Skip to main content
University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
    • Current Students
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Email
    • Blackboard
    • Campus Connection
    • Employee Self-Service
    • Starfish
    • Degree Map
    • Zoom
  • Directory
  • Calendar
  • Scope of this search:
College of Arts & Sciences
College of Arts & Sciences
  • About
  • Academics
  • Admissions
  • Research & Creative Work
University of North Dakota
  • About
  • Academics
  • Admissions
  • Research & Creative Work
  • Request Info
  • Visit
  • Apply
Scope of this search:
  • Request Info
  • Visit
  • Apply
Scope of this search:
College of Arts & Sciences
  • Home
  • Academics
  • Music
  • Students
  • Graduate Admissions & Support
Skip Section Navigation
  • Music
  • Students & Degrees Show/hide children
    • Undergraduate Scholarships
    • Graduate Admissions & Support
    • Accepted Students
    • Student Organizations
    • Performance Areas
    • Courses
  • Events Show/hide children
    • Live Stream
  • Ensembles Show/hide children
    • Athletic Bands
    • Chamber Ensembles
    • Choirs
    • Concert Bands
    • Jazz Ensembles
    • Singing on Stage
    • Orchestra
    • Piano
    • Red River Trio
  • UND Honor Festival
  • Professional Development Series
  • Community Music
  • Department Resources Show/hide children
    • Music Library
    • Student Resources
    • Faculty Resources and Information
    • Poster and Program Templates
    • Facilities
    • Departmental Policies
  • Faculty & Staff

Graduate Admissions & Support

Graduate Admissions

All applicants for a graduate degree in music must complete an application for the University of North Dakota School of Graduate Studies.

The priority deadline for all graduate applicants is March 1st. This includes submission of all required materials, including transcripts, test scores, and letters of recommendation. 

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

Financial Support

UND Music offers financial support to excellent applicants in the form of Graduate Assistantships and Tuition Waivers. Applicants who meet the priority deadline of March 1st will automatically be considered for these opportunities. 

Graduate Assistantships

UND Music has a number of assistantships available for resident graduate students. Assistantship assignments are made by the Chair of the Department of Music in consultation with relevant members of the music faculty. There are quarter-time and half-time assistantships available. Graduate Assistants are compensated with a stipend and may also be awarded a tuition waiver as part of their financial package. 

Tuition Waivers

Many graduate students at UND Music are granted full tuition waivers to support their studies. 

Application Requirements

Applicants to the MM in Composition degree program must submit a portfolio of five original musical works:

  • For music that has a written score, submit pdf files.
  • Recordings are encouraged, submitted as links to easily accessible online platforms (such as YouTube or Soundcloud) or file-sharing services (such as Dropbox or Google Drive). MIDI recordings are acceptable. 
  • For music without a score and music with electronics, links to recordings must be provided. 

To submit your materials, please email Dr. Michael Wittgraf. Include your full name and “Composition Portfolio” in the subject line.

Applicants to the MM in Conducting (Choral) degree program must submit a portfolio including the following:

  • Current curriculum vitae
  • Repertoire list of works conducted
  • 30-minute video recording of a rehearsal, include vocalises.
  • 30-minute video recording of a conducted performance (or performances).

To submit your materials, please email UND Music. Include your full name and “Choral Conducting Application” in the subject line.

Applicants to the MM in Conducting (Instrumental) degree program must complete the following:

  • An audition demonstrating performance conducting as well as rehearsal techniques (15-20 minutes maximum). In lieu of a live audition at UND, a video recording is acceptable.
  • An interview discussing the candidate's background and experiences as a musician, as well as their goals and aspirations. This interview may be either in person or through Zoom.
  • Submit a list of literature studied and performed as a conductor, as well as similar repertoire lists for the candidate’s primary instrument(s).

To submit materials and schedule your audition and interview, please email Dr. James Popejoy. Include your full name and “Instrumental Conducting Application” in the subject line.

A minimum of one year of K12 music teaching experience or comparable field experience is preferred.

Applicants to the MM in Music Education degree program must submit a scholarly writing sample.

To do so, please email Dr. Whitney Mayo. Include your full name and “Music Education Application” in the subject line.

Applicants must have completed a Master of Music, preferably music education, or a closely related field. A minimum of three years of K12 music teaching experience is preferred. 

Applicants to the Ph.D. in Music Education degree program must submit a scholarly writing sample.

To do so, please email Dr. Whitney Mayo. Include your full name and “Music Education Application” in the subject line.

Audition Requirements

  • 3-4 contrasting works from different eras
  • 3 orchestral excerpts may be substituted for one work

Please contact Dr. Lisa Bost-Sandberg with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • Two contrasting movements of a major concerto or sonata
  • A movement or solo piece from a contrasting era

Please contact Dr. Scott Sandberg with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • Two contrasting movements of a major concerto or sonata
  • A movement or solo piece of a contrasting style

Please contact Dr. Scott Sandberg with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • Two contrasting movements of a standard concerto or sonata
  • Contrasting orchestral excerpts or an etude

Please contact Dr. Cory Driscoll with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • Two contrasting movements of a standard concerto or sonata
  • Contrasting orchestral excerpts or an etude 

  • Two movements from different major works in the trombone concerto/sonata repertoire
  • Three major orchestral excerpts
  • Major and minor scales

Please contact Dr. Joel Pugh with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • Two movements from different major works in the euphonium concerto/sonata repertoire
  • Three major wind band excerpts
  • Major and minor scales

Please contact Dr. Joel Pugh with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • Two movements from different major works in the tuba concerto/sonata repertoire
  • Three major orchestral excerpts
  • Major and minor scales

Please contact Dr. Joel Pugh with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • One four-mallet marimba solo
  • One orchestral snare etude
  • One rudimental snare etude
  • One timpani etude

Please contact Dr. Jason Kihle with questions regarding audition requirements. 

Piano Performance Specialization
  • One movement of a major classical sonata
  • One movement of major piece from Romantic period such as sonata, OR
  • A major character piece not shorter than 5 minutes, OR
  • One etude by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Debussy or Prokofiev
Collaborative Piano Specialization
  • The first movement of a sonata for strings by a major composer
  • Two classical songs in contrasting styles

Please contact Dr. Nariaki Sugiura with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • One movement of a major concerto
  • Two contrasting movements of sonata or partita by J. S. Bach

Please contact Dr. Alejandro Drago with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • One movement of a major concerto 
  • Two contrasting movements of a violin sonata, partita OR cello suite by J. S. Bach

Please contact Dr. Alejandro Drago with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • One movement of a major concerto
  • One movement from a cello suite by J. S. Bach
  • The first movement of a major sonata OR a show piece OR an etude

Please contact Dr. Simona Barbu with questions regarding audition requirements. 

  • Two contrasting movement of a major concerto or sonata
  • One movement of a work from a contrasting style period OR an etude

Please contact Dr. Simona Barbu with questions regarding audition requirements. 

Vocal Performance Specialization
  • A minimum of 12 minutes of repertoire sung in English, French, German, and Italian
Vocal Pedagogy Specialization
  • A minimum of 12 minutes of repertoire sung in English, French, German, and Italian

Please contact Dr. Anne Christopherson and/or Dr. Justin Montigne with questions regarding audition requirements. 

Contact

Photo of Christopher Gable
Christopher Gable
PhD
Teaching Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Studies
Specialties: Rock History, Music History, Music Technology, Composition
  • christopher.gable@UND.edu
  • 701.777.6190
  • Hughes Fine Arts Center Room 276
    Grand Forks ND 58202-7125
Music Department
Hughes Fine Arts Center Room 110
3350 Campus Rd Stop 7125
Grand Forks, ND 58202
P 701.777.2644
UND.music@UND.edu

 

Music Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • Facebook
We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.

By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies, Privacy Information.

College of Arts & Sciences

Columbia Hall, Room 1930
501 N Columbia Rd Stop 8038
Grand Forks, ND 58202-8038

UND.artssci@UND.edu |  701.777.2749
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Employment
  • Contact UND
  • Make a Gift
University of North Dakota

© 2023 University of North Dakota - Grand Forks, ND - Member of ND University System

  • Accessibility & Website Feedback
  • Terms of Use & Privacy
  • Notice of Nondiscrimination
  • Student Disclosure Information
  • Title IX
©