McGill.CA / Music / Programs / Jazz Performance; M.Mus.

Performance Exams Options (Jazz M.Mus.)

Stream A - Jazz Performance - total of 18 credits

MUPG 651 Perf./Comp. Recital Project 9 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

OR
MUPG 651D1 Perf./Comp. Recital Project 4.5 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

MUPG 651D2 Perf./Comp. Recital Project 4.5 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

Thesis recital (Jazz repertoire, including compositions by the student) and program notes.
60-70 minutes of music.

MUPG 659 Perf in Recording Media 9 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

OR
MUPG 659D1 Perf in Recording Media 4.5 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

MUPG 659D2 Perf in Recording Media 4.5 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

Candidates must submit a professional quality audio document of their performances, with program/liner notes. The performances must be 60-70 minutes on the candidate’s primary instrument. More info: See section MUPG 659 Perf in Recording Media below.

Stream B - Jazz Composition and Arranging - total of 18 credits

MUPG 652 Jazz Ensemble Recital Project 9 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

A 60-70 minutes recital presenting a repertoire of either original compositions and arrangements or previously composed jazz literature (depending upon stream), at least half of which must be for a large ensemble. Program notes must be provided.

MUPG 659 Perf in Recording Media 9 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

or
MUPG 659D1 Perf in Recording Media 4.5 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

MUPG 659D2 Perf in Recording Media 4.5 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

Candidates must submit a professional quality audio document of their performances, with program/liner notes. The performances must be 60-70 minutes on the candidate’s primary instrument. More info: See section MUPG 659 Perf in Recording Media below.

Stream C - Jazz Orchestra – total of 18 credits

MUPG 651 Perf./Comp. Recital Project 9 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

or
MUPG 651D1 Perf./Comp. Recital Project 4.5 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

MUPG 651D2 Perf./Comp. Recital Project 4.5 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

Thesis recital (Jazz repertoire, including compositions by the student) and program notes.

60-70 minutes of music.

MUPG 652 Jazz Ensemble Recital Project 9 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

A 60-70 minute recital presenting a repertoire of either original compositions and arrangements or previously composed jazz literature (depending upon stream), at least half of which must be for a large ensemble. Program notes must be provided.

Performance Exams

Deadlines

Beginning of year: Book the hall for your recital with the Production Office, Room C208.

The following deadlines apply for all exams listed above.

Submit your Graduate Exam Application Form by (this is a different form than the one given by the Production Office):

  • October 1st for exams between November and January;
  • December 1st for exams between February and March;
  • February 15th for exams between April and October.

Submit program notes up to 3 weeks before your exam.

If you don’t have all the detailed information about your recital program, you will submit two different Graduate Exam Application Forms: One pre-summary and one final application. If you have all information about your recital you can submit a final application by the deadlines below without submitting the pre-summary application.

  • The pre-summary application form is due on dates listed above and contains the following information: date, time, hall and teacher(s).
  • One month (30 days) before the recital date, a final application form will be due. If this date falls on a weekend, the previous working day will be the deadline date. The final application must include the above information plus precise details about the pieces, length of each piece, total timing, musicians and final production information.

Guidelines

Planning the Performance Project

  • Discuss with your teacher how to use and schedule options to complete 18 credits of thesis exams required or your program, including planning for the 2nd year.

Selecting & Booking a Hall

  • Attend concerts in the halls. Visit our Facilities pages early in your program to find concert hall seating plans, technical requirements, and booking instructions.
  • Consider repertoire, instrumentation, type of audience, and any other additional requirements (i.e. overhead projection).  
  • Consult with your teacher about their availability (typically May for Master's recitals) and book your hall at the beginning of the year if possible.  To book your recital, please see the Production Office in Room C-208.

Examiners for Performance Exams

Please see the Examiner's List under the Graduate Exam Application Form section.

Working Collaboratively

  • Agreements with accompanists should be confirmed in writing and include dates and times of rehearsals, repertoire, fees, and how the fees will be paid.
  • Cultivate a professional working relationship with your accompanist:
    • Provide repertoire well ahead of rehearsals and concert times.  
    • Create an efficient rehearsal schedule, with defined goals, in advance.
    • Cancel or change rehearsal times only in exceptional circumstances.
    • Be prepared for each rehearsal.  Listen to recordings of great performances and discuss with your teacher what makes that particular collaborative relationship so artistic or powerful.

MUPG 659: Perf in Recording Media

The candidate must submit a 60-70-minute audio file in .wav format of professional quality of their performances on the primary instrument they were accepted to at McGill. This should be sent to graduatestudies.music [at] mcgill.ca. The recording must include only original compositions and arrangements. For students in the Jazz Improvisation stream, the recording must demonstrate originality and competence as jazz musician. For those in Jazz Composition, the recording must demonstrate originality and competence in composing for large and small jazz ensembles.

The accompanying program/liner notes must also include the title of each piece, length, musician’s names and where the recording took place.

Submission Deadline dates:

  • December 1 for students expecting to graduate in February (This is a conferral of degrees only, there is no convocation ceremony. Students will be invited to the Spring convocation).
  • April 1 for students expecting to graduate in the Spring.
  • August 1 for students expecting to graduate in the Fall.

If these dates are on a weekend, the following Monday will be the deadline date.

Recording your Recital

Recitals can be recorded using the one-touch recording system. Otherwise there will be a service charge according to the maximum of musicians on stage at any given time.  Please contact the Production Office (production.music [at] mcgill.ca) for prices. All recording requests must be made on the appropriate form available from the Production Office (C-208) and returned no later than 2 weeks before the event.

Grading Policy

The final mark for all performance exams will be an average of the three grades submitted by the three examiners. 

Read the PDF icon Performance Examination Policy (PDF) for more information.

Keys to Success"An engaging program is all about balance: successfully mixing styles, tempos, feels, metres etc, … risk and reward;… and preparing so something beautiful, new and unexpected may (hopefully) take place."

-Paul Rushka, D.Mus. (bass)

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