The Graduate Performance Diploma (GPD) program is designed to meet the needs of highly accomplished graduate-level performers who wish to pursue a more performance-intensive goal without the academic requirements of the MM or DMA.
Admission Requirements
Students may pursue majors in orchestral instruments, guitar, historical performance instruments and voice, jazz, organ, piano, and voice. Students applying for the Graduate Performance Diploma degree program present transcripts, test scores, and recommendations before playing an audition. Before matriculating into the Graduate Performance Diploma program, accepted students must produce a Performer’s Certificate, an undergraduate degree in music from a recognized institution, or equivalent qualifications. The details of this process may be found on the Admissions website.
Prospective students may audition a maximum of two times for any given Peabody program. After two unsuccessful auditions, students will no longer be eligible for admittance into the Conservatory.
Program Requirements
Residency
For students that are new to the Peabody Conservatory, the Graduate Performance Diploma requires four semesters of full-time study. Students who matriculate for this two-year GPD program are expected to complete four semesters of major lessons, two recitals, and eight credits of electives in two years.
Students who begin the GPD after a prior degree program at Peabody (the PC, BM, or MM) are expected to complete the degree in one year and will only receive scholarship for one year. Students who begin a one-year GPD will have two semesters of lessons and, if applicable, two semesters of ensemble waived. All other requirements must be completed.
In all that follows, the two-year GPD refers to students who are new to Peabody and the one-year GPD refers to students who have just completed at prior degree.
GPD students are not permitted to enroll on a part-time basis. They must complete the program within five (5) years of entering.
Major Area
Each student taking applied music must demonstrate satisfactory progress as determined by the faculty. Study in the major field must continue through the last semester of enrollment. Any change to studio assignment must be approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (Studio Assignments).
All GPD students are required to play two recitals as part of their diploma requirements. The following majors have additional options:
- Performance majors in voice may use an opera role in lieu of one of the two recitals, but only if the role has been approved by the Voice Department as being of appropriate size and scope. An approved opera role must be registered as a GPD recital through the Concert Office.
- Performance majors in percussion will play a juried performance of orchestral repertoire as the second recital.
- For all other majors, one of the recitals may be a chamber music recital with the permission of the major applied department.
Any student who does not present a graded recital in a given year will be required to perform at a graded hearing before the department faculty at the end of the spring semester. A student who does not play a recital or hearing in each year of enrollment will not be considered to be in Good Standing (Academic Standing for Graduate Students).
Ensembles
GPD candidates majoring in orchestral instruments must participate in the large ensembles as assigned during each semester of enrollment. Historical performance students play in Historical Performance ensembles. There is no large ensemble requirement for other Graduate Performance Diploma candidates. The regulations for performing in large ensembles, which are set by the Ensemble Office, may be found in the Procedural Regulations section of the catalogue or at the Ensemble Office website.
Related Requirements
GPD students may choose electives from Music Theory, Musicology, repertoire studies, Curricular Practical Training, professional studies, or other music courses at or above the 400-level. With the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, undergraduate courses with special career relevance to the student may also be accepted. Only courses designated as "G" (Graduate Elective) in the master schedule of classes may be used to fulfill graduate elective requirements, with the exception of small ensembles which may apply to electives. Students are limited to four credits of elective coursework per semester, not including lessons, recitals, and ensembles. Students who enroll in more than four credits will be administratively withdrawn from any classes above the limit. In the areas of music theory and musicology, the student must take the appropriate placement examinations and satisfy any review requirements prior to enrolling in graduate-level courses.
Curricula
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Area | ||
| PY.100.100 | Major Lesson 1 HR (Four (4) Semesters Required) | 16 |
| PY.xxx.721 | Recital | 2 |
| PY.xxx.722 | Recital | 2 |
| Electives | ||
| xxx.xxx | Electives (Maximum of four elective credits per term) | 8 |
| Total Credits | 28 | |
Variations
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Orchestral Instruments or Jazz | ||
| 36 credits | 36 | |
| PY.910.xxx | Large Ensemble | 8 |
| Voice | ||
| 30 credits | 30 | |
| PY.186.100 & 100 | Vocal Coaching and Vocal Coaching | 2 |
| Early Music Instruments | ||
| 40 credits | 40 | |
PY.910.xxx | Large Ensemble | |
| Chamber Ensemble and Chamber Ensemble | ||
| 1-Year GPD Track | ||
| 16-32 Credits | ||
| PY.100.100 | Major Lesson 1 HR (2 semesters required) | 8 |
| PY.910.XXX | Large Ensemble 1 HR (2 semesters required) | 4 |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | |
| PY.100.100 | Major Lesson 1 HR | 4 |
| xxx.xxx | Electives | 2 |
| PY.910.xxx | Large Ensemble (Orchestral Instruments or Jazz) | 2 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| PY.100.100 | Major Lesson 1 HR | 4 |
| xxx.xxx | Electives | 2 |
| PY.xxx.721 | Recital | 2 |
| PY.910.xxx | Large Ensemble (Orchestral Instruments or Jazz) | 2 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| PY.100.100 | Major Lesson 1 HR | 4 |
| xxx.xxx | Electives | 2 |
| PY.910.xxx | Large Ensemble (Orchestral Instruments or Jazz) | 2 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| PY.100.100 | Major Lesson 1 HR | 4 |
| xxx.xxx | Electives | 2 |
| PY.xxx.722 | Recital | 2 |
| PY.910.xxx | Large Ensemble (Orchestral Instruments or Jazz) | 2 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |