萝莉社鈥檚 School of Music, Art, and Theatre (SMAT) will begin offering a Master of Music in Performance (MMP) next fall.
The MMP will feature four tracks: vocal arts solo, vocal arts ensemble, keyboard arts vocal coaching, and keyboard arts conducting.
鈥淲e are excited at the possibility to broaden the potential graduate student pool by creating a more attractive, versatile, and practical degree with direct application to numerous jobs in music,鈥� said Chad Eric Bergman, interim co-dean of SMAT. 鈥淲e are also partnering with Chicago arts organizations to provide an optional internship program for our graduate students to bridge the gap between study and professional practice.”
Musical professionals will lead the program, guiding students through a curriculum of theory and practice in music performance, pedagogy, and leadership skills, all against the backdrop of Chicago鈥檚 rich cultural arts scene.
Students will benefit from a personalized program with small cohorts of five to eight and flexible class schedules for working professionals. An undergraduate degree in music is not required to enroll.
The two vocal tracks will include intense vocal training. Soloists will focus on stage and concert repertoire, while ensemble students will study choral singing and conducting. Keyboard arts vocal coaching students will concentrate on solo and chamber performance; keyboard arts conducting students will study directing diverse genres.
North Park has designed this degree to prepare students for the rigorous and multifaceted career demands of professional musicians. Dr. You-Seong Kim, a SMAT professor of applied voice and vocal pedagogy, hopes the MMP will produce 鈥渘ot only music makers, but music lovers.鈥� SMAT also aims to equip underrepresented musicians with the opportunity to take on leadership roles in their chosen fields.