A Guide for Prospective Candidates - Master of Arts (Music Performance)
Course Overview
The Master of Arts (Music Performance) by 66% research offers students the opportunity to undertake a project on an approved topic in music performance research by preparing a well-researched, high-quality recital performance of challenging works that are recorded and submitted as part of a portfolio along with a program booklet and explanatory research essay for examination. On completion, students should have developed instrumental or vocal performance skills and self-confidence to the level required for professional performance. They should also have widened their knowledge of repertoire and style and have acquired appropriate skills in research and writing.
Entry Requirements
The minimum qualifications for admission to 66% research masters candidature are:
- a four year Australian or New Zealand bachelors degree with an overall result of H2A or above (normally with a research component in the fourth year) or
- an Australian or New Zealand masters preliminary qualification with a significant research component and with an overall result of H2A or above or
- an Australian or New Zealand coursework masters degree with a significant research component graded at Distinction or above, and an overall result of Distinction or above or
- an Australian or New Zealand research masters degree with an overall result of H2A or above or
- a qualification considered equivalent to one of the above (a minimum of a Bachelors degree with substantial professional experience in the field in the form of publications, performances and collaborations that may be evaluated by a group of peers who are experts in their respective fields).
Note: Applicants who have completed an Australian postgraduate coursework degree without a research component but have achieved at least a Distinction result for 75% of the total course may be admitted into the 66% research masters degree, provided they are enrolled in a 12-point research project unit as part of the degree requirements of 24-point coursework units.
Applying
All applicants must submit evidence of practical work in the field in a porftolio which will include the following:
(1) a representative selection of the candidate's music performance work/music composition work in the style in which the candidate proposes to work (i.e. classical, contemporary classical, jazz, popular music, world music, computer music),
(2) a research proposal of 2-3 pages addressing the following headings: research question, background to the research, aims of the research, methodologies of the research, examples of comparative practice as research and associated literature, propsoed structure of the performance project.
(3) A covering letter explaining the candidate's interest in the degree and a CV outlining the candidate's professional interests, previous performance projects, and publication if any.
Two confidential professional references are required on the appropriate form, to be completed by people who have known students for at least one year.
Audition - onshore and domestic students
Details about Audition requirements can be found on this link.
Audition - offshore students
In the case of overseas or interstate students, a video recording of a performance will be accepted for consideration of entry in lieu of an audition. The video must be recorded in one session, be uncut, and be accompanied by a statutory declaration.
All applicants must submit a pre-application form (rtf 213kb, pdf 110kb) to the faculty PRIOR to submitting an application.
Applications are accepted for both senester one and two.