Hi, Tristan.  To answer your question, I'm not aware of such programs but that doesn't mean you won't find one.  I'd advise checking some of the larger schools with strong choral programs, like Florida State and Indiana.  But you might not find what you need on their websites, and you may need to email their choral departments.

 

When my parents were in grad school in the '40s they found Masters programs that could be done summers only, but my father never finished his doctorate because it would have required one full year in residence.

 

Something to watch out for at the Masters level is how a choral conducting program is approached.  At some schools it might be more of a music education degree than a true choral conducting degree, and yes, if you're ultimate goal is to move to college teaching, that's an important difference.  We DO need top notch, experienced choral music education faculty, but we also need well-prepared professional choral conductors, and at some school that doesn't happen until the doctoral level classes.  (In fact this university is presently advertising for exactly such a position, advertised as a 1-year position but probably more open-ended than that.)

 

John

 

 

Dear Tristan,

 

I began at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN as a Master in Music Education student with an emphasis in choral conducting.  The program is great and highly respected, but it did not work for me as a learner, and I ended up enrolling as a full time graduate student at the University of Northern Iowa.  I earned my MM in Choral Conducting in the spring/summer of 2007.

 

Good Luck,

Jon Kopplin

Director of Vocal Music

Beckman High School

Dyersville, IA 52040

 Check out www.choralmasters.com

 

Three summer program at Cal State Los Angeles (not to be confused with UCLA). Program is run primarily by Dr. Bill Belan and Donald Brinegar. The program is for a masters in choral conducting. You'll find plenty of information on the website, and feel free to use the chat room to request additional information. 

 

Not sure of deadlines, but my application was submitted only a few weeks before the opening, so check with Dr. Belan if you're concerned about dates. 

 

Students are from a wide variety of experiences, not necessarily education as one might expect for a summer program, so the focus is truly on conducting.

 

David Carter

Michigan State University has a Master's in Choral Conducting in 4 (?) summers.  Good luck to you!

 

Meredith Bowen

Tristan,

 

Check out masters programs led by:

 

Jim Daugherty at University of Kansas in Lawrence KS

 

Sharon Hansen at University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee

 

Good luck and be well,

 

Leon

Lynchburg College, Virginia offers a Masters in Choral (or Instrumental) Conducting that can be completed in four summers or three summers and one academic year. I began this summer and I am really happy for having done so. As an international student (I am from Greece) I found a really supportive environment and individual help. Despite the fact that it is a summer program students have enough podium time as they work with the Lynchburg Choral Union.

 

Something that you may also take into consideration is the fact that tuition rate is the same for both in-steate and out-of-state students.

 

You can check out:

 

or contact Dr Jong Kim who is director of the program and teaches choral conducting.

Hi, Tristan.

 

I am finishing my masters this summer at Michigan State.  It is a MM in Choral Conducting.

 

Some of your fellow Iowa directors are here with me.  (Ryan Beeken, Ted Brimeyer, and Zach Durlam)  It's a great program, and you should definitely look into it.  I am completeing it in 3 summers.  I took one course during the year online and transferred it in, but other than that, did all my coursework at MSU in the summers. 

 

I'd be happy to answer any questions if you have them! :D

Elizabeth McFarland

elizhogan(a)gmail.com