Stanford- CCRMA???

[Counterpointer]

Hello,

I'm gonna be starting my MM in music theory at Temple University with TAship--- so I won't be applying to schools anytime soon, but if I choose to apply to Stanford-CCRMA, I will want to choose more relevant courses during my time at Temple.. so I decided to make a post here

 

Has anyone applied to CCRMA before? (Either MA+PhD Comp-Based theory OR terminal MA Music-Sci-Tech (MST)?)

I have always been a 20th C. scholar and composer but I just started learning about programming. Purchased MAX/MSP as well. I'll be doing MM+2-year A.S. in Computer Science (distance learning)-- so at the end I would have some basics in programming and comp. Sci. 

 

I'm mostly concerned about the computers part, does anyone know how confident I have to be in programming and technology?

 

I'm still young so I don't mind doing 2nd Masters at Stanford-- but jesus. "Financial aid is not available to terminal M.A. students" This probably means $40k/year.. 

 

Other programs I've also heard about are: Dartmouth-fully funded digital music masters, MIT Media Lab, Carnegie Mellon Comp-music Masters. Perhaps these would be great if I'm not ready to apply to Stanford PhD in 2~3 years. Again, I'm mostly concerned about the computer part. If you happen to be in computer music and have your portfolio somewhere online, I'd love to take a look at them to get some ideas. Thanks guys!

[comp12]

Never applied to CCRMA, but yes, as you predicted, it's for sure very heavy into "computers."

Keep in mind that most all "computer music" programs are heavy into research. While there may be some courses along the way in aesthetics, or creative practice, the majority of the time the focus is on technological research.

Think of it not as a "composition" program which happens to use computers as a medium. It's more about working with technology, and developing new stuff that could be potentially utilized in interesting and creative ways.

Most of my friends in computer music programs tend to spent their time either doing coding, programming, designing instruments, building interfaces, working on installations, implementing physical modeling, setting up motion tracking, etc. etc.

CCRMA is the cream of the crop as far as reputation and (probably) selectivity. It's had a reputation for several decades now as one of the innovative centers of research for computers and music technology. Same goes for the Media Lab, where there is even a more close relationship with engineers. With a school like Dartmouth with only a small MA degree, the Digitsl Musics program might be different; I believe the focus there is more on creation and composition, with everyone taking the same core classes and building that fluency. There's less of a long-term focus on research. Sorry, I don't know much about the program at CMU.

[netp]

Hey, I am an incoming grad student joining the terminal Masters (MA/MST) at CCRMA.

I don't think I need to add much to the above answer.

 

I am from an Engineering background and have not done any sort of official music courses. Having technical projects and programming projects in music probably got me the admit. So I guess a lot of stress is given to computer science research prowess at CCRMA. Though I would say that if you have good ideas and the passion for "Computer Music", irrespective of any computer science degrees you may or may not hold, you should be a strong enoughcandidate.

 

MIT media labs also sounds amazing and I was thinking of applying for PhD there but apparently there are no direct PhD programs at media labs. Only select masters students at media labs are allowed to evolve into PhD candidates.

[comp12]

As an addendum to the OP, and as clearly supported by netp's experience in a successful admission, I think that the fluency of programming in environments like Max and PureData and Supercollider is really the bare minimum. Think of it them as analogous to Finale and Sibelius fluency for a composer. That is, the end goal of such a graduate program is not to train in and be great at these software, but to use these skills toward research and innovative projects (which may or may not include compositions and performance projects).