This fall, the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music launched a graduate program that reimagines the study and practice of historical music. The new master’s degree in historical performance and research blends rigorous academic scholarship with intensive professional-level performance training, offering students a path found at no other institution in North America.
The program is co-directed by Assistant Professor of Harpsichord Lillian Gordis (pictured left) and Assistant Professor of Musicology Saraswathi Shukla (right) who developed a curriculum modeled after European conservatories and universities where hybrid programs have existed for decades. Gordis, who completed such a program in Paris, says it was “a really rewarding degree” that empowered her to develop broadly-based skills in writing, archival research and performance-related scholarship. Our new program offers CU Boulder students the opportunity to gain a comparable level of knowledge and skill without traveling abroad: Emphasizing cohesion among university and conservatory coursework, co-taught classes and rigorous skill-building, the program prepares students for scholarly creative works, performance and more.
“Historically, early music has always been a blend of scholarship and performance,” says Shukla. “Over time, those two branches split apart. What we’re doing is bringing them back together in a way that equips students with the full range of skills they need to succeed in diverse disciplines.”
A rigorous curriculum
Students will take seminars in performance practice, tuning and temperament, basso continuo and archival research. They will also study privately on their instrument, perform in the College of Music’s early music ensemble and complete a master’s thesis. Public performance is a major component of the new master’s degree: Students must present a recital in both the first and second years.
“This is not a program for the faint of heart,” notes Gordis. “Students are expected to perform at a high level, write a substantial thesis and master the core skills of historical performance. It’s almost a double workload, but it prepares students for doctoral study, or a professional performing career or other related career.”
Unlike a conventional performance or musicology degree, the program demands equal commitment to both. Gordis and Shukla emphasize that the workload is intentionally rigorous but designed to be complementary: Research courses inform performance and performance deepens research.
Responding to national trends
The College of Music is introducing the degree at a pivotal moment: Across the country, early music programs are shrinking or closing, leaving fewer opportunities for students who wish to pursue specialized training.
“There’s strong demand from students for this kind of program, but fewer places where they can actually get it,” explains Shukla. “Our program fills that gap while also offering something distinctive: The chance to graduate prepared for both research and performance at the highest levels.”
Gordis adds that young musicians increasingly demand flexibility in their training. “Many students don’t want to be forced to choose between performance and scholarship right after completing their undergraduate degrees,” she shares. “Our new master’s degree keeps both doors open and allows them to build the skill set they need in a complex and changing profession.”
Ensuring broadly-based career options
This forward-thinking approach aligns with the College of Music’s mission to prepare students for careers beyond music performance, embracing an interdisciplinary model that encourages holistic student development and discovery. Specifically, the program reflects the college’s innovative universal musician approach to achieving its mission, preparing students for flexible career options.
The program’s inaugural student—Ray Pragman—establishes the beginning of a new academic community and the future of historical performance education, nationally.
A forward-looking mindset
For Gordis, the program is also about cultivating a mindset. “Historical performance is about curiosity,” she says. “It’s about asking questions, experimenting and building community. We want our students to experience the new program as a space where they can pursue their interests rigorously, but also creatively—and come out prepared for whatever direction they choose.”
Shukla also views the program as developing skills that extend beyond music. “We’re offering students the tools to ask the right questions. That kind of open-mindedness and critical thinking are valuable not just in music but in any field.”
A one-of-a-kind opportunity
By combining research and performance into a single degree, the CU Boulder College of Music is positioning itself at the forefront of historical music education in North America. The ability to attract international guest artists, invest in tenure-track faculty and foster interdisciplinary collaboration sets the program apart.
Applications for the master’s in historical performance and research are now open.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.colorado.edu ’
