Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) Instrumental Performance
Overview
What to expect
The Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance, Orchestral Instruments is a high-level training and research degree for musicians of orchestral instruments, including woodwinds, strings, brass, percussion, guitar, harp, saxophone, and accordion. Students prepare a major work of original scholarship while refining their musical skills through personalized studio lessons. They give three formal recitals over the course of their studies and defend their thesis before a committee of examiners at the end.
Why it stands out
Students are taught, supervised, and mentored by distinguished scholars and musicians. They have ample opportunities to study with leading performers in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, and other professional organizations.
Who it's for
The degree is designed for students wishing to be engaged at the highest levels of their creative and intellectual abilities. Students emerge as expert professional musicians with experience in music research.
Outcomes
Opportunities for study
Students are free to pursue their particular research interests under careful faculty supervision. In addition to enhanced musical skills and insights, they develop valuable connections with Toronto’s art music community.
Opportunities after graduation
The degree prepares graduates to thrive as intellectually informed professional musicians and also qualifies them for careers in post-secondary teaching and research.
Studying accordion at the University of Toronto with Professor Macerollo changed my life, and he opened doors for me to a multifaceted professional career in performance. Prof. Macerollo’s rigorous intellectual and artistic training transformed me from a ‘folk accordionist interested in classical music’ to a multifaceted artist experienced in baroque, contemporary, improvised, and avant-garde music of many types. In the rich U of T musical environment, I was welcomed by faculty, composers, students, and myriad ensembles who wanted to collaborate—performing over 50 premieres written by up-and-coming student composers during my degrees. My professional career as a performer was also launched during this time, and the musical toolkit from my studies continues to serve me on some of North America’s largest stages—from The Metropolitan Opera, to symphonies across this continent, to my touring groups, Bridge & Wolak and Ladom Ensemble.
– Michael Bridge
Bachelor of Music in Performance 2015 - Accordion Master of Music in Performance 2017 - Accordion Doctor of Musical Arts 2023 - Accordion Performance
The program’s core consists of individual instruction in the student’s primary performance medium (the equivalent of two full-year courses) in preparation for three recitals candidates are required to perform during their program. Required courses also include a seminar on performance-related topics (the equivalent of one full-year course) and a preliminary independent research project conducted under the supervision of a faculty advisor (a 0.5 full-year course).
Electives
Students choose the equivalent of one full-year course and a 0.5 full-year course from a range of performance-related graduate seminars.
Other Requirements
Students must complete a language requirement, major field exam, three recitals, and a thesis consisting of original research related to their performance specialization.
