Required Courses

A minimum of 36 credit hours with an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required for the granting of the Master of Music, Vocal Performance degree. A minimum of 30 credit hours for 36-hour programs must be earned in courses offered by SUNY Potsdam.

The 36 credit hours are divided as follows.  All courses are 3 credits unless noted. 

• MUCH 611 - Introduction to Graduate Study 3 Credit(s)
• MUCP 640 - Literature and Pedagogy 2 Credit(s)
• MUCS 630 - Performance Concentration 3 Credit(s) (taken 4 times)
• MUCP 618 - Vocal Coaching 1 Credit(s) (taken twice)
• MUCP 633 - Graduate Diction Seminar 2 Credit(s)
• MUCP 5xx or 6xx Performance elective
• MUCX 5xx or 6xx Non-performance elective

Additional Graduation Requirements

Each student in the Master of Music degree program in Vocal Performance must complete two capstone performance experiences:

• To be completed in the first year of the student’s study, the first requirement may be satisfied by a recital not to exceed 60 minutes in length, a lecture-recital, a major opera role, or other significant performance experience agreed upon by the voice faculty. If the first performance is a recital, a recital hearing in front of the voice area faculty is required no later than two weeks prior to the schedule recital date.
• To be completed in the student’s final semester of student, the second experience is the final graduate recital, not to exceed 90 minutes in length. The recital will be evaluated by a committee of faculty members who also administer the final oral examination. For the final graduate recital, a recital hearing in front of the voice area faculty is required no later than two weeks prior to the schedule recital date.
• The two capstone performance experiences cannot be completed during the same semester.
• Successful completion of the two capstone performance experiences is a requirement of the degree program.

Prior to the final graduate recital, the student will submit to the committee one of the following:

• detailed program notes of the works to be performed on the recital; or
• an analytical/historical paper focusing on the works to be performed on the recital.

The format will be at the discretion of the studio instructor. In either case, the document must include appropriate citations. The program notes or paper must be submitted to all committee members no later than four weeks before the recital. The committee must approve the submitted document no later than two weeks before the recital. If these deadlines are not met, the recital may be canceled at the discretion of the Associate Dean. The document will be discussed and defended during the final oral examination. More information about the final oral exam and the exam committee can be found in the Crane Student Handbook.

Piano Pedagogy Concentration

Graduate students enrolled in a Master of Music degree program can also apply to complete a concentration in piano pedagogy.  Click here  for more information about this option.