) | 1 |
| MUSI 641 | MASTER'S RECITAL I | 0 |
| MUSI 741 | MASTER'S RECITAL II | 0 |
| or MUSI 631 | MOCK AUDITION | |
| Academic Coursework | ||
| Select 1 course from the Approved Music Theory course offerings (see below for course list) | 3 | |
| Select 1 additional course from the Music Theory or Music History courses (see below for course lists) | 3 | |
| Select 2 courses from the Music Career and Skills Enhancement course offerings (see below for course list) | 4 | |
| Select 6 credit hours from the Elective Requirements (see below for course list) 1 | 6 | |
| Proficiencies 2 | ||
| Students must demonstrate the following proficiencies: | ||
Piano proficiency | ||
Aural skills proficiency | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 44 | |
Academic Coursework
Academic Coursework is comprised of at least 1 course (3 credit hours) from the Approved Music Theory course offerings, 1 course (3 credit hours) from the Music Theory or Music History course offerings, 2 courses (4 credit hours) from the Music Career and Skills Enhancement course offerings, and 6 credit hours from the Elective Requirements.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Approved Music Theory Courses | 3 | |
| Select 1 course from the following: | ||
| ANALYTICAL SYSTEMS | ||
| MODAL COUNTERPOINT | ||
| ADVANCED ORCHESTRATION | ||
| EARLY MODERN MASTERS | ||
| TONAL COUNTERPOINT | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN MUSIC THEORY AND MUSIC THEORY COMPOSITION | ||
| MUSIC OF RAVEL: MUSIC THEORY AND COMPOSTION | ||
| MUSIC SINCE 1950 | ||
| Additional Music Theory Courses | ||
| EXPERIMENTAL SOUND AND VIDEO | ||
| CLASSICAL, CONTEMPORARY, AND CROSS-CULTURAL ASIAN MUSIC | ||
| BASIC ELECTRONIC MUSIC | ||
| ELECTRONIC MUSIC COMPOSITION | ||
| MUSIC BUSINESS AND LAW | ||
| ORCHESTRATION | ||
| MUSIC FOR MEDIA | ||
| SCORE READING AND THEORY AT THE KEYBOARD | ||
| ADVANCED ELECTRONIC AND COMPUTER MUSIC SYSTEMS | ||
| ADVANCED COMPUTER SOUND SYNTHESIS | ||
| CLASSROOM PEDAGOGY | ||
| ANALYTICAL APPROACHES | ||
| SEMINAR IN ADVANCED ANALYSIS | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN ADVANCED ANALYSIS | ||
| AESTHETICS OF MUSIC | ||
| Music History Courses | 3 | |
| Select 1 course from the following (or select 1 additional Music Theory Course): | ||
| RENAISSANCE MUSIC | ||
| MUSIC OF THE MIDDLE AGES | ||
| BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH METHODS | ||
| AMERICAN MUSIC | ||
| PERFORMANCE PRACTICES SEMINAR | ||
| TOPICS IN EARLY MUSIC | ||
| TOPICS IN THE 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES | ||
| TOPICS IN 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES | ||
| MUSIC, MAGIC, AND SCIENCE IN THE MODERN WORLD | ||
| PROGRAM MUSIC IN THE 19TH CENTURY | ||
| SATIE, COCTEAU, & LES SIX: PARIS IN THE 1920s AND BEYOND | ||
| MUSIC AND MODERNISM IN FRANCE | ||
| MUSIC OF RICHARD STRAUSS | ||
| WORDS AND MUSIC | ||
| SELECTED STUDIES IN MUSIC HISTORY | ||
| EARLY OPERA | ||
| J.S. BACH: CAREER, WORKS, AND CRITICAL RECEPTION | ||
| SEMINAR ON A SELECTED COMPOSER | ||
| MOZART OPERAS | ||
| THE CLASSICAL STYLE | ||
| ROMANTIC SONGS AND PIANO PIECES | ||
| MUSIC OF SCHOENBERG | ||
| MUSIC OF STRAVINSKY | ||
| Music Career and Skills Enhancement Courses | 4 | |
| Select 2 courses from the following: | ||
| ADVANCED MENTAL TRAINING | ||
| THE NEW ENTERPRISE | ||
| DESIGN THINKING | ||
| BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT | ||
| SOCIAL ENTERPRISE | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO DALCROZE EURHYTHMICS | ||
| IMAGINATION AND COMMUNICATION: DEVELOPING MUSICAL SKILLS THROUGH THEATRICAL TECHNIQUES | ||
| ENHANCED PERFORMANCE: WRITING, SPEAKING, PLAYING | ||
| CONDUCTING: AN OVERVIEW OF PRACTICAL SKILLS | ||
| MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE: THE MIND/BODY CONNECTION | ||
| TECHNOLOGY FOR MUSICIANS | ||
| FUNDAMENTALS OF PRIVATE TEACHING | ||
| THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICIANS | ||
| PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR MUSICIANS | ||
| MUSIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
| THE ART AND BUSINESS OF STUDIO TEACHING | ||
| THEMATIC PROGRAMMING: THE ART OF THE RECITAL | ||
| THE FELDENKRAIS METHOD AND THE MUSICIAN'S BODY | ||
| APPLIED JAZZ IMPROVISATION: DEVELOPING SOLO IMPROVISATIONAL SKILLS IN THE JAZZ IDIOM | ||
| Elective Requirements 1 | 6 | |
| Select 6 credit hours from the following: | ||
Any course at the 300-level or above | ||
Any language course at the 100-level or above | ||
Any additional Music Theory, Music History, or Music Career and Skills Enhancement course | ||
| RICE JAZZ ENSEMBLE | ||
| APPLIED STUDIES IN JAZZ | ||
| CONCENTRATION PIANO | ||
| COLLEGIUM MUSICUM | ||
| PRACTICUM IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC | ||
| SONATA CLASS | ||
| GRADUATE INDEPENDENT STUDY | ||
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | No more than three (3) credit hours of MUSI 649 - Independent Study may fulfill this requirement. Remedial courses (such as MUSI 281, MUSI 432, MUSI 511, MUSI 521, or MUSI 522) and extra hours of required Performance Coursework (such as extra private instrumental or vocal study, ensembles, chamber music, vocal coaching, or repertoire classes) will not fulfill this requirement. |
| 2 | Deficiencies in these areas will result in remedial coursework being added to a student's degree plan. |
Policies for the MMus Degree
Shepherd School of Music Graduate Program Handbook
The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum. As an additional resource for students, the Shepherd School of Music publishes a graduate program handbook, which can be found here: https://gradhandbooks.rice.edu/2018_19/Shepherd_School_of_Music_Graduate_Handbook.pdf
Admission
For Instrumental Performance, Vocal Performance, and Orchestral Conducting applicants, an audition is required. Composition applicants must submit portfolios, and Musicology applicants must provide samples of their written work. Musicology applicants must also complete advanced music tests as well as the Graduate Record Examination for admission consideration.
Academic Standards
Curriculum and Degree Requirements
Further information on curricular requirements for all majors and degree programs is available from the Shepherd School of Music.
Grading Policy
A minimum grade of B- (2.67 grade points) is expected of all music students in their major applied area. A grade of C+ (2.33 grade points) or lower is considered unsatisfactory and will be evaluated in the following manner:
A music major who receives a grade of C+ (2.33 grade points) or lower in their major applied area will be placed on music probation. Music probation signifies that the student’s work has been sufficiently unsatisfactory to preclude graduation unless marked improvement is achieved promptly. A student on music probation may be absent from class only for extraordinary reasons and may not represent the school in any public function not directly a part of a degree program.
If a student receives a second semester of C+ (2.33 grade points) or lower in their major applied area, whether for consecutive semesters or not, the student will be discontinued as a music performance major and merit scholarship from the Shepherd School will be discontinued.
Note: For music history and musicology majors a grade of C+ (2.33 grade points) or lower in any music history course is considered unsatisfactory and will be evaluated as above.
Graduate degree requirement: a minimum grade point average of 2.67 is necessary for graduation.
Leaves of Absence and Voluntary Withdrawal
Music majors must obtain permission in writing from the dean of the Shepherd School before requesting a leave of absence from the university. Requests must be in the dean’s office before the first day of classes in the semester for which leave is requested.
Music majors taking voluntary withdrawal from the university are not guaranteed readmission into the Shepherd School and may be asked to reapply/reaudition. Students should explain the reasons for their withdrawal to the dean before leaving campus.
Performance
Students are expected to perform frequently during their residency at Rice. MMus students in any of the performance fields of study must present at least two full recitals. Composition and Conducting students should present recitals as specified by their degree programs. Students are expected to attend both faculty and student recitals. In addition, all MMus students must participate in the school’s conducted ensembles as assigned.
Thesis
A thesis is required for MMus students in the field of Musicology. In lieu of a thesis, MMus students in the field of Composition must produce an original work of extended scope. Both thesis and original work must be publicly defended.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Shepherd School of Music website: https://music.rice.edu
Opportunities for the MMus Degree
Other Musical Opportunities
Lectures and Performances
A visiting lecturer series, a professional concert series, and numerous distinguished visiting musicians contribute to the Shepherd School environment. The Houston Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Chorus, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet, Houston Masterworks Chorus, Da Camera, Context, and Chamber Music Houston, as well as the activities of other institutions of higher learning in the area, also provide exceptional opportunities for students to enjoy a wide spectrum of music.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Shepherd School of Music website: https://music.rice.edu