The OP program at MSM prepares students intensively in the orchestral repertoire.
An exceptional program that produces polished orchestral musicians of the highest artistic caliber, with successful careers as symphonic players.
Strings: Violin Viola Cello Double Bass Harp Woodwinds: Flute Clarinet Oboe Bassoon Brass: Bass Trombone French Horn Trumpet Trombone Tuba Percussion
Strings: Violin Viola Cello Double Bass Harp
Woodwinds: Flute Clarinet Oboe Bassoon
Brass: Bass Trombone French Horn Trumpet Trombone Tuba
Percussion
Inaugurated in 1991, the MSM Graduate Program in Orchestral Performance is the first accredited degree program of its kind in the United States. Chaired by Glenn Dicterow, the former concertmaster of the NY Philharmonic, the program produces polished musicians of the highest artistic caliber, who are prepared intensively in the orchestral repertoire for careers as symphonic players.
Students are trained to participate fully in both performance and other nonmusical aspects of life in the modern orchestra, such as orchestra governance, artistic planning, community engagement, and audience development.
The program incorporates curricula specifically designed to train the exceptional, advanced student in both performance and non-musical aspects of life in the modern orchestra. In addition to individual instruction with some of the leading players on the classical scene, these young musicians form the core unit of Chamber Sinfonia and Manhattan School of Music Symphony. Students are seated in leadership roles through competitive auditions.
Procedures By Instrument Type
Orchestral Performance Department Handbook
MSM Academic Catalog
David Chan dchan@msmnyc.edu
Each year, Orchestral Performance students have the opportunity to perform for extraordinary orchestral musicians in master classes on the Art of Orchestral Performance presented by members of international and American orchestras visiting New York City. Recent guest artists included musicians from the Chicago Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra.
Program graduates have accepted positions with the following philharmonics, orchestras, and symphonies worldwide:
New York Philharmonic Fort Wayne Philharmonic Los Angeles Philharmonic Orlando Philharmonic Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra Metropolitan Opera Orchestra New World Symphony Orchestra Charleston Symphony Orchestra Colorado Symphony Orchestra Detroit Symphony Orchestra Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Louisiana Symphony Orchestra Nashville Symphony Orchestra Des Moines Symphony Orchestra Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Phoenix Symphony Orchestra Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra San Antonio Symphony Orchestra San Francisco Symphony Orchestra Seattle Symphony Orchestra Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Virginia Symphony Orchestra Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig (Germany) SWR Radio Symphony in Stuttgart (Germany) Seville Orchestra (Spain) Orchestra of the Palau de les Arts “Reina Sofía” in Valencia (Spain) Stockholm Philharmonic (Scandinavia) Royal Danish Opera Orchestra (Scandinavia) KZN Philharmonic (South Africa) New Japan Philharmonic (Asia) Hong Kong Philharmonics (Asia) Auckland Symphony (New Zealand) Western Australian Symphony (Australia) Symphony Orchestra of Monterey (Mexico) Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México (Mexico)
One of the most essential elements of training for orchestral musicians is the art of taking auditions. Orchestral Performance majors have the opportunity to perform in regularly scheduled mock auditions during the academic year, paralleling preliminary, semifinal, and final orchestra audition standards and practices and adjudicated by program faculty and other musicians from major New York City orchestras and performing ensembles.
The Orchestral Repertoire Coaching course, taught by program faculty and guests, is a four-semester, two-year sequence of coaching sessions, on the craft of orchestral performance techniques. This course offers intensive and focused study of and performance experience in diverse styles and periods of the orchestral repertoire. Three formats and different environments for learning are used for coaching: weekly instrumental sessions taught by program faculty (lessons); monthly instrumental sectionals conducted by program faculty and guest artists; and quarterly wind/brass/percussion readings conducted by both staff and guest conductors.
Attendance is required for repertoire classes, master classes and mock auditions. Each obligation is worth 20% of the grade.
Preparation and training as teaching artists in Manhattan School of Music’s nationally recognized educational outreach program is offered in this required course. It has been designed to develop skills and offer experience as a teaching artist in elementary and middle school arts education programs.
Students are exposed to a variety of pedagogical methods and materials during the process of writing and delivering classroom introductions and educational concerts in New York City schools, as part of Manhattan School of Music ’s educational outreach program, Music Teaches.
As a result of their experience, several alumni have been hired as teaching artists and demonstrators within the New York Philharmonic’s Education Partnership Program. Orchestral majors are encouraged to participate in Manhattan School of Music’s multifaceted outreach program, Music in Action by giving concerts in senior citizen homes, hospitals, diverse venues, and schools.
NOTE: Curriculum is subject to change. In case of a discrepancy, the MSM Academic Catalog is the authoritative source of requirements. View the Academic Catalog here.
Total Curriculum Hours: 53-61
*The requirements for the Master of Music degree program and the Postgraduate Diploma program are exactly the same with the exception of the 6 credits in graduate electives, which are not required for the Diploma program.
**Graduate Percussion majors are required to participate in Percussion Lab each semester enrolled, thus requiring these students to register for one additional credit each semester. Additionally, partici- pation in the Percussion Ensemble is required every semester.
***Except for doublebass and harp.
****Except percussion.
“Lessons and coaching with my private teacher are the most exciting part of my education at MSM. They allow me to focus on preparing for the extremely competitive audition process for tenure track positions, in top-tier American and European orchestras.” John-Paul Norpoth Orchestral Double Bass
“Lessons and coaching with my private teacher are the most exciting part of my education at MSM. They allow me to focus on preparing for the extremely competitive audition process for tenure track positions, in top-tier American and European orchestras.”
John-Paul Norpoth
Orchestral Double Bass
David Chan
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