The goal of the graduate organ program at the North Carolina School of the Arts is to enable the student to refine technical skills and develop advanced interpretive techniques through the study and performance of significant works from the organ literature. All graduate organ students are required to perform two recitals. Ensemble participation is by juried auditions. Students may be chosen to perform with the Symphony Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, School of the Arts Contemporary Ensemble, Cantata Singers and chamber music groups. As a conservatory, the School’s focus is on preparing students to begin their careers as performing artists; yet at the same time, the School actively involves the student with the practical aspects of earning a living as a musician. A combination of professional opportunities outside the School along with specially designed courses within the curriculum widens the scope of the student’s business experience and constitutes a more contemporary, market-sensitive approach to educating musicians.

In addition to the guidelines above students working toward the Master of Music in Organ will be required to prepare and perform recital programs with program notes representing all the major national styles in the organ repertoire.

New Curriculum

ORGAN

Year One Course Credits

MUS 600 Lessons                                                                                                           

MUS 601 Masterclass                                                                                                      

MUS 610 Recital                                                                                                              

MUS 624 Sacred Music Skills                                                                                         

MUS 611 Large Ensemble*                                                  

              or                                                                                                                          

MUS 612 Chamber Ensemble*                                             

MUS 645 Career Strategies: Portfolio                                                                           

MUS 646, 647, 648, 649 Career Strategies

(a minimum of two courses are required):

Outreach, Entrepreneurship, Auditions and Recording                                   

MUS 691, 692 Library and Internet Research Lab                                                      

MUS 599 Intensive Arts Workshops                                                                              

Total                                                                                                                                  

Year Two

MUS 600 Lessons                                                                                                           

MUS 601 Masterclass                                                                                                      

MUS 610 Recital                                                                                                              

MUS 611 Large Ensemble*                                                  

              or                                                                                                                          

MUS 612 Chamber Ensemble*                                             

MUS 625, 626, 627 Organ History and Literature                                                       

MUS 661, 662, 663 Research Topics in Analysis                                                          

              or                                                                                                                          

MUS 681, 682, 683 Research Topics in Musicology                                                    

MUS 599 Intensive Arts Workshops                                                                              

*MUS 630 Support Skills for Collaborative Pianists may be substituted for 1 year of ensemble credit at the teacher’s discretion.

The repertoire listed below is an indication of the range and difficulty of works typically studied by an organ student in the graduate program. It does not necessarily indicate required repertoire.

Strong emphasis on hymn-playing and improvisation; keyboard skills such as realizing figured bass, harmonizing melodies and transposition; major works of the 17th century; contrasting compositions of J.S. Bach including chorale preludes, fantasias, preludes and fugues, tocatas and fugues, trio sonatas; French and German Romantic works; and works of early, middle and late 20th-century. Organ.