Master of Sacred Music

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The Master of Sacred Music (MSM or SMM) degree is a two to five-year post-baccalaureate degree that combines academic and musical studies. The closure of graduate programs in organ performance across America has made the MSM increasingly the de facto degree for advanced studies in church music; MSM graduates who wish to continue their studies have the option of academic (Ph.D. or Th.D.) or applied (DMA) tracks. Most MSM programs are limited to choral conducting and organ performance, as these two applied fields are the primary occupations of church music directors. Piano Performance is usually taught as a subdiscipline or acquired separately.

Contents

Master of Sacred Music programs in the United States include:

Boston University's program is the oldest (BU is also host to the oldest higher education program in music in the United States) and Notre Dame's [8] is the youngest (admitting its first students for Fall 2005). An MSM program at Union Theological Seminary was dissolved when UTS' Institute of Sacred Music was dissolved and moved to Yale. [9]

On November 14, 2012, Luther Seminary ended its MSM program; then-current students were permitted to finish out their studies, but no new applicants were accepted following the decision, which was made by President Richard Bliese against the recommendations of the seminary's Educational Leadership Committee (ELC).

Several institutions of higher education offer master's programs in Liturgical Music or Master of Music programs in Sacred Music. These are distinguished from MSM programs by their primary focus on the applied music components. An example of such programs can be found at the Catholic University of America's Institute of Sacred Music, which recently converted its masters and doctoral programs in liturgical music to MM and DMA programs in sacred music. Another example is University of Alabama's MM degree in Church Music.

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References

  1. ↑ "Master of Sacred Music (MSM)". Boston University. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  2. ↑ "Cantorial Ordination and Masters in Sacred Music (MSM)". Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  3. ↑ "H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music". Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  4. ↑ "Master of Sacred Music (M.S.M.)". Southern Methodist University. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  5. ↑ "Master of Sacred Music: Practical Pedagogy". Rider University. 2018-05-07. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  6. ↑ "Master of Sacred Music - MSM". University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  7. ↑ "Master of Sacred Music degree". University of St. Thomas. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  8. ↑ [sacredmusic.nd.edu "University of Notre Dame"]. Retrieved 24 January 2017.{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  9. ↑ [ism.yale.edu "Yale Institute of Sacred Music"]. Retrieved 24 January 2017.{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  10. ↑ Claremont Graduate University
  11. ↑ "Master of Music in Sacred Music". Duquesne University. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  12. ↑ "The ISM and Yale School of Music". Yale Institute of Sacred Music. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
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