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Collaborative Piano

SIU Student Playing Piano

Our two-year Master of Music in collaborative piano program prepares musicians for successful and rewarding careers as vocal coaches, opera coaches and pianists, professional accompanists and collaborative piano educators.

World-renowned faculty members, with diverse and abundant backgrounds in collaborative piano, will provide you with the experience and training necessary to help advance your career at any stage. Mentorship from instructors, along required performance ensembles throughout your advanced studies, provides artistic insight into the demands of training, coaching and performance in collaborative piano.

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SIU Collaborative Piano Student before a performance

Master of Music (Collaborative Piano)

  • Total Degree Requirements: 36 credit hours
  • Music Bibliography and Research: 3 credit hours
  • Analytic Techniques A or B: 2 credit hours
  • Applied Music-Collaborative Piano: 12 credit hours
  • Advanced Topics in Instrumental Music: 2 credit hours
  • History-Literature Courses: 6 credit hours
  • Required Ensemble Participation: 4 credit hours
  • Solo Performance Literature: 2 credit hours
  • Recitals: 3 credit hours
  • Research Paper: 1 credit hours
  • Approved Graduate Electives: 1 credit hours
Compass IconThe graduate major can be accomplished by fulfilling the requirements for the Master of Music (M.M.) degree. View all related graduate courses.

Areas of Emphases

Our Master of Music in collaborative piano degree is an advanced degree in either vocal or instrumental accompanying emphases.

The vocal track option 

An exit requirement of knowledge in English, Italian, French and German diction using International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and students must complete multiple vocal and vocal accompanying recital performances.

The instrumental accompanying track option

Similar to the vocal track, it requires an emphasis in instrumental accompanying recitals.

Both emphases will allow you to expand your existing musical talent while gaining the specialized skills necessary to coach or accompany in a variety of settings.

Ensembles

Music majors are required to participate in major musical ensembles throughout the academic year, such as SIU's Concert Choir, Marching Salukis, Southern Illinois Symphony or Wind Ensemble. Additionally, The Outside the Box music festival is produced each year, providing opportunities for composition students to attend master classes, seminars, workshops and to perform in the Emerging Composers recital during the event.

Visit the School of Music for a full list of participation opportunities.

Graduate Assistantships

Most students who are accepted into the collaborative piano graduate studies program will be awarded graduate assistantships in accompanying. These assistantships waive tuition, up to 12 hours per semester, with an annual stipend of $6,000 for additional expenses. To ensure you meet the deadlines for these awards, visit the Funding and Graduate Assistantships pages for more details on application requirements.

Graduate Admissions and Auditions

To apply to the SIU graduate music program, prospective students are required to submit both a University application as well as a School of Music application. In addition to these applications, you will be required to complete an in-person audition at Altgeld Hall on campus, or a live online audition if traveling is not possible. As a graduate student you will work with a faculty member on the specific needs and requirements for your auditions. Our Admissions and Auditions page will give you the necessary details to get you started on preparation for your applications and an audition.

Facilities

At SIU, rehearsals and performances take place in the oldest currently occupied building on campus, Altgeld Hall. With state of the art spaces for choral performers and musicians of every kind, this majestic building is a second home to many students of the music program and a place to enhance their experience as a burgeoning artist.

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Contact Information

Karen Wolf
Academic Advisor
Communications Building 1121
1100 Lincoln Dr.
618-453-3388
kwolf@siu.edu

Chris Butler
Assistant Director
Altgeld 104E
1000 S Normal Ave
618-453-5810
cbutler@siu.edu

School of Music | College of Arts and Media | 618-536-8742 |