Overview

The Minor in Music Leadership offers Eastman doctoral students the opportunity for focused study to hone both artistic and managerial skills as a future music leader. This is not a standalone program; rather, it is to be undertaken in conjunction with an Eastman DMA. The courses available in the Minor are part of the required curriculum for the online Master of Arts in Music Leadership graduate degree and will be taken alongside Music Leadership graduate students.

This program takes 2-3 semesters to complete, so DMA students must submit their application by November 1st of their second year. Only 5-6 individuals will be accepted each year.

Bernardo Marcondes Guitar photo

Benefits

Eastman’s alumni lead, both on and off the stage, many of the country’s most prestigious traditional and non-traditional music arts organizations. Increasingly, musicians are expected to have both artistic and managerial skills to succeed in these leadership roles. The Minor in Music Leadership is designed to enhance a doctoral students’ musical and academic skills with managerial and business skills to be effective leaders in music.

Requirements

Students pursuing a Minor in Music Leadership will create an individualized course plan to support their independent leadership objectives, in collaboration with the Graduate Degree Program Director. The program requires completing:

  • 10-12 credits of Music Leadership coursework (all online)
  • Regular advising appointments with the Graduate Degree Program Director
  • A final review with the Graduate Degree Program Director

The course plan should be derived from the following Music Leadership
curriculum:

  • Leadership Issues in Music
  • Music Administration and Governance
  • Introduction to Financial Management
  • Marketing for Music Enterprises
  • Generating & Screening Entrepreneurial Ideas in Music
  • Law and Music
  • Development and Fundraising in Music
  • Economics of Musical Arts Organizations
  • Innovative Leadership in Music Enterprises

How to Apply

Application Form

Please submit the form (click on button above). Be prepared to respond to and/or upload the following information.

Brief Essays

Please answer the following prompts (maximum 250 words each):

  • What interest you about the music leadership minor and how does this interest connect with your career goals?
  • What courses do you propose to take from the music leadership curriculum and how will those courses contribute to your degree program goals?

Transcripts

Please provide us with your current ESM transcript. This can be an unofficial version downloaded from UR Student.

Interview

Upon receiving your application, the Graduate Degree Program Director will contact you to set up a short (20-30 minute) interview in early November.

“The Minor in Music Leadership program offers students and young professionals the opportunity to master the skills necessary to thrive in the performing arts while gaining valuable experience. Eastman is leading the field as a model for what engaging and rigorous online-education can look like. The Music Leadership program is committed to exceptional teaching, producing polished and relevant content, and helping students succeed.”

Zeke Fetrow, ’20E
DMA in Orchestral Conducting, Minor in Music Leadership

For further inquiries, please contact the Graduate Degree Program Director, Rachel Roberts, at rroberts@esm.rochester.edu