2023 Summer Graduate Courses

Discover the excellence of New England Conservatory's graduate courses with the 2023 summer session. This program is designed for current NEC graduate students, as well as students from other universities looking to experience NEC and transfer credits to their respective institutions.

The six-week summer session will start on May 30, 2023, and run through the week of July 7, 2023, offering a flexible schedule to suit your availability. The courses, worth three credit hours, include:

*Exclusively available to students not currently enrolled at NEC.

Enrollment will begin on Tuesday, March 14, and will close on May 1, or when a course fills. Seats will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis, and tuition payment is required to reserve a spot.

Important Dates and Information:

  • Application Opens: March 14
  • Application Deadline: May 1, 2023, or until space permits
  • Graduate Tuition*: $3,600/course
  • Housing & Meals: $850/week (includes three meals a day)
  • Application Fee: $50

*Students requesting refunds before May 15 at 5 PM ET will receive a full refund. For requests made between May 16 and 26, 80% will be refunded, while requests made between May 27 and June 2 will be refunded at 60%. No refunds will be granted after June 2, 2023.

Apply For Summer 2023 Now!

Graduate Course Information

Please note: courses meeting on a Monday will be adjusted by the faculty member teaching the course for the Memorial Day holiday.

THYG 082S—Graduate Theory Review (Principles of Harmony & Form)* with Andrew Schartmann

May 30–June 16, 2023 | Mondays & Wednesdays, 10:00AM–12:00PM; 12:30PM–1:30PM

This course provides an overview of analytical techniques for tonal and post-tonal music in the classical tradition. Through a combination of hands-on workshops, lectures, and cutting-edge technological resources, students are invited to engage actively with the repertoire as they explore fundamental concepts of diatonic harmony, chromatic harmony, musical form, and post-tonal theory. The accelerated pace facilitates immersion in the topics at hand, providing a rich experience for inquiring minds and a convenient review for those entering graduate school.

JS 572S—Applied Modal Analysis with Benjamin Schwendener

May 30–July 7, 2023 | Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10:00AM–12:00PM

Open to students of any department – Jazz, Classical, Theory, Performance. AMA is a music theory class presenting a different yet complementary perspective to traditional western music theory. Although originating from jazz, AMA applies to all styles of music. Essentially based on organizational relationships of melody to the circle and ladder of fifths, musicians gain an understanding of creative modalities for improvisation, through analysis, ear-training and the realization of their own new works. 

JS 577S—ADVANCED JAZZ THEORY with  Benjamin Schwendener

May 30–July 7, 2023 | Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1:00PM–3:00PM

Created by George Russell, the Lydian Chromatic Concept has been taught consistently at NEC since 1969, when Gunther Schuller began the first Jazz department at a conservatory in the US. This course is open to students from any department. Although originating from jazz and in large part responsible for its Modal Period, the LCC applies to all styles of western based music. Classical composers such as Takemitsu, Stockhausen, and others have been influenced by this theoretical perspective and the enormous spectrum of modalities and creative choices it embraces. This is a lecture/performance class where all students create original works demonstrating the principles discussed.

INTG 560S—Body Mapping with Vanessa Breault Mulvey

June 3–June 13, 2023 | Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 9:30AM–12:30PM

This Immersive Body Mapping course provides practical strategies to decrease tension, prevent pain & injury, and unleash artistic expression while cultivating healthy habits. Hands-on workshops guide instrumentalists, conductors, and vocalists in an exploration of three important facets of music-making: training movement, training the senses, and training attention. Together these elements empower musicians by enhancing coordination and optimizing performance awareness. Additionally, the concepts will be enhanced with application in strength training to support playing health.

MHST 640aS — The Worlds of Stravinsky with Sean Gallagher

May 30–July 7, 2023 | Mondays & Wednesdays, 2:00PM–5:00PM

This course focuses on the unusually long and varied career of Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) which spanned multiple realms: from late imperial Russia, to the heyday of early modernism in France, to post-war United States and the age of jet-set celebrity. The conceptual scope of his music reflects this breadth of experience, and a principal aim of the course is to explore and understand these worlds—cultural, aesthetic, compositional—that Stravinsky moved through and helped to shape. The significance of Stravinsky’s engagement with music from earlier centuries will be a recurring topic, as will be the persistence of certain musical priorities despite striking changes in the surface features of his works. Other topics will include Stravinsky as performer and the impact of his extensive recorded legacy; his relation to the worlds of literature, dance, and fashion; the problematic term “neoclassicism”; and his influence on a wide range of musicians in North America.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Will financial aid or scholarships be made available for the summer courses?

Unfortunately, scholarships and financial aid are not available for summer courses.

Can international students apply?

International students in valid F-1 status (from NEC or any other school) who will remain in valid status throughout the time of their enrollment in a summer class at NEC are eligible to enroll in (a) summer class(es).  F-1 students sponsored by NEC are eligible to enroll without requiring any change in their current visa status or SEVIS record.  F-1 students sponsored by institutions other than NEC are encouraged to consult with their school’s DSO prior to enrollment to ensure their eligibility to enroll in NEC’s summer programs.  

NEC will NOT sponsor an application for a new F-1 visa or issue a new I-20 to students enrolling in summer programs. Therefore, any international students applying to our summer programs must provide proof of valid F-1 status and a current I-20 before an application to our summer programs can be considered.

Is housing available?

Yes, housing is available for students who elect to live on campus. The rate for on-campus housing is $850 per week and includes three meals a day.

Can students take more than one course?

Yes, students may take as many courses as their schedule allows. However, it's important to note that during the summer, some courses may have overlapping schedules which may result in conflicts.

Can an undergraduate student take a graduate-level course?

No, undergraduate students cannot take graduate-level courses. These courses are only open to students who have completed their undergraduate studies and meet the necessary requirements for admission into a graduate program.

Are there any prerequisites for the courses being offered?

There are prerequisites for two of the summer courses being offered. For example, Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas course requires applicants to demonstrate adequate proficiency in principles of tonal harmony and musical form, especially sonata form, in order to be eligible for enrollment. Please check the course descriptions for specific prerequisites and requirements.

Can students who do not attend NEC take summer courses?

Yes, matriculated students at institutions outside of NEC are eligible to take any of the summer courses offered. However, please note that some courses such as THYG 082 – Principles of Harmony and Form* and MTHY 093 – Fundamentals of Musicianship* are exclusively available to students from other institutions and are not open to NEC students.