D.M.A. in Jazz Composition

Overview

The mission of the three year Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Composition is to provide students with opportunities for advanced study in jazz and studio arranging, composition and orchestration. The overriding goal is to help students find their individual voice as composer/arrangers by the continued development of high-level skills that will enable him or her to pursue a career as a professional arranger/composer. Students encounter a creative, challenging and nurturing educational experience designed to meet their individual needs and desires with a respect to tradition and a reflection of current professional trends.

The DMA in Jazz Composition is a very flexible program with an abundance of curricular choices. Along with course work typical of DMA programs including music bibliography, psychology of music and pedagogy and administration, students are able to choose from a wide range of composition, arranging and orchestration courses in both the jazz and classical departments depending on needs and interests. In addition, DMA Jazz Composition students have access to the jazz departments 24 channel Pro Tools HD2 recording facility and 8 channel Pro Tools studio/mixing lab.

DMA jazz composition students projects are recorded by award winning ensembles including the Frost School of Music: Concert Jazz Band, HMI Studio Orchestra, Studio Jazz Band, Jazz Vocal 1 and Frost Symphony Orchestra.

Alumni from this program are working throughout the music industry as: film and game composers, feature film orchestrators, trailer and library music composers, concert music composers, music producers, music directors, studio session players and educators (public school, colleges and universities).

Admission Requirements

All applicants to the Frost School must submit the following items:

·       An online application

·       Application fee

·       Resume

·       Three letters of recommendation

·       Official transcripts from every post-secondary school attended

This graduate degree program also requires submission of certain supplemental materials, including:

·       Portfolio

·       Campus interview

·       Writing sample

·       TOEFL/IELTS score, as applicable

For more detailed information, please visit our Graduate Admission website.

Curriculum Requirements

*Doctoral Qualifying Exams must be complete prior to the defense of the Doctoral Essay/Dissertation proposal.

DMA in MSJC Plan of Study

* This is a suggested Plan of Study.  Your actual course sequence may vary depending on your previous academic experience as well as current course offerings.  Students should meet with their academic advisor each semester to determine the appropriate course selection.

*Doctoral Qualifying Exams must be complete prior to the defense of the Doctoral Essay/Dissertation proposal.

Mission

The mission of the Doctor of Musical Arts program in Jazz Composition is to facilitate advanced composers/arrangers in developing their unique voice in jazz composition and to guide them in their continuing music career. With an emphasis on compositional originality, the Jazz Composition Program intends to provide students with opportunities for advanced study in jazz composition and orchestration to develop the jazz composition skills beyond that developed in their undergraduate and master's programs.

Goals

The program objectives are to:

• Identify, recruit, and retain high quality students who are seeking to develop their jazz and studio writing skills beyond that developed in their undergraduate and master's programs;
• Evaluate, revise, and develop curricular offerings to continue to meet the challenges facing professional musicians today;
• Maintain, present, and develop performance and outreach programs that will enable the jazz department to serve as a cultural resource in South Florida;
• Provide a creative, challenging, and nurturing educational experience that respects jazz tradition, reflects current professional trends, fosters innovation, and stimulates growth among students and faculty alike.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will excel in a tool set of skills that include most of the following:
  • Compose and arrange for large jazz ensemble, orchestrate for Symphonic Orchestra,
  • Arrange for vocal choirs,
  • Arrange for solo vocalist with small or large jazz ensemble,
  • Compose in a variety of styles of music,
  • Record and mix with Pro Tools software,
  • Edit video with Final Cut Pro software,
  • Become fluent in either Sibelius or Finale notation software.
• Students will also solidify their unique voice as a jazz composer.