Master of Music in Harpsichord Performance

Application deadlines are specific to degree programs. See our Graduate Admissions page for a list of all deadlines.

Designed for students seeking professional career preparation including the development of artistry, technique, scholarly research, and the ability to play music of all periods with integrity and knowledge of specific performance practices. Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree in music or its equivalent as well as a strong keyboard background.

Curriculum

The Master of Music in Harpsichord Performance requires a minimum of 32 credits. Coursework to include: Private harpsichord lessons
Early Music Ensemble
Early Music 551
Composition
Musicology, and/or Music Theory
SMTD electives

Final Project:

Presentation of one solo recital and one collaborative recital.

Silent Advisor

Degree requirements and term-by-term layout for current students.

Faculty


Joseph Gascho

Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Stearns Collection
Early Music Chamber Coordinator, Harpsichord

Nicole Keller

Assistant Professor of Music, University Organist
Organ, Sacred Music

Tiffany Ng

Chair of Organ and Associate Professor of Music, University Carillonist
Carillon

Instruments

All SMTD instruments are available for practice and performances.

Organs

hill organ

The U-M recognizes the pipe organ as the only instrument suitable for practice and performance of the organ repertoire. Students enrolled for organ instruction perform, study and rehearse on the instruments in Hill Auditorium and the Earl V. Moore Building.

Additional information may be found in Pipe Organs of Ann Arbor by Professor James O. Wilkes.

Carillons

Baird Carillon

The University of Michigan has two carillons. A carillon is an instrument of at least 23 bronze bells, arranged in chromatic sequence, so tuned as to produce concordant harmony when multiple bells are sounded together. It is played from a keyboard and pedalboard, which allow expression through variation of touch. Faculty, staff, students, and alumni give regular performances on the campus carillons.

Charles Baird Carillon (Burton Memorial Tower)
53 bells cast by John Taylor & Co. in Loughborough, England and installed in 1936

Ann and Robert H. Lurie Carillon
60 bells cast by Royal Eijsbouts in Asten, the Netherlands and installed in 1996

Practice Carillons
Three practice carillon keyboards are available. Two are located in the upper floors of Burton Memorial Tower, and a digital practice carillon is located in the Duderstadt Center. Practice keyboards are not audible outside of the practice room.

For further information, contact Professor Tiffany Ng, university carillonist. Current students interested in carillon lessons: please visit the Carillon Studio page.

Harpsichords

harpsichord early music chamber

Students of the harpsichord will graduate as experienced soloists and continuo players, having learned principles of historical performance and how to tune and care for their instruments. The university maintains the following harpsichords for students’ use:

  • Keith Hill, 1992: German double manual
  • William Dowd, 1984: Franco-Flemish double manual after Ruckers
  • Peter Fisk: French double manual
  • Hubbard/Eckstein: French double manual
  • Hill and Tyre, 1980: German single manual
  • David Sutherland: Flemish single manual
  • William Post Ross, 1965: Italian single manual after De Quoc
  • Two Tuckermann kit instruments

For further information, contact Professor Joseph Gascho.

Performance Opportunities

From large ensembles in celebrated concert halls to chamber groups in intimate recital spaces, performance opportunities across all disciplines abound, with nearly 900 student performances each academic year. Whether your focus is on early, classical, or contemporary music, whether your passion is for jazz, electronic, or world music, there is an ensemble—or in many cases, multiple ensembles—to suit your interests, including specific opportunities for percussion, piano, and organ & carillon. For students in theatre & drama, musical theatre, dance, and opera, opportunities abound in both professionally produced and student-run presentations.

Organ

Organ Performance

Students perform and study with their peers in studio classes and perform for the public in solo student recitals and studio recitals. In addition, the Organ Department organizes several recitals each term in local churches in the communities surrounding Ann Arbor and Detroit.

Carillon

Carillon Performance

The University of Michigan has two world-class carillons. Half-hour recitals are given on weekdays throughout the academic year and are open to the public to view. Intermediate and advanced carillon students may perform for the campus regularly on these recitals.

Early Music Ensembles

Early Music Ensembles

Students interested in historically oriented performance have opportunities to explore music from across the centuries, performed on authentic period instruments and high-quality replicas.

Ensembles

Ensembles

Organ students have opportunities to perform with the University of Michigan orchestras, bands, and choral ensembles, and can gain extensive experience in continuo playing on organ and harpsichord with the Baroque Chamber Orchestra.

Questions?