Turn your passion for music performance into a fulfilling career as a solo performer, orchestral musician or studio teacher with the Master of Music degree. With a focus on literature, repertoire, performance skills and historical performance practices, our program prepares you for a wide range of professional music activities, as well as further study at the doctoral level.

Performance - M.M.
Contact Us
College of the Arts
School of Music
www.kent.edu/music
- Dr. Matthew Holm, Graduate Studies Coordinator
mholm2@kent.edu | 330-672-2522 - Connect with an Admissions Counselor:
U.S. Student | International Student
Master of Music in Performance - M.M.
Kent State University’s Master of Music in Performance – M.M. provides targeted education in performance studies. This program offers career benefits for students looking to specialize in performance.
Program Information for Performance - M.M.
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Program Description
Program Description
Full Description
The Master of Music degree in Performance is designed to prepare students for professional careers in music.
The Performance major includes the following optional concentrations:
- The Composition concentration provides students the opportunity to compose works for various mediums and see them through to performance.
- The Conducting concentration provides students the opportunity to develop advanced competencies in musicianship and analysis and a broad gestural vocabulary, building on their baccalaureate training.
Voice, instrumental and piano performance students who do not declare a concentration have the opportunity to build their technical and interpretive skills to prepare informed and artistic performances.
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Admissions
for Performance - M.M.
Admissions
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
- Official transcript(s)
- Résumé
- Goal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
- Audition
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:1
- Minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score
- Minimum 6.0 IELTS score
- Minimum 50 PTE score
- Minimum 100 DET score
- 1
International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester
- Rolling admissions
- Spring Semester
- Rolling admissions
- Summer Term
- Rolling admissions
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Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Work independently and make effective artistic, intellectual and professional decisions in their area of specialization.
- Prepare and communicate their artistic choices and musical research through oral/written means.
- Use knowledge and skills in music theory/history to service their interpretation and performance in the area of specialization.
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Coursework
On This Page
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Major Requirements MUS 52291 SEMINAR IN MUSIC HISTORY AND LITERATURE 3 MUS 62411 MUSIC BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH METHODS 2 Applied Music Electives, choose from the following: 1 8 MUS 61211APPLIED MUSIC - GRADUATE COMPOSITION MUS 66111APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE PIANO MUS 66311APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE VOICE MUS 66411APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE VIOLIN MUS 66412APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE VIOLA MUS 66413APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE CELLO MUS 66414APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE DOUBLE BASS MUS 66511APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE FLUTE MUS 66512APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE OBOE MUS 66513APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE CLARINET MUS 66514APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE BASSOON MUS 66515APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE SAXOPHONE MUS 66611APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE TRUMPET MUS 66612APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE HORN MUS 66613APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE TROMBONE MUS 66615APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE TUBA MUS 66711APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE PERCUSSION MUS 66811APPLIED MUSIC - GRADUATE CONDUCTING Ensemble Electives, choose from the following: 4 MUS 55131KENT STATE OPERA THEATRE WORKSHOP MUS 55141KENT STATE UNIVERSITY CHORALE MUS 55142CORO CANTARE MUS 55143CANTIQUE MUS 55212ORCHESTRA MUS 55221SYMPHONY BAND MUS 55223WIND ENSEMBLE MUS 55231JAZZ ENSEMBLE MUS 55271NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE MUS 55301AFRICAN ENSEMBLE MUS 55302CARIBBEAN STEELBAND MUS 55311CHAMBER MUSIC MUS 55315ASIAN MUSIC ENSEMBLE MUS 55321ACCOMPANYING Additional Requirements or Concentrations Choose from the following: 17 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 34 - 1
Students register for 4 credit hours of applied music throughout two semesters.
Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Major Requirements MUS 51291 SEMINAR IN POST-TONAL AND RECENT MUSIC 1 3 or MUS 51391 SEMINAR IN TONAL AND PRE-TONAL MUSIC THEORY or MUS 61174 ANALYSIS OF WESTERN ART MUSIC MUS 68687 RECITAL (taken twice) 2 4 Applied Music Electives, choose from the following: 3 4 MUS 61211APPLIED MUSIC - GRADUATE COMPOSITION MUS 66111APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE PIANO MUS 66311APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE VOICE MUS 66411APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE VIOLIN MUS 66412APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE VIOLA MUS 66413APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE CELLO MUS 66414APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE DOUBLE BASS MUS 66511APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE FLUTE MUS 66512APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE OBOE MUS 66513APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE CLARINET MUS 66514APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE BASSOON MUS 66515APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE SAXOPHONE MUS 66611APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE TRUMPET MUS 66612APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE HORN MUS 66613APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE TROMBONE MUS 66615APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE TUBA MUS 66711APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE PERCUSSION Music Electives, choose from the following: 4 6 MUS 51291SEMINAR IN POST-TONAL AND RECENT MUSIC MUS 51391SEMINAR IN TONAL AND PRE-TONAL MUSIC THEORY MUS 52221SYMPHONIC LITERATURE MUS 52227WIND BAND LITERATURE MUS 52241PIANO LITERATURE MUS 52261VOCAL LITERATURE MUS 52271CHORAL LITERATURE MUS 52291SEMINAR IN MUSIC HISTORY AND LITERATURE MUS 58610SINGER'S DICTION 5 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 17 - 1
- MUS 61174 requires a Graduate Theory Placement score of 03. Students who earn a Graduate Theory Placement score of 01 and/or 02 will be required to take independent study on Written Theory Review and/or independent study on Aural Theory Review.
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MUS 68687 is taken twice for 2 credit hours each time.
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Students register for 2 credit hours of applied music during the two semesters in which they register for MUS 68687.
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All elective courses require special approval.
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Students with voice specialization must take MUS 58610.
Composition Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements MUS 51291 SEMINAR IN POST-TONAL AND RECENT MUSIC 3 MUS 51391 SEMINAR IN TONAL AND PRE-TONAL MUSIC THEORY 3 MUS 61174 ANALYSIS OF WESTERN ART MUSIC 1 3 MUS 61211 APPLIED MUSIC - GRADUATE COMPOSITION (taken twice) 2 6 MUS 68687 RECITAL 2 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 17 - 1
MUS 61174 requires a Graduate Theory Placement score of 03. Students who earn a Graduate Theory Placement score of 01 and/or 02 will be required to take independent study on Written Theory Review and/or independent study on Aural Theory Review.
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Students register for 2 credit hours of applied music during the semester in which they register for MUS 68687 and 4 credit hours during one other semester.
Conducting Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements MUS 52221 SYMPHONIC LITERATURE 3 or MUS 52227 WIND BAND LITERATURE or MUS 58610 SINGER'S DICTION MUS 66811 APPLIED MUSIC - GRADUATE CONDUCTING 1 4 MUS 68687 RECITAL 2 2 Concentration Electives, choose from the following: 6 MUS 51291SEMINAR IN POST-TONAL AND RECENT MUSIC MUS 51391SEMINAR IN TONAL AND PRE-TONAL MUSIC THEORY MUS 52271CHORAL LITERATURE MUS 61174ANALYSIS OF WESTERN ART MUSIC 3 Applied Music Elective, choose from the following: 2 MUS 66111APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE PIANO MUS 66311APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE VOICE MUS 66411APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE VIOLIN MUS 66412APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE VIOLA MUS 66413APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE CELLO MUS 66414APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE DOUBLE BASS MUS 66511APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE FLUTE MUS 66512APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE OBOE MUS 66513APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE CLARINET MUS 66514APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE BASSOON MUS 66515APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE SAXOPHONE MUS 66611APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE TRUMPET MUS 66612APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE HORN MUS 66613APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE TROMBONE MUS 66615APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE TUBA MUS 66711APPLIED MUSIC-GRADUATE PERCUSSION Minimum Total Credit Hours: 17 - 1
Students register for 2 credit hours of applied music during the semester in which they register for MUS 68687.
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In MUS 68687, conductors will do their recital in conducting.
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MUS 61174 requires a Graduate Theory Placement score of 03. Students who earn a Graduate Theory Placement score of 01 and/or 02 will be required to take independent study on Written Theory Review and/or independent study on Aural Theory Review.
Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements Summary Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA - 3.000 - No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
- Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.
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Program Delivery
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
- Delivery:
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Accreditation
for Performance - M.M.
Accreditation
National Association of Schools of Music
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Performance - M.M.
Those who complete the Master of Music in Performance at Kent State University can benefit from specialized career opportunities in performance.
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Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
5.6%
faster than the average
116,300
number of jobs
$69,690
potential earnings
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Music directors and composers
1.7%
slower than the average
58,000
number of jobs
$52,250
potential earnings
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Musicians and singers
0.9%
little or no change
175,600
number of jobs
$N/A
potential earnings
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Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.