Portfolio Overview and Outcomes
The DMA Doctoral Dissertation Portfolio is a culmination of research-informed creative activity spanning a series of credits that include required recitals and accompanying scholarly artifacts. The final portfolio should reflect original specialized research and performance, demonstrating an elevated level of scholarship and musicianship.
The portfolio demonstrates the DMA student’s accomplishments related to the following program outcomes:
- develop professional-level composition, conducting, or performance ability,
- use critical thinking skills to inform interpretive decisions in composition, conducting, and/or performance,
- identify and evaluate disparate views specific to the student's chosen area of expertise,
- demonstrate the ability to write within the context future professional assignments,
- demonstrate the ability to state an informed position/argument on discipline-related topics or interdisciplinary topics and support their argument with scholarship,
- develop the ability to communicate effectively within a larger community of scholar-musicians with the goal of advancing new ideas within the student’s chosen area of expertise.
The process of repertoire selection and preparation must begin well in advance of the timelines outlined in this section. Students should use the first year in their programs of study to plan repertoire and related paper and lecture topics so they are ready to devote their full efforts to research and performance during the semesters of recital enrollment. Further, students should keep in mind that the components of the portfolio replace a final culminating document traditionally found in doctoral program models. The portfolio model outlined in this section, encourages more authentic engagement with the type of creative work expected of accomplished music professionals. Moreover, it requires that effort traditionally concentrated at the end of a doctoral program will be distributed throughout the program of study.
Choosing Repertoire
Recital literature is selected and prepared with the guidance of the major professor. In most cases, the major professor also serves as the Chair of the student’s Supervisory Committee, providing guidance for the research efforts of the doctoral student/candidate. The Chair should have the necessary command of the discipline of scholarship to guide both the recital performance and related research to successful completion. The Chair provides appropriate supervision of the entire project to ensure thorough preparation of the repertoire and extensive engagement in research leading to the successful completion of the recital and associated documents.
Approval of repertoire in advance of recitals is the prerogative of the Supervisory Committee, and as such, the specific process will vary from area to area. Stipulations regarding the process for receiving advanced approval of recital repertoire should be communicated to the student at the time the Program of Studies is submitted for approval.
Choosing and Developing Paper/Lecture Topics
In the first semester of study, all DMA students will take MUSC 881, Strategies for Advanced Research in Music, designed to help students engage in scholarship that supports informed composition, conducting, and performance. The final DMA portfolio is normally more limited in scope than a PhD dissertation but demonstrates high standards of creative activity and scholarship and contributes to existing knowledge through a series of compositions (composition specializations) or research-informed performances (conducting and performance specializations), both of which are accompanied by written documents.
The research-informed paper aspect of the doctoral dissertation portfolio aims to help the student develop critical research and writing skills while fostering the ability to communicate effectively within the larger community of scholar-musicians. Papers typically concern music from the student's recital and involve analysis of the music and an in-depth exploration of the primary source materials relating to it.
Alternatively, students may desire to explore topics related to music creation, performance, scholarship, teaching, learning, and other areas of interest to the music professional such as composition, cultural inclusion, ethnomusicology, music theory, musicology, community engagement and outreach, and pedagogy. Should one of these topics be chosen, care should still be taken to make a meaningful and purposeful connection to the repertoire performed or composed for the recital.
As a result of the guidance provided by the student’s Supervisory Committee Chair, three separate proposals are prepared by the student and approved by the Supervisory Committee—one for each recital included in the student’s Doctoral Dissertation Portfolio.
Supervisory Committee Approval, Evaluation, & Timelines
Students are expected to complete all required elements—performance, program notes, and paper/presentation—by the end of the semester during which they are enrolled in the designated recital course for credit. As outlined above, repertoire and topics are selected and refined with the guidance of the major professor and shared with the Supervisory Committee for their input. The Supervisory Committee then provides feedback for both the recital performance and the project in its entirety. Students and committee chairs must keep in mind that this requires adequate time for review of the scholarly writing components of the recital project.
Within 24 hours of the recital, Supervisory Committee Chairs will email the rest of the committee to solicit performance grades and comments for the recital. The full project will only be graded when all components are complete, however, committee chairs should share performance feedback with students no less than two weeks after the recital. Grades are given for both the performance and the writing components. Final grades are calculated per the instructions on the second page of the evaluation form. Committee comments for both the performance and the writing components must be submitted with the Doctoral Dissertation Recital and Lecture Recital Evaluation Form.
Recitals are scheduled throughout the semester. Because of this variation of scheduling, a recital may be presented early in the semester, but the accompanying paper may not be completed until later in the semester. Since performance feedback is most meaningful to students close to the performance, recital comments should be shared informally with students prior to the completion of the full evaluation of all components.
Two separate but integrated timelines must be considered for each recital:
- Proposal and program notes submission
- Evaluation of the entire project
Proposal & Program Notes Submission Timeline
In the first three weeks of the semester (or at least eight weeks before the recital)
The appropriate proposal form (forms linked below) is submitted to the Supervisory Committee Chair.
Three weeks prior to the recital
Complete program notes are submitted to the Supervisory Committee Chair
Two weeks prior to recital
The proposal form and program notes, reviewed and approved by the major professor, are submitted to the Supervisory Committee. Supervisory Committee Members serving as Readers should email the Supervisory Committee Chair as soon as possible with any concerns about the abstract or program notes. At this same time, students will also be prompted to submit these documents for inclusion in their student file.
If this timeline is not met, the recital is subject to cancellation.
Proposal Forms
Doctoral Dissertation Recital and Doctoral Lecture Recital Proposals include details about collaborating performers, a complete list of planned repertoire, and a 250-word abstract of the proposed research-informed paper or presentation.
Papers and presentations that accompany recital performances will be modeled after a real-world submission to a professional organization. As such, submission of these proposals and abstracts will follow the same protocol. From a recent College Music Society Call for Presentations, “The purpose of the abstract is to convey to the reader what will be said in the presentation [or paper]. Do not merely describe the subject or list the topics to be covered. Rather, state the main point of the presentation, outline the subsidiary points, and summarize the evidence offered, so that someone who has not heard the presentation can know in brief what it will say and can evaluate its contribution to our knowledge and understanding of music. The abstract, like the presentation itself, should be clear to an audience of musicians and music educators of all kinds, not just to those with a narrow specialty. While it may be necessary to set the context or lay out the problem to be addressed, this should be kept to a minimum.” (www.music.org)
Students must share recital proposal forms and program notes with all members of the student’s Supervisory Committee prior to the recital. Supervisory Committee Members are not required to sign this form, but they should make every effort to review the document as soon as possible so that any concerns may be discussed within the committee and shared with the student prior to the recital performance.
Failure to submit recital proposal forms to all Supervisory Committee Members will result in cancellation of the recital.
DMA Dissertation Recital Proposal.docx
DMA Lecture Recital Proposal.docx
Project Submission and Evaluation Timeline
As previously stated, students are expected to complete all required elements of each recital project by the end of the semester during which they are enrolled in the designated recital course for credit. The timeline listed here represents the latest dates possible in any given semester. Earlier timelines are highly encouraged.
Supervisory Committee Chairs may have specific timeline requirements for submission of lecture notes and media files if the recital being given is the Doctoral Lecture Recital. This timeline may be built on the date the recital is given rather than on the Final Exam Week as noted below.
Five weeks prior to the first day of Final Exam Week
Full paper/lecture notes and media files due to the Supervisory Committee Chair.
Three weeks prior to the first day of Final Exam Week
Full paper/lecture notes and media files, reviewed and approved by the major professor, are submitted to the Supervisory Committee for evaluation. Full paper/lecture notes and media files are shared with the full committee but only the Chair and the Readers are responsible for providing a grade and comments.
One week prior to the first day of Final Exam Week
The Supervisory Committee provides feedback for the recital and accompanying documents to the student through the DMA Dissertation and Lecture Recital Evaluation Form.
Students are expected to incorporate committee suggestions into the final versions of the documents submitted for each recital. Edited and refined documents are included in the final portfolio.
If these timelines are not met, a grade of Incomplete may be assigned for the course and a plan for completion must be submitted to the GKSOM Graduate Program Coordinator who will place the plan in the student’s file. If the recital performance is moved to a subsequent semester, the student must enroll for applied lessons during that semester. Students should make every attempt to complete all components of the recital within the semester of enrollment.
Doctoral Portfolio Content
Music professionals and performance faculty in higher education contribute to the national and international discussions of their various disciplines. These contributions consist of peer-reviewed performances, presentations, and publications. The doctoral dissertation portfolio approach in the DMA promotes research-informed creative activity throughout the doctoral student’s course of study. Scholarly engagement is infused throughout the program in the form of program notes and academic writing, tailored to professional organizations and professional journals within the student’s respective field, is integrated into each performance, conducting demonstration, or composition. While research artifacts need not be submitted for external publication, the three doctoral dissertation recitals provide mentored opportunities to experience the process of preparing professional recitals and peer-reviewed publications.
The student is provided with initial guidance on research processes and bibliographic methods through the MUSC 881 Strategies for Advanced Research in Music. However, it is the Chair's responsibility to ensure that any work presented to the rest of the Supervisory Committee is comprehensive, well-organized, logically structured, and adheres to high standards. Students, therefore, must submit well-organized written documents with attention to consistent formatting, impeccable grammar and spelling, adherence to a suitable style, and thorough incorporation of citations.
As outlined in the Course Requirements section of the handbook, portfolio content is created as a part of the program requirements listed here:
Taken before the student is admitted to Candidacy
MUSR 999A Doctoral Dissertation Recital I (2 crs) and
MUSR 999B Doctoral Dissertation Recital II (2 crs)
Taken after the student is admitted to Candidacy & in the same semester
MUSR 999E Doctoral Lecture Recital (2 crs)
MUSC 999P Doctoral Dissertation Portfolio (1 cr)
*The Final Oral Exam (also called the defense) takes place during the semester in which the portfolio course is taken.
The following components comprise the complete content of the final doctoral dissertation portfolio:
Doctoral Dissertation Recitals and Artifacts
MUSR 999A Doctoral Dissertation Recital I, and MUSR 999B Doctoral Dissertation Recital II
Research-Informed Performances
Composition
All DMA doctoral students in composition must perform two full-length recitals of at least 30 minutes duration (composition length) and a lecture recital of at least 50 minutes duration (actual presentation/composition length).
Conducting
All DMA doctoral students in conducting must perform two full-length recitals of at least 50 minutes and no more than 60 minutes duration (actual performing time). Conducting students will also complete a modified lecture recital wherein a pre-or post-concert lecture will be given. Lecture components may also be integrated into the performance, but students must go beyond brief comments typically delivered in a concert, to the integrated delivery of prepared lecture material within the context of the performance.
Performance & Jazz Studies Performance
All DMA doctoral students in performance and jazz studies performance must perform two full-length recitals of at least 50 minutes and no more than 60 minutes duration (actual performing time) and a lecture recital of at least 60 minutes duration (actual presentation/performing time).
Recital Artifacts-Option I
Program Notes
Students will write program notes for all degree recitals. Program notes are due to the Chair of the Supervisory Committee at least three weeks prior to each performance. After consultation with the chair, program notes will be provided to the committee for review at least two weeks prior to the performance. Program materials are due as per the timelines shared in the GKSOM Recital Procedures document, shared with students via email after a recital date and time has been secure.
Program notes serve the purpose of providing a diverse audience with background information, contextual insights, and analytical commentary on the works being presented. Effective program notes enhance the audience's understanding and appreciation of the performance while contributing to deeper engagement with the artistic content.
Consider the following when researching and presenting your content:
Contextual Information:
Offer contextual information about the works to be performed. This may include historical background, cultural significance, or biographical details about the composer(s). Be sure to consider unique features that connect the work being performed with other work by the composer and by the composer’s contemporaries.
Structural and Analytical Insights:
Delve into the structural aspects of the works being performed, providing insights into formal elements, musical structures, or thematic developments.
Critical Analysis:
Go beyond mere description and engage in critical analysis. Explore the artistic choices made by the creators, discussing the significance of certain motifs, stylistic elements, or innovative compositional techniques employed.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
Draw connections between the presented works and broader cultural, historical, or philosophical contexts with the goal of deepening the audience's understanding and appreciation by linking the artistic expression inherent in the music to larger societal or themes.
Relevance to Contemporary Issues:
Consider the relevance of the work to contemporary issues or debates, bridging the historical context of the works with the present and fostering meaningful connections for the audience.
Conciseness and Clarity:
Write in a manner that is clear, concise, and well-organized. Work to convey complex information in a manner that is accessible to a diverse audience, including those with varying levels of expertise in the subject matter.
Citations and References:
Be sure to adhere to scholarly standards, incorporating proper citations and references to acknowledge sources of information and research, contributing to the credibility and academic integrity of the notes.
Research-Informed Paper
Doctoral students (DMA) will write a 4,000- to 6,000-word research-informed paper on recital literature or another topic chosen in consultation with the Supervisory Committee.
The research-informed paper aspect of the doctoral portfolio aims to help students develop critical research and writing skills while fostering the ability to communicate effectively within the larger community of scholar-musicians. Papers typically concern music from the student's recital and involve analysis of the music and an in-depth exploration of the primary source materials relating to it.
Occasionally, students may desire to explore topics related to music creation, performance, scholarship, teaching, learning, and other areas of interest to the music professional such as composition, cultural inclusion, ethnomusicology, music theory, musicology, community engagement and outreach, and pedagogy. Should one of these topics be chosen, care should still be taken to make a meaningful and purposeful connection to the repertoire performed or composed for the recital.
Research-informed papers should conform to a Call for Proposals for the College Music Society or other professional organization chosen in consultation with the Chair of the Supervisory Committee. Papers typically concern music from the student's recital and involve analysis of the music and an in-depth exploration of the primary source materials relating to it.
A successful paper is characterized by a clearly defined and focused topic, presenting an original and substantiated argument related to that topic.
Consider the following when researching and presenting your content:
Identify and Evaluate Disparate Views:
Identify, analyze, and evaluate diverse perspectives and viewpoints specific to your chosen area of expertise within the realm of music performance. Aim to understand the various opinions and stances that scholars, musicians, and experts hold on this topic or regarding your repertoire.
Demonstrate Future Professional Writing Skills:
Adhere to academic writing standards, proper citation techniques, presenting your ideas in a clear and concise manner.
Formulate an Informed Position/Argument:
State a well-informed position/argument on a discipline-related topic or interdisciplinary topics. You should choose a topic that resonates with your area of expertise and interests within your specialized field. Your position/argument should be supported by rigorous scholarly research and evidence.
Advance New Ideas:
Contribute to the broader community of scholar-musicians. Think critically, challenge existing paradigms, and propose innovative ideas or solutions within your chosen area of expertise. The paper should advance the discourse and knowledge in your specialized field.
Length:
The written project should encompass 4,000-6,000 words, excluding references and citations.
Research:
Conduct extensive research using scholarly sources, including books, peer-reviewed journals, and reputable online databases. Your sources should reflect a balanced representation of differing perspectives on your chosen topic.
Citation Style:
Use a recognized academic citation style (Turabian) to properly cite all sources and references (including both quotes and paraphrased text) throughout your paper.
Peer Review:
Students will present their work for peer review within the Doctoral Colloquium, promoting collaboration and constructive feedback within the DMA community.
Presentation:
Present your findings and insights to your peers and faculty, fostering effective communication within the scholarly community. This will take place in Doctoral Colloquium (in the form of 10 – 15 minute micro presentations) as well as during the scheduled recital.
Archived Recording of the Recital
All recitals are recorded, and archival recordings of recitals are stored on the following website. https://collections.unl.edu/GKSoMPerformances.html Please include the link to the recording within your Doctoral Dissertation Portfolio.
Doctoral Dissertation Recital Artifacts
Option II may be used for only one of the Doctoral Research Recitals
Recital Artifacts-Option II
Program Notes
see Option I description
Edited Studio-Produced Recording
description forthcoming
Archived Recording of the Recital
see Option I description
Digital Liner Notes
Students will also create digital liner notes, presenting condensed content from their prepared Program Notes, the final form of which is modeled after notes published with professional recordings. Students are required to include cover art for their final product.
MUSR 999E Lecture Recital
Lecture Recital Artifacts
Program Notes
see description for Doctoral Research Recitals
Digital Video Recording – Lecture Recital
All recitals are audio recorded, and archival recordings of recitals are stored on the following website. https://collections.unl.edu/GKSoMPerformances.html Please include the link to the recording within your Doctoral Portfolio.
Students will also create a video recording of the lecture recital, capturing both audio and visual elements of the presentation/performance. A stable link to the video must be included in the Doctoral Dissertation Portfolio.
Students must use a good quality camera. Be sure to place the camera at a good angle to capture the entire performance area. After the lecture recital, be sure to edit the video, trim any unnecessary sections, and add captions or annotations if needed. Consider adding introductory and closing slides.
Lecture Notes and Media Support Documents
The lecture recital represents a significant milestone in the Doctor of Musical Arts degree program, as it requires the student to apply their skills and knowledge in delivering a presentation that exemplifies an optimal integration of performance and scholarly expertise.
Lecture recital documentation should conform to the Calls for Lecture Recitals for the College Music Society or another professional organization chosen in consultation with the Chair of the Supervisory Committee.
The lecture recital topic can encompass areas such as performance and analysis, performance practice, pedagogy, editions, new music, or other fields aligned with the student's interests. The verbal presentation by the student is intended to serve as a model for future professional presentations. It must contribute to existing knowledge and may concern the historical background, the musical structure, pedagogical issues, and other matters relevant to the performance or composition(s).
The student should tailor the lecture recital for an audience consisting of peers and colleagues. It should meet the standards suitable for presentation during a college or university job interview or at a gathering of a national professional organization, such as the College Music Society or the Music Teachers National Association.
Additional Portfolio Components
In addition to the artifacts from the Doctoral Dissertation Recitals and the Doctoral Lecture Recital, students will include the following portfolio components:
- A one-page abstract that summarizes and contextualizes portfolio content.
- CV and Teaching Philosophy Statement (this includes either a separate or integrated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement),
- A short essay (2 pages maximum) describing long-term professional goals including the student’s anticipated research/creative activity trajectory,
- Teaching: A video-recorded teaching demonstration* (45-60 mins.) appropriate to the area of specialization (master class, ensemble rehearsal, etc.) and one-page self-evaluation of the teaching experience.
*Students will practice recording a teaching video and completing a self-evaluation of teaching while completing the requirements for MUED 982. The teaching video and self-evaluation included in the Doctoral Dissertation Portfolio will be an extended version of the same exercise, but the video-recorded example used for the portfolio should be from a teaching episode recorded in the final year of study.