Master of Music

Graduate Master of Music in performance areas, composition, collaborative piano and orchestral conducting.

Department

Cleveland Institute of Music (Conservatory)

Awarding body

Not stated on the pages we checked

Official award

Master of MusicMM

Award family

MM / MMusA Master of Music or MMus, exactly as titled by the awarding institution.

Qualification level

Master’s degree

Qualification standing

Academic qualificationA degree, or a certificate or diploma awarded by a degree-awarding institution within a national qualifications framework.

Orientation

Orientation not published

Previous degree required

Not published

No program-level accreditation or validation record has been verified yet. That does not mean none exists; check the national authority and the institution.

Delivery

On campusTaught at the listed campus.

Study mode

Not published

Duration

Not published

Intakes

Not published

Campus

Cleveland campus

Taught in

English

English

English teaching not verifiedAn English-language website does not mean a program is taught in English.

Audition

Audition required

Audition details

• Format: Recorded prescreening and live audition
• Prescreening: Prescreening video requirements and exceptions are given per area of study on the repertoire page (some areas require a prescreening video, others do not except for DMA and Artist Diploma applicants).
• Accompaniment: Accompaniment is required for voice applicants only.

Required repertoire, as published

• Bassoon: Bassoon: Audition Requirements Undergraduate: Major and harmonic minor scales (not required on video recording) Milde Scale or Arpeggio etude Solo piece selected by the student Graduate: Major and harmonic minor scales (not required on video recording) A major concerto; e.g., Mozart, Hummel, or Weber Selected contrasting orchestral excerpts
• Cello: Cello: Audition Requirements Undergraduate, Master of Music, and Graduate Diploma Must be played from memory: One etude of choice (any from Popper Op. 73, or a Piatti Caprice) Prelude from a Bach Suite plus one other movement of choice (without repeats) One movement of a standard concerto or Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations (Theme, Var 1, 2, 3) One short piece or movement of your choice written after 1950 by a composer who has been overlooked because of their race or gender (does not need to be memorized) Artist Diploma and Doctor of Music Arts: Pieces must be performed from memory. A complete Bach Suite (without repeats) A complete standard concerto or Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations (Var. 1, 2, 3, and Finale) One short piece or movement of your choice written after 1950 by a composer who has been overlooked because of their race or gender (does not need to be memorized)
• Clarinet: Clarinet: Audition Requirements Undergraduate: Mozart, Clarinet Concerto (first movement) or Weber, Clarinet Concerto, No. 2 (first movement) Solo piece selected by the student Graduate: Mozart, Clarinet Concerto, exposition of the first movement Nielsen, Clarinet Concerto, opening of the first movement to the cadenza Solo piece selected by the student
• Collaborative Piano and Accompaniment: Collaborative Piano: Audition Requirements 1. Perform one solo piece of your choosing 2. Choose one sonata: Beethoven Sonata #5, Violin and Piano, Opus 24 Sonata #7, Violin and Piano, Opus 30, #2 Sonata #3, Cello and Piano, Opus 69 Brahms Sonata for Violin and Piano, #2, Opus 100 in A major Sonata for Violin and Piano, #3, Opus 108 in D minor Sonata for Cello and Piano, #1, Opus 38 in E minor Sonata for Cello and Piano, #2, Opus 99 in F major Debussy Sonata for Violin and Piano Sonata for Cello and Piano Frank Sonata in A major Fauré Sonata in A major, Opus 13 3. Choose one concerto reduction: Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto, Opus 35 in D major Sibelius, Violin Concerto in D minor, Opus 47 Mozart, Violin Concerto, #5, K. 219 in A major Elgar, Cello Concerto, Opus 85 Dvorak, Cello Concerto, Opus 104 in B minor 4. Choose one from the following three pieces: Kreisler "Songs My Mother Taught Me" Tambourin Chinois, Opus 3 Marche miniature Viennoise 5. Choose three contrasting arts songs to be played in the high/soprano key. A singer will be provided for live auditions in Cleveland. One of the three selections should be prepared both to be played and sung. This will not be a test of vocal talent but rather will give some sense of ability to do more than one thing at once (as in coaching), some sense of diction abilities and textual expression. German Brahms, "Botschaft" Schubert, "An die Musik" or "Du bist die Ruh" Schumann, Postlude of "Frauenlieben und Leben" or "Dichterliebe" Strauss, "Ständchen" Wolf, "Er ist's" or "Ich hab' in Penna" French Chausson, "Le colibri" or "Les papillons" Debussy, Ariettes oubliées: "C'est l'extase" or "Il pleure dans mon coeur" Duparc, "Chanson triste" Fauré, "En sourdine" Poulenc, Fiançailles pour rire: "Violon" or "Il vole" English Barber, Hermit Songs: "St. Ita's
• Composition: Composition: Composition Prescreening is required. To accommodate prescreening, applicants are strongly urged to submit applications well before the deadline of December 1. Prescreening Requirements Applicants must submit 3 original compositions in PDF format to the online application. Applicants for graduate programs (MM, GD, DMA) should include at least one work for large ensemble (chamber orchestra, full orchestra, or wind ensemble). If available, each composition should be accompanied by an audio/video recording uploaded to the application. MIDI realizations are accepted, but live video/audio recordings are highly encouraged (especially for graduate applicants). In addition to the 3 scores and recordings of the compositions, applicants must upload the following to the application. A chronological list of completed compositions (including date of composition, instrumentation, duration, and any performances) A resume that includes musical activities and training Two video recordings (uploaded separately) demonstrating technical and musical accomplishment on your primary instrument or voice. These recordings should present two (and only two) contrasting selections of your choice. Accompaniment is not required, except in voice. Scores and Videos Upload Instructions Please upload all scores to the "Additional Educational History" page within the online application after completing the "Program and Teacher Preference" page. Scores uploaded to the application must be formatted to print on 8 ½" x 11" paper. Scores become the property of CIM and are not returned. Recordings of compositions and the two performance videos must be uploaded on the "Upload Required Recordings" page. If needed, hard copies may be sent to CIM at: Cleveland Institute of Music Admissions Office 11021 East Bouleva
• Double Bass: Double Bass: Audition Requirements All applicants (Bachelor of Music, Artist Certificate, Master of Music, Graduate Diploma, Artist Diploma, Doctor of Music Arts) Solo Repertoire A large-scale movement or piece, similar in scope to the 1st movement of a concerto A piece or movement in a contrasting style and time period from above A piece of choice, in any style, genre, or time period; this piece should represent you as a unique musician (can be an additional movement from 1 and 2 above) Orchestral/Chamber Excerpts Three excerpts from the orchestral and/or chamber repertoire By different composers Requiring contrasting technical demands Movements may be performed with or without repeats Da Capo forms count as one movement (e.g., Minuets I and II, or Scherzo and Trio)
• Flute: Flute: Audition Requirements Undergraduate: All major and harmonic minor scales and arpeggios in two or three octaves Three contrasting pieces or movements of pieces, one may be an etude Graduate: All major and harmonic minor scales and arpeggios in two or three octaves Three contrasting pieces or movements of pieces, one may be an etude Three contrasting orchestral excerpts
• Classical Guitar: Guitar (Classical): Audition Requirements Undergraduate: Three pieces of contrasting style - the repertoire chosen must include a slow selection as well as one that demonstrates the applicant's upper-level technical ability Major and minor scales, arpeggios, slur studies, and sightreading may be requested Master of Music and Graduate Diploma: Three pieces of contrasting style, all of which must be substantial works or movements from substantial works - the repertoire chosen must include a slow selection as well as one that demonstrates the applicant's upper level of technical ability. If preferred, you may focus your repertoire in a specific era. Major and minor scales, arpeggios, slur studies, and sightreading may be requested Below are examples of CIM guitar audition material, with 3 contrasting style works. The faculty may stop you in the middle of a piece in order to hear other works. Being stopped for time constraints is no reflection on the guitarist's performance. Example 1 BACH Allemande from BWV 995 Suite MERTZ Elegie MARTIN "Comme Une Gigue" from Quatre Pieces Breves Example 2 SCARLATTI Sonata K. 1 PONCE 1st Movement from Sonata No. 3 CARTER Changes Example 3 DOWLAND Fantaisie No. 10 GIULIANI Grande Overture, Op. 61 TURINA Sonata, 1st movement Example 4 SOR Op. 9 Variations GINASTERA Sonata, 2nd Movement JOBIM "A Felicidade" (arr. Dyens) Artist Diploma and Doctor of Musical Arts A complete suite, sonata, or partita of J.S. Bach A composition by a 19th century composer A substantial work (nine minutes or more in length) by a representative 20th- or 21st-century composer A substantial work (nine minutes or more in length) in a style contrasting with No. 3 above
• Harp: Harp: Audition Requirements Undergraduate 1. Advanced/Professional Warm-Up from On Playing the Harp by Yolanda Kondonassis (Carl Fischer) 2. One solo work from the Baroque or Classical period 3. One solo work from the standard harp literature such as: Hindemith: Sonata Grandjany: Fantasie Pierné: Impromptu-Caprice. Op. 9 4. One solo work of choice that represents your artistic identity 5. Orchestral Excerpts: Cadenza, from The Nutcracker and Verdi: La Forza del Destino Solos must be memorized. Music may be used for the Warm-Up and the Orchestral Excerpts. Master of Music, Graduate Diploma, and Artist Diploma 1. Advanced/Professional Warm-Up from On Playing the Harp by Yolanda Kondonassis (Carl Fischer) 2. One solo work from the Baroque or Classical period 3. One solo work from the standard harp literature such as: Hindemith: Sonata Houdy: Sonate Fauré: Impromptu Grandjany: Rhapsodie Salzedo: Variations on a theme in ancient style 4. One solo work of choice that represents your artistic identity 5. One solo work composed by a woman and/or a person from an underrepresented racial/ethnic group. 6. Orchestral Excerpts: Ravel: Cadenza from Tzigane and Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique Solos must be memorized. Music may be used for the Warm-Up and the Orchestral Excerpts. Doctor of Musical Arts 1. Advanced/Professional Warm-Up from On Playing the Harp by Yolanda Kondonassis (Carl Fischer) 2. A forty-minute recital that includes: One solo work from the Baroque or Classical period One standard solo work by a French composer One contrasting standard work by a Twentieth-Century composer One solo work of choice that represents your artistic identity One contemporary solo work, composed since 2000. One solo work composed by a woman and/or a person from an underrepresented racial/ethnic grou
• Harpsichord: Harpsicord: Audition Requirements Undergraduate: A short work by J.S. Bach – e.g. a prelude and fugue or 2-3 movements of a suite A work from the 17th century A sonata by Scarlatti A work of your choice that represents who you are and your musical identity Graduate: A substantial work by J.S Bach (complete) A sonata by Scarlatti or Soler A suite by Louis Couperin or Johann-Jakob Froberger A work of your choice that represents who you are and your musical identity
• French Horn: Horn: Audition Requirements Undergraduate Etude by Kopprasch, or the equivalent Solo or concerto selected by the student Selected contrasting orchestral excerpts Graduate Solo or concerto selected by the student Advanced etude (Gallay, Kling or Maxime-Alphonse) Selected contrasting orchestral excerpts
• Oboe: Oboe: Audition Requirements Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, Graduate Diploma, Doctor of Musical Arts Etude by Barret or Ferling Baroque or Classical work A piece of your choice that represents who you are and your musical identity. Artist Diploma A varied, recital length program that spans the repertoire for oboe and showcases your abilities
• Organ: Organ: Audition Requirements Undergraduate One work by Bach or another Baroque composer. Two pieces by romantic or contemporary composers, one primarily lyrical and one primarily virtuosic. Applicants will be asked to sight-read. Graduate (MM and DMA) A program of not more than 30 minutes including a major work of J.S. Bach. Other pieces should be of contrasting styles and periods, and should include at least one lyrical and one virtuosic selection. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly encouraged, though not required. Tests in sight-reading and harmonization. Artist Diploma Candidates are required to perform a program of 30-35 minutes, including a substantial work of Bach and at least one memorized piece (required). Additional selections should demonstrate contrasting styles as well as lyrical and virtuoso playing. Tests in sight-reading, harmonization and transposition.
• Piano: Piano: Audition Requirements All applicants (Bachelor of Music, Artist Certificate, Master of Music, Graduate Diploma, Artist Diploma, Doctor of Music Arts) Must be played from memory. A J.S.Bach work featuring a fugue, such as Well-Tempered Clavier Preludes and Fugues, Toccatas, Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, etc. Complete classical sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert One substantial romantic work from the 19th century One work from the 20th or 21st century One Chopin etude of virtuosity
• Saxophone: Saxophone: Audition Requirements Memorization is not required but strongly encouraged. A full concerto A full solo work suitable for a recital One orchestral excerpt Applicants should also prepare a written artist statement and bring to the audition
• Percussion: Timpani and Percussion: Audition Requirements Undergraduate: Snare Drum: Two contrasting snare drum solos, one being rudimental Keyboard Percussion: Two contrasting solos (one with two mallets, one with 4 mallets). Applicants may be asked to demonstrate advanced technical skills by performing scales, arpeggios, and/or other technical exercises. Timpani: Demonstrate skills in performance of rolls and single strokes. Perform at least one etude or solo for three or four timpani, showing musicianship and aptitude. Show knowledge of intervals, pitch recognition and tuning ability. Perform at least one standard Classical timpani part (Beethoven or Mozart). Sight-reading may be requested in any segment of the audition. The performance of orchestral excerpts is optional for undergraduate applicants. Note: All students study both percussion and timpani. Study during the third and fourth years is customarily in the major field of concentration, as determined by the department in consultation with the student. However, with the agreement of the department, in consultation with the student, a student may continue to study both percussion and timpani during the third and fourth years of the undergraduate program. Graduate: Customarily students confine their studies to one field of concentration (either Percussion or Timpani). However, with agreement of the department, in consultation with the student, it is possible to study both Percussion and Timpani at the graduate level. To qualify for study in two fields of concentration, applicants must demonstrate musical and technical mastery by performing the audition requirements applicable to each major area of concentration. Percussion Snare Drum: Two contrasting snare drum solos, one being rudimental Keyboard Percussion: Two contrasting solos (one with two mal
• Trombone: Trombone and Bass Trombone: Audition Requirements Undergraduate Tenor and Bass Trombone : One major and one minor scale (two octaves) and arpeggios Two contrasting technical studies, lyrical and technical, from Blazhevich or Bordogni, or the equivalent One solo selected by the student; for example: David's Concerto or Saint-Saëns' Cavatine (tenor trombone) Lebedev's Concerto in One Movement or Bozza's New Orleans (bass trombone) Four contrasting orchestral excerpts for tenor trombone, such as: Mozart's tuba mirum from Requiem Strauss' Till Eulenspiegel Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis Wagner's Lohengrin Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie Mahler's Symphony No. 3 Berlioz's Hungarian March Four contrasting orchestra excerpts for bass trombone such as: Haydn's The Creation Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie Brahms' Chorale from Brahms 1 Strauss' Till Eulenspiegel Bach's Sarabande from the 5th Cello Suite Berlioz's Hungarian March Sight-reading (not required on recorded auditions) Graduate Tenor and Bass Trombone: Two contrasting technical studies, lyrical and technical, from Bitsch, Masson, Bozza, Bordogni, Blazevich, or the equivalent One solo selected by the student, demonstrating advanced musicality and technique Four contrasting orchestral excerpts for tenor trombone such as: Ravel's Boléro Mahler's Symphony No. 3 Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie Rossini's William Tell or La Gazza Ladra Strauss' Till Eulenspiegel Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3 Four contrasting standard orchestral excerpts for bass trombone such as: Bach's Sarabande from 5th Suite Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 Berlioz's Hungarian March Kodály's Háry János Rossini's William Tell or La Gazza Ladra Sight-reading (not required on recorded auditions)
• Trumpet: Trumpet: Audition Requirements Undergraduate: Two etudes of contrasting style from Charlier, Brandt, Characteristic Study from Arban, or the equivalent Concerto or solo piece selected by the student Orchestral passages from standard repertoire optional Graduate: Two etudes of contrasting style from Charlier, Brandt, Bitsch, Smith-Top Tones, Characteristic Study from Arban, or the equivalent Two concerto or solo pieces of contrasting style selected by the student Orchestral passages from standard repertoire
• Tuba: Tuba: Audition Requirements Undergraduate: Major and minor scales and arpeggios (not required on recorded auditions) Two contrasting etudes Solo selected by the student Orchestral excerpts Sight-reading (not required on recorded auditions) Graduate: Major and minor scales and arpeggios (not required on recorded auditions) Concerto selected by the student Two contrasting etudes Orchestral excerpts Solo demonstrating contemporary techniques Sight-reading (not required on recorded auditions)
• Viola: Viola: Audition Requirements Must be played from memory. Undergraduate: A scale of your choice in three octaves, once slurring six and once with a spiccato stroke Two contrasting movements from a solo Bach suite, sonata, partita or an equivalent solo work One movement from a standard viola concerto Graduate: A scale of your choice in three octaves, once slurring six and once with a spiccato stroke Two contrasting movements from a solo Bach suite, sonata, partita or an equivalent solo work One movement from a standard viola concerto
• Violin: Violin: Audition Requirements Must be played from memory. Undergraduate: First movement from a standard concerto with cadenza where applicable (if Shostakovich No. 1 is selected, please perform the cadenza and fourth movement instead of the first movement) Two contrasting movements from a Bach Sonata or Partita for Solo Violin (Ciaccona from Bach's Second Partita may be used as the equivalent) One etude or caprice by Dont, Gaviniès, Kreutzer, Paganini, Rode, or the equivalent Master of Music and Graduate Diploma: First movement from a standard concerto with cadenza where applicable (if Shostakovich No. 1 is selected, please perform the cadenza and fourth movement instead of the first movement) Two contrasting movements from a Bach Sonata or Partita for Solo Violin (Ciaconna from Bach's Second Partita may be used as the equivalent) Another piece of the applicant's choice One etude or caprice by Dont, Gaviniès, Kreutzer, Paganini, Rode, or the equivalent Artist Diploma and Doctor of Musical Arts: Complete standard concerto with cadenzas where applicable First movement with cadenza from a Mozart Violin Concerto An entire Bach Sonata or Partita for Solo Violin Two Paganini caprices or a substantial virtuoso piece, such as the following, or something similar: Ravel's Tzigane Saint-Saëns' Rondo Capriccioso Ysaÿe's Ballade Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy
• Classical Voice: Voice: Audition Requirements If your prescreening audition is accepted, you may perform any repertoire which meets the prescreening repertoire requirements. The repertoire may be the same as what you submitted for prescreening.

SourceSpecific to this program and intake. Check the current admissions cycle; nothing here guarantees admission, and you cannot assume you may audition for a particular teacher.

Portfolio

Portfolio requirement not published

Interview

Not published

Deadlines

• Application & prescreening video deadline · Fall 2027 (2026)
• In-person auditions (February 7, 14, 21 and 28, 2027) · Fall 2027
• Admittance decisions and scholarship awards announced (late March 2027) · Fall 2027
• Graduate decision deadline · Fall 2027 (2027)

The institution does not publish tuition for this program on the pages we checked. Ask for current fees, what they include and whether lessons, accompanists, practice rooms, instrument hire, software, recording, recitals, travel and residency costs are extra.

Not published on the program’s source pages: tuition, duration, full-time or part-time options, intakes, whether a previous degree is required, accreditation or validation record.