Prerequisites

Application Supporting Documents

Auditions

Audition Fee (in addition to application fee)

Accompanists

Recordings

This program is offered on a full-time basis only and begins in September. We have ONE admissions cycle per year.

Prerequisites

An appropriate master's degree with high academic standing from a recognized university is required.

Applicants are required to pass an audition. 

They are also required to submit, as part of their application, an essay of approximately 3,000 words which demonstrates their ability to handle a research problem. 

Applicants, whether from the University of Toronto or from elsewhere, may be interviewed by the Department.

Application Supporting Documents

We must receive all the following documents at this address by the supporting documents deadline.

Graduate Department of Music
University of Toronto
80 Queen’s Park
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2C5

1. ONE (1) official paper transcript of your academic record from every post-secondary institution attended. Include a description of grading systems used, and full course titles. Note: The transcripts you receive in sealed envelopes are confidential and must not be opened.
2. Applicants from universities other than the University of Toronto should provide course descriptions for specialized music courses where content is not clear from the course titles on the transcript.
3. At least TWO letters of reference (one from an instructor in your major area and one from an instructor familiar with your academic work).  Please contact your referees in advance to obtain an e-mail address (preferably a university e-mail address). Be sure to inform your referees that you are doing this and that the University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies will be contacting them by email.  Referees have the option of sending hard copies instead.
4. Typed audition program, titled with your name and instrument, or voice type. 
5. One pre-screening DVD. Auditions for the DMA in Performance will be by invitation. Please consult your specific program’s audition requirements for details regarding this DVD. Invitations for live auditions will be issued in January.
6. Audition fee of $75.00 Canadian.  Please make certified cheques or money orders payable in Canadian or US funds to the University of Toronto and mailed to the Graduate Department of Music, University of Toronto.  Note that credit cards and personal cheques are not accepted.
7. Conducting applicants:  DVD of themselves conducting an ensemble in concert or rehearsal.
8. Collaborative Piano:  a repertoire list containing all vocal and instrumental works studied and performed, an outline of experience with foreign languages.
9. Jazz applicants:  substantial repertoire list (25-30 pieces); lead sheets for any original pieces.  Click here for a sample repertoire list.
10. Voice applicants:  Pre-audition DVD (see Auditions).  
11. Name of applied teacher you wish to study with.
12. An extended essay (ca. 3000 words) demonstrating an ability to handle research problems.
13. Proof of English proficiency for applicants from Universities where English is not the language of instruction and examination. Please note that an offer of admission cannot be made unless the minimum score is achieved.

Online Application

Auditions

Auditions for the DMA in Performance will be by invitation. A pre-screening DVD must be submitted with your supporting documents. Please consult your specific program’s audition requirements for details of this DVD. Invitations for live auditions will be issued in January. The repertoire for the 30-minute pre-screening DVD is the choice of the candidate. Candidates are advised to create a DVD which adheres to the live audition requirements wherever possible.

A live audition and interview is required.  Please refer to the audition schedule below for dates.  Individual auditions will be scheduled only after the audition fee has been received.  Scores of all compositions on the audition program must be provided for the jurors. 

A warm-up room will be available 30 minutes prior to the audition.  For voice applicants, a warm-up room will be available 15 minutes prior to the audition.

Pre-screening DVD Requirements

$75.00 Cdn Audition Fee

You must send a certified cheque or money order  for $75 Cdn payable to the University of Toronto to the Graduate Department of Music. Personal cheques are not accepted.

Accompanists

An accompanist is required for voice, strings, brass, woodwind performers, piano (chamber music).  A list of accompanists is available on request from the Graduate Department of Music.  The candidate is responsible for contacting and paying his or her accompanist(s). 

For the jazz audition, accompaniment is the responsibility of the candidate. It is expected that a trio or quartet format will be sufficient (piano or guitar, bass, drums). The use of recorded accompaniment is strongly discouraged in graduate auditions.

Audition Dates