The Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Performance is intended for candidates with outstanding ability as performers in their chosen area of concentration who demonstrate deep and detailed knowledge of their major field, as well as comprehensive understanding of related subjects. The program is highly flexible, adapted to, and reflective of the needs of individual students. An applicant for admission to the DMA program must possess a MM degree or its equivalent, with a major in the same principal area in which admission is being sought. Although a minimum of one academic year in residence (two consecutive regular semesters) is required as a full-time student, applicants should expect to spend three years of full-time study in this program.
The primary focus of the DMA program in Performance is to prepare students to enter the profession as highly qualified teachers with the potential for long-term professional success. Graduates from the program are expected to have a comprehensive and thorough knowledge of Western music history and literature, music theory, pedagogy, performance practice, repertory. Additionally, graduates should themselves be highly accomplished performers with significant ability to develop individualized interpretations based upon ability to synthesize their accumulated musicianship and scholarship.
All candidates are expected to display measurable and substantial growth in their applied area throughout their programs. While CIM's DMA is considered a performance degree, it embraces a significant academic component that challenges the student to maintain a continuous rate of musical growth while satisfying rigorous scholarly components.