Programs of Study
The Institute of Sacred Music and the School of Music
Students should also consult the bulletin of the School of Music for degree requirements and other course information.
Choral Conducting
Mission
The program prepares students for careers as professional conductors in many contexts, particularly educational, civic, and church settings. A primary emphasis of the master’s degree is laying the foundation for continued work in a doctoral program. Students are expected to expand their musicianship skills and develop the broad knowledge of repertoire required of conductors.
Degrees and Requirements
The program for choral conductors includes individual lessons with the choral conducting faculty, and lessons during regularly supervised sessions with the repertory and recital choruses. Attendance at a weekly seminar, Repertory Chorus rehearsals, and membership in the Yale Camerata are required each term, as is participation as a singer in either the Yale Schola Cantorum or the Repertory Chorus. First-year students conduct Repertory Chorus in two shared performances. Second- and third-year students present a degree recital with the Recital Chorus. Choral conducting students are required to study voice as a secondary instrument for two terms and are encouraged to pursue other secondary instrumental studies. For more information about curriculum and degree requirements of the Yale School of Music, please see the School of Music bulletin. Students who are enrolled in the School of Music and the Institute of Sacred Music may have additional requirements as specified by the Institute. All students are expected to avail themselves of the offerings of the University, particularly courses in the Department of Music. Of particular interest to choral conductors are the music and theology courses listed under the Program in Religion and the Arts.
Choral conductors are advised to observe rehearsals of each of the various vocal and instrumental ensembles. Further conducting experience is gained by serving as assistant conductor for one of the faculty-led choruses, and by directing the Battell Chapel and Marquand Chapel choirs. Visiting guest conductors have included Stefan Parkman, Sir David Willcocks, Robert Shaw, Krzysztof Penderecki, James MacMillan, Sir Neville Marriner, Stephen Layton, Helmuth Rilling, Nicholas McGegan, and Paul Hillier. Dale Warland will visit in 2010.
Additionally, a choral conducting major enrolling in the Institute of Sacred Music will elect the ISM Colloquium each term and one academic course taught by an ISM faculty member. Should the student be exempt from MUS 510, he or she will elect one additional ISM course.
Organ
Mission
The major in organ prepares students for careers as informed church musicians, soloists, and teachers, and for doctoral-level programs. The departmental seminar is devoted to a comprehensive survey of organ literature from the seventeenth century to the present. For one week each year the department invites a visiting artist/teacher to be in residence. These have included Daniel Roth, Marie-Claire Alain, Catharine Crozier, Peter Planyavsky, Martin Haselböck, Thomas Trotter, Naji Hakim, David Craighead, Olivier Latry, Susan Landale, Ludger Lohmann, Jon Gillock, Michael Gailit, Karel Paukert, Thomas Trotter, Hans-Ola Ericcson, Jon Laukvik, and Dame Gillian Weir. Typically, they teach a week of individual lessons and an organ seminar and perform an organ recital. The visiting artist-in-residence in 2009–2010 will be Rachel Laurin, and Hans Davidsson, Masaaki Suzuki, and Yale faculty will also perform in the annual Great Organ Music at Yale series.
Students have the opportunity for practice and performance on the extensive collection of fine instruments at the University: the H. Frank Bozyan Memorial Organ in Dwight Memorial Chapel (Rudolph von Beckerath, three manuals, 1971); the organ in Battell Chapel (Walter Holtkamp, Sr., three manuals, 1951); the organ in Marquand Chapel (E. M. Skinner, three manuals, 1932); and the Newberry Memorial Organ in Woolsey Hall (E. M. Skinner, four manuals, 1928), one of the most famous romantic organs in the world. The 2007–2008 academic year saw the inauguration of the new Krigbaum Organ (Taylor & Boody, three manuals, meantone temperament, 2007) in Marquand Chapel. The Institute also possesses a Taylor & Boody continuo organ (2004). Two-manual practice instruments by Flentrop, Holtkamp, Casavant, and others are located in Woolsey Hall and at the Institute of Sacred Music, which also houses five Steinway grand pianos, a C. B. Fisk positive, a Dowd harpsichord, a two-manual Richard Kingston harpsichord, and the Ortel Organ (Flentrop, 1960).
Degrees And Requirements
Students may enroll in the Institute of Sacred Music for all programs—M.M., M.M.A./ D.M.A., and Artist Diploma. For more information, see the bulletin of the School of Music.
Additionally, an organ major enrolling in the Institute of Sacred Music will elect three academic courses taught by ISM faculty, as well as the ISM Colloquium each term.
Voice
Students majoring in vocal performance at Yale are enrolled in one of two separate and distinct tracks: the Opera track (sponsored entirely by the School of Music, with Doris Yarick-Cross as program adviser), and the track in Early Music, Oratorio, and Chamber Ensemble (sponsored jointly by the Institute of Sacred Music and School of Music, with James Taylor as program coordinator). Both tracks are designed to enhance and nurture the artistry of young singers by developing in them a secure technique, consummate musicianship, stylistic versatility, performance skills, and comprehensive performance experience. In both tracks there is a strong emphasis on oratorio and the art song repertoire, and each student is expected to sing a recital each year.
The Yale community and the New Haven area offer ample opportunities for solo experience with various Yale choral and orchestral ensembles, as well as through church positions and professional orchestras. Close proximity to New York and Boston makes attendance at performances and auditions in those cities convenient. Additionally, students have the opportunity to teach voice to undergraduates in Yale College and to nonmajors in the Yale School of Music.
Information about the Opera track can be found in the bulletin of the Yale School of Music.
Voice: Early Music, Oratorio, and Chamber Ensemble
Degrees and requirements This vocal track, leading to the M.M. degree or Artist Diploma (for external candidates), is designed for the singer whose interests lie principally in the fields of early music, oratorio, art song, contemporary music, and choral chamber ensembles.
Private voice lessons are supplemented by intensive coaching in art song and oratorio literature and by concentrated study of ensemble techniques in the chamber ensemble Yale Schola Cantorum, directed by Masaaki Suzuki. Schola’s touring and recording schedules provide invaluable professional experiences, and singers’ activity in Schola offers the opportunity of working with such renowned conductors as Sir David Willcocks, Sir Neville Marriner, Valery Gergiev, Jeffery Thomas, Nicholas McGegan, Helmuth Rilling, Stephen Layton, Paul Hillier, and Simon Carrington. Schola’s performances feature these voice students in the various solo roles.
Weekly seminars and voice classes provide in-depth instruction in performance practices, diction, and interpretation, and singers have the opportunity to participate in master classes by internationally renowned artists, such as Russell Braun, David Daniels, Christian Gerhaher, Donald Sulzen, and Lawrence Zazzo. Students are encouraged to avail themselves of the offerings of the University, particularly courses in the Department of Music. Additionally, a vocal major enrolling in the Institute of Sacred Music will elect two academic courses taught by Institute faculty, as well as the ISM Colloquium each term.
For more precise information about the courses and requirements in this track, contact the Institute’s Admissions office at 203.432.9753.
Church Music Studies
Mission
Training tomorrow’s professional church musician is one of the core elements of the Institute’s mission. Church Music Studies is an optional certificate program designed for organ, choral, and/or vocal majors enrolled in either the Master of Music or Master of Musical Arts program in the Institute of Sacred Music and School of Music. By electing courses from a broad set of categories, taking a proseminar in church music, and participating in selected worship opportunities, the student will gain an understanding of the history, theology, and practice of the variety of Christian liturgical traditions. Music students will work side by side with Divinity students as they together develop the skills and vocabulary necessary for vital and effective ministry.
Curriculum
An organ, choral, or vocal major follows the normal programs for the Master of Music degree as required by the School of Music. The electives in the program are guided by the requirements for Church Music Studies. Students will develop their individual program of study in collaboration with the Church Music adviser.
The curriculum is designed so that an organ major can complete it concurrently with the M.M. degree program in two years of full-time enrollment. A choral or vocal major will need to enroll for a fifth term as a nondegree student following graduation with the Master of Music in order to complete the requirements. For information about enrolling for the fifth term, see the special section under Expenses and Financial Aid. Students will not continue studio lessons during this fifth term.
Four-credit courses Students will elect one course from each of the following four categories (4 credits each):
Biblical Studies
One course from the O.T./N.T. Interpretation sequence.
Liturgical Studies
Foundations of Christian Worship
Creativity and the Congregation
History of Sacred Music or Religion and the Arts. Sample offerings:
J.S. Bach’s First Year in Leipzig
Mozart’s Sacred Music
Music and Theology
Iconography of Christian Art
House of the Lord
Art of Ministry. Sample offerings:
Hymnody as Resources for Preaching and Worship
The Parish Musician
Two-credit courses Students will also elect three skills-based courses (2 credits each); for example:
- Elements of Choral Conducting (for organ majors)
- Voice for Non-Majors
- Choral Ensembles
- Organ for Non-Majors
- Leading Congregational Song (a course team-taught by an organist and one skilled in global hymnody)
- Church Music Skills (administration, working with instruments, handbells, praise band, etc.)
Proseminar A one-credit course will be offered each year for Divinity and Music students alike, in which issues including the theology and practice of liturgy, music and the arts, as well as program development and staff leadership will be dealt with. Participation in selected worship opportunities will be a key component in these discussions.
Students interested in pursuing the Certificate in Church Music Studies should consult with the program adviser as soon as possible after matriculation. Second-year voice or choral conducting students who wish to elect the fifth semester must state their intention of doing so by December 12.
The Institute of Sacred Music and the Divinity School
Institute faculty are responsible for the programs in Liturgical Studies and Religion and the Arts at the Divinity School. Outside of those specialized programs, ISM/Divinity students may also pursue the Comprehensive Master of Arts in Religion or the M.Div. (see Core Curriculum and Degrees). Students should also consult the bulletin of the Divinity School for degree requirements and other course information.
Liturgical Studies
Mission
The program offers a basic education in historical, theoretical, and practical aspects of liturgical studies. Thus it pertains both to the training of concentrators in the field who are preparing for Ph.D. programs in religious studies and liturgics, as well as to the education of those with vocations to the churches: musicians and ministers. A substantial number of electives supplement the core course of study, ensuring that students may gain a broad understanding of liturgy and approaches to its study and encounter a variety of traditions. The faculty stress connections with biblical study, church history, and with the practice of sacred music and other religious art forms. Detailed information about the degrees and requirements of Yale Divinity School can be found in the School’s bulletin.
In addition, a liturgical studies major enrolling in the Institute of Sacred Music will elect the ISM Colloquium each term.
Degrees and Requirements
Master of Sacred Theology Graduates of theological schools of recognized standing who have obtained the B.D. or M.Div. degree may be admitted to a program of studies leading to the Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree.
Candidates for the concentrated S.T.M. in Liturgical Studies must complete twenty-four credit hours of study, eighteen of which must be in the major area. Six credits may be satisfied by reading courses and/or thesis work. If not previously taken, the following courses are required: the introductory core course, Foundations of Christian Worship, REL 782, and nine credits of limited electives in liturgical studies, three with an historical focus, three with a theological orientation, and three with a strong methodological or practical component. An extended paper or an independent thesis (one- or two-term option) is required for the S.T.M. degree. In addition, ISM students also present their work at the Institute Colloquium.
The work for this degree may be regarded as a fourth year of preparation for the Christian ministry. The S.T.M. program may also be used as a year of specialized work in one of the theological disciplines or as preparation for doctoral studies. The schedule of courses may involve offerings in other schools or departments of the University.
Each candidate is required to plan, submit for approval, and pursue an integrated program designed to serve either of the purposes stated above. A minimum of three-fourths of the courses taken must be related to a designated field of concentration.
A candidate for the S.T.M. degree must complete the equivalent of at least twenty-four term hours of graduate study beyond the B.D., M.Div., or equivalent degree. Only course work graded High Pass or above is credited toward the S.T.M. degree. A thesis, major paper in a regular course, or other acceptable project in the selected field of study is required. It must demonstrate the ability to do independent research. Students writing theses or projects are required to register in REL 999, S.T.M. Thesis or Project.
The work for the degree may be taken in one year, or distributed over two, three, or four years; it must be completed within four years of matriculation. In the case of students who wish to extend their studies, nine term hours is the minimum course load that can be regarded as a full-time program of studies. Normally, no work taken prior to matriculation will be counted toward the degree nor will credit be transferred from other schools unless approval to utilize a course to be taken elsewhere has been given in advance.
Master of Arts in Religion, Concentration in Liturgical Studies This concentration requires eighteen credit hours of study in the major area, including the introductory core course of the program, Foundations of Christian Worship, REL 782. Students must take nine credit hours of limited electives in liturgical studies, three with an historical focus, three with a theological focus, and three with a strong methodological or practical component. The remaining six credits may be taken as electives, but students are strongly encouraged to seek out a course in their own denominational worship tradition.
The remaining thirty credits required for the M.A.R. with a concentration in liturgical studies will be taken in the various areas of study of the Divinity School and Institute curricula, according to a student’s academic interests and professional goals and in consultation with faculty in the area of concentration.
Religion and the Arts
Mission
The program enables students to pursue concentrated study in religion and literature, religion and music, or religion and the visual arts. Students declare their concentration at the time of application. Courses in these areas are taken principally from faculty in the Divinity School and Institute of Sacred Music; electives are taken elsewhere in the University: in the Graduate School (e.g., the departments of English, Comparative Literature, Music, American Studies, History of Art) or in the schools of Art and Architecture. In addition, students study the traditional curriculum of divinity: Bible, theology, history of Christianity, liturgics. Students are encouraged to attain reading proficiency in a second language relevant to their field of study.
ISM students in this concentration elect the ISM Colloquium each term.
Degrees and Requirements
Master of Arts in Religion, Concentration in Religion and the Arts Students in the Religion and Arts concentration elect one of three tracks: Literature, Visual Arts, or Music. The emphasis in each track is upon history, criticism, and analysis of past and present practice. Each requires twenty-one credits in the area of concentration: in Visual Arts or Music, twelve of these credits must be taken with ISM faculty; in literature, six must be taken with ISM faculty. In addition, at least fifteen credits shall be devoted to general theological studies: six credits in Area I, six credits in Area II, and three credits in Area III. Twelve credits of electives may be taken from anywhere in the University, though the number of electives allowed in studio art, creative writing, or musical performance is at the discretion of the adviser and permission of the instructor. In total, one-half of the student’s course load must be Divinity School credits. An undergraduate major in the field of concentration or its equivalent is required.
A limited number of studio art classes may be taken for academic credit by students in the Religion and Visual Arts track, and they must demonstrate the relevance of this study to theology. Admission to studio art courses depends entirely on the permission of the studio teacher and is customarily granted only to those with strong portfolios.
Students preparing for doctoral work will be encouraged to develop strong writing samples and foreign language skills. ISM students may apply to the Institute for study in Yale’s summer language program.
Joint-Degree and Double-Major Programs
At the completion of the first term in residence at Yale, students may make application to the joint-degree program, the Master of Music in performance combined with either the concentrated Master of Arts in Religion in Liturgical Studies or the comprehensive Master of Arts in Religion. This program has the advantage of reducing by one year the total time necessary to receive two degrees. That is, these two degrees may be completed in three concurrent rather than four successive years. If accepted into the program, the student is enrolled in both the Divinity and Music schools, beginning with the second year of study, working toward degrees in each school.
Another option for Institute students enrolled through the School of Music is the double-major degree in performance. For example, first-year students enrolled in the organ program may apply to audition for the choral conducting program or vice versa. Although study in these two programs would be undertaken concurrently and be completed in three years, the end result would be a single Master of Music degree with a double major in organ and choral conducting. As this program is not formally recognized by the Institute and School of Music, support from the major teachers must be secured and separate application made to the Academic Affairs Committee of the School of Music.
Only qualified students whose career goals and abilities prepare them for entering such rigorous programs will be considered. Further information about course work for these interdisciplinary areas may be obtained by contacting the Office of Admissions of the Institute.
