Many thanks to all who responded with Summer Master's Degree programs. What
follows is your responses.

Ken Pendergrass
Director of Worship, Music and the Arts
South Kitsap Presbyterian Church
4705 Jackson Ave. SE
Port Orchard, WA 98366
kpendergrass(a)faithadventure.com
360-876-0061
360-876-8224 FAX


You might want to check out the Master of Music program at the University
of Oregon, Eugene. In 1983 I completed my M.M. in Music Ed. with an
emphasis in choral conducting at UO after three summers of study,
transferring in some graduate units. The School of Music's sponsorship of
the Oregon Bach Festival, under the direction of Helmut Rilling, provides
outstanding opportunities for choral performance as well as master class
choral-orchestral conducting, if you apply and get selected.

Definitely check Indiana University. I don't know that it could be done
ALL during summers, and it's been long enough since I was there that things
may have changed, but it's a very strong choral conducting program and it
may be possible. You'll probably find that most do-it-summers programs are
aimed at music
education majors rather than conducting majors, but I could be wrong. Best
of luck!


Check out the University of St. Thomas, which has a MA in Music Education
with 4 optional emphasis studies (Orff, Kodaly, Choral, and Instrumental).
http://www.stthomas.edu/www/gpme_http/index.html

Try the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of music.

I don't know if you got this response already, but Florida St. University
has a 3-summer Master of Music program in Choral Conducting. It is on a
three-year rotation, and you can enter it at any point. The nice thing is
that it is only 6 weeks per summer. Check out www.fsu.edu for any more
info.

You might check out our program here at the University of Iowa. Contact me
for more information.
Richard J. Bloesch
School of Music
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242
richard-bloesch(a)uiowa.edu

I did my Master's in Music Ed. (emphasis choral conducting) at Shenandoah
University in Winchester, VA. They have a wonderful church music degree
progam, too. You may obtain information about this program (I did it in 2
and
a half summers) by e-mailing Dr. Darla Hanley at
dhanley(a)su.edu

Ken, Florida State U has a 3-year summer masters program my mouth is
watering to start. Rodney Eichenberger, Andre Thomas and at least two
other profs of similar mettle!

It's a long way from Washington but the University of Missouri at
Kansas City is where I completed my Masters in the summers.

Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana offers an accredited Master
of Arts in Music degree which can be earned entirely in the summer (July).
The director of the program is Reverend James Challancin. He can be
contacted at
Saint Joseph's College
P.O. Box 984
Rensselaer, IN 47978
Phone: 219-866-6352 or l-800-447-8781
Fax: 219-866-6102
Email: jamesc(a)saintjoe.edu

I suggest you check into Florida State University. I just
graduated from there with a BA in music/choral
conducting/organ with a special certificate in church music
in addition.
The instructors are just top-notch and since I was in
summer school for 3 years, I worked with some of the people
doing the summer's master's program. It is pretty intense
as they work with the summer camps which FSU sponsors and of
course all the rest that goes with the program.

---

Thanks to the many who replied to my querry regarding a summer masters
program. Following is a compilation of replies.

**Just an opinion. If you want a strong Masters Degree with the
benefits of the best practical and academic opportunities you need to
figure out a way to attend one full academic year somewhere. I have
yet to see a Masters program anywhere that was strong and could be
done in the summers, including BYU which has a strong program
ordinarily. I would suggest that you look at one that has a one year
residency requirement and that you can complete during summers.

You may want to consider the University of Oregon which has a unique
program and a large component in the summer, the OREGON BACH
FESTIVAL.

**I am not sure where you are from (Utah?), but we have developed a very nice
program that will provide a masters degree in 3 summers at Oregon State
University. Classes are small, often from 6 to 12 students, and you can
specialize in music education or choral conducting. The summer time
commitment is usually 4-5 weeks per summer, and some additional work is
done in your own classroom, or webclasses.


**I'm pretty sure Northwestern in Chicago has a program similar to what
you mentioned.


**It highly recommend Western Washington University in Washington State. The
choral conducting program is headed by Dr. Leslie Guelker-Cone. She runs one
of the finest choral schools in the U.S. and the school is well worth a
look!!! You can get her contact information from their web site at www.wwu.edu


**I did this search not long ago and didn't find one choral conducting masters
offered in the summer months only (although Cal State LA has just started one
which ALMOST covers summers-only--you have to do a few courses outside of the
summer time). That said, I've begun a summers-only MME in Choral Music Ed. at
Florida State University. I simply cannot speak highly enough of the faculty
there, who not only care about choral music and education, but students as
well. If you have not considered FSU, you really should. It is a world-class
institution and rightly so.


**Two summer programs that I looked into are Northern Arizona University with
Edith Copley, and Florida State (Tallahassee) with Andre Thomas and Rodney
Eichenberger. Both places have great choral faculty. The only reason I didn't
pursue them is precisely because they are education oriented. They offer
Master's in Music Ed with an emphasis in choral conducting. Since I already
have a Master's in Education, I'm looking for a more performance oriented
program that offers a Master's in Music. Hope this helps.


**Hi, I am beginning to look at masters programs also. I am in Arizona and am
looking at Northern Arizona University. They have a summer masters program
geared to music teaching. I think that is what it is actually called.
However,you can get more information at their website - www.nau.edu . Go to
the Fine and Performing Arts department and look on the left side of the screen
for a menu, which will list "summer masters program." I have heard a lot of
good things about the program. I know from experience that they have an
excellent choral music department. Good luck.

** Look at Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin

Very concentrated program. Each semester is two weeks long. Able to get 4
classes done in a summer and possible more if you are interested in bell week.

**I haven't done my masters yet but did undergrad with the head of master
conducting students. Try Hilary Apfelstadt at The Ohio State University. She's
outstanding in her field. I can also pass on some names of choral grads to you
if you wish. I'm planning on going back and hopefully study with her.

**Take a look at University of Southern Mississippi.......they have a 2 summer
program.....it is a little intense but you can do it.....or participate in the
research courses online.........


**A colleague passed along your message on ChoralNet. Here at Troy State
University, Troy, AL, we offer a Masters in Music Education and a Master of
Science in Conducting, which can be either choral or band. This is a one-year
residency program with other credits being earned in the summers. This program
is designed especially for active school music teachers who cannot take off for
the two years residency often required by other master's programs.

**I know that UConn has a program, as well as Westminster Choir College.

**FSU has a program set up for teachers to do their master's in the
summers only.


**I attend Northern Arizona University which is located in Flagstaff, Arizona
and is under a wonderful lady name Dr. Edith Copley. This program was recently
noted as the 2nd best graduate conducting program in the nation. If you want
good conducting experience talk to her. Edith.Copley(a)nau.edu as well she will
be judging the finals for conducting at the ACDA National Convention.


**You might check with Dr. Carol Krueger at the University of South
Carolina. I'm not sure what the shape of their program is in terms of
when classes are taught, etc. email address is carkrueger(a)aol.com.


Western Illinois University has an excellent Masters program in Choral
Conducting. They do offer summer sessions for "in the field" high school
teachers.

Contact the Music Department Graduate Advisor, Dr. Paul Paccione, at
309/ 298-1124 or P-Paccione(a)wiu.edu .

You may also reach the Director of Choirs, Dr. James Stegall, at 309/
298-1378 or JC-Stegall(a)wiu.edu.


**i know Westminster Choir College does this in the summers for Mus Ed,
not sure about conducting. Good luck!


**I was last summer beginning my Doctoral studies at Florida State
University and I was very well impressed with the Master's program they
offer exclusively for Teachers during the summer. You can go online to
www.fsu.edu and try to get in touch with Dr. Kevin Fenton, He is not the
director of the Master's in Choral Music Education, but He is very
approachable and a nice professor to get some answers to your questions.


**The University of Northern Colorado has a good program. It can be completed
in summers only, from what I understand. Their website is www.unco.edu

**ChoralNet has lots of resources on this topic. Try:
choralnet.org > Education > Colleges > Masters programs


**Check out Indiana, Bloomington. I don't know what the program is like today,
but it used to be exactly what you describe. And their website is remarkably
helpful.


**I believe Arizona State does summers.


**Westminster Choir College of Rider University, with campus in Princeton, NJ.


**Contact Chuck Robinson at the University of Missouri at Kansas City.
Wonderful program and summer offerings are usually extensive.


**The University of South Carolina has an excellent program. You should have
no problem completing all of your course work and doing your master's recital
during the summer. Dr. Larry Wyatt is the director of choral activities. He's
on sabbatical this semester, but his administrative assistant, Sara Beardsley,
can answer or get answers to all of your questions.

I received both my master's and doctoral degrees from there. It's a
great program. You will learn lots of repertoire and receive good
training in both choral and instrumental conducting.


**Try the University of Colorado in Boulder.........


**Most state universities will have a program like that. Particularly
good ones are at University of Michigan, University of Iowa, Indiana
University, etc. So check with the state university where you live.


**You might want to contact Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. They just
hired Dr. Ken Phllips away from U of Iowa to start a new MME program that can
be completed in the summers. It looks like it's going to be terrific.

Their website is at
http://www.gordon.edu/departments/academics/music/overview.htm.

You can also email them at music(a)gordon.edu for more information. It's a new
program -- you might want to talk to Prof. Tom Brooks, their department chair,
about it.


sparks.tom(a)attbi.com

Thank you again.