Quick Links: Undergraduate | Graduate
The Hartt Admission Office is here to make the undergraduate or graduate application process as straightforward as possible. We want you to focus your energies on your audition and/or interview. We look forward to welcoming you to our tight-knit community.
As part of the comprehensive application process to the University of Hartford and The Hartt School, applications should follow the below instructions after successfully completing a general application to UHart through Common App or the UHart portal.
Please visit our Auditions and Interviews page for specific audition requirements and submission instructions.
Undergraduate Application Process
- Complete application to the University of Hartford
- Complete and upload Hartt profile documents to applicant portal
- Hartt School Essay
- Resume
- Repertoire List (MUSIC APPLICANTS ONLY)
- Headshot (DANCE/THEATRE APPLICANTS ONLY)
- Sample Compositions (COMPOSITION APPLICANTS ONLY)
Application Requirements
Describe your short and long term career plans.
Please include:
A. What life experience(s) caused you to want to pursue the arts?
B. How do you perceive that The Hartt School will prepare you for your professional career?
Performance resume for all applicants required to audition. Major related experience from all applicants.
Academic BM or BA majors (non performance): Provide a list of experience appropriate to the program in which you have applied and music experience in your classical or jazz instrument or voice on which you plan to audition. Music Education majors should include all instruments on which you are proficient.
Dance majors: Provide a list of your dance training, including summer intensives, years of training in particular styles, instructors, master classes, featured roles, dance school(s), awards, etc.
BM majors (instrumental or vocal performance, jazz): Provide a list of your musical training, including years of private instruction and names of instructors, competitions, awards, large ensemble or chamber experience, master classes, summer festivals, recitals, music classes, etc.
Theatre majors: Provide a list of recent roles in plays and musicals, voice and speech training, acting coaches, summer stock experience, master classes with industry professionals, etc.
Required for all music applicants. Not required for dance or theatre. The list should be pieces that show the breadth of experience but not a comprehensive list and should be no more than two pages.
Classical or jazz instrumentalists should prepare a list of solo and ensemble pieces that you can perform with little rehearsal on your audition instrument. A common format lists the pieces alphabetically by title and includes composers names.
Voice performance majors should prepare a list of the pieces from the standard vocal literature that you can perform from memory with little to no rehearsal. The list can be broken out into three sections: art songs, arias, and oratorios.
These letters are slightly different than the letters of recommendation submitted with your University of Hartford application.
The Hartt School asks for two letters of artistic recommendation written from teachers or professionals within the performing arts that can attest to the applicant's dedication, growth, and abilities in their chosen field.
Letters should be emailed or mailed to the Hartt Admissions Office directly from the recommender.
A candidate for admission to the University of Hartford must be a graduate of, or student who will be graduated from, an accredited secondary school, or must have passed a state secondary school equivalency examination.
Please submit 2 or 3 scores, and recordings if available, through The UHart Applicant Portal.
Theatre Applicants: Headshot
Dance Applicants: Full length photo in dance attire
The Hartt School is planning to host in-person/on-campus auditions and interviews for the 2023 admission cycle. Applicants will be contacted by Hartt Admission to schedule an audition and/or interview after they submit their application to the University of Hartford. Virtual auditions will continue to be accepted by request. More information will be provided to applicants during the application process.
Graduate Application Process
- Complete an application to the University of Hartford
- Complete an audition and interview*. All applicants will have an interview within their major’s department or with their audition panel. Applicants to all graduate music education programs will also complete a brief music skills assessment test.
- Submit supporting documents within two weeks of applying:
- Letter of Intent
- Performance/Professional Resume
- Repertoire list: Required for all auditioning applicants
- Preliminary Video and Portfolio Submission
- Three letters of recommendation
- Transcripts from all higher education institutions attended
- $90 fee ($50 application fee + $40 audition/interview fee)
For prior doctoral students who have not satisfied the requirements for the doctoral degree within the time specified for the program in the graduate bulletin but wish to continue their studies should complete the application for doctoral readmission.
Requirements for Graduate Study
The Hartt School is planning to host in-person/on-campus auditions and interviews for the 2023 admission cycle. Applicants will be contacted by Hartt Admission to schedule an audition and/or interview after they submit their application to the University of Hartford. Virtual auditions will continue to be accepted by request. More information will be provided to applicants during the application process.
Doctoral Entrance Exam
Doctor of Musical Arts and Doctor of Philosophy applicants will take the Doctoral Entrance Exam prior to decision on their application. This examination is given during the same admission cycle as the audition. This examination is comprised of two-parts and is used to evaluate a student's content knowledge as well as their readiness to write advanced academic papers and produce analyses of music. The first section is an essay focusing on Music Theory and Analysis, the second section is an essay on a selected Music History topic.- Note: All DMA applicants are allowed only two attempts at passing the academic entrance testing component. Entrance testing cannot be attempted twice during the same admissions cycle.
Placement Exams
All new, incoming graduate students will take placement exams during the week of orientation to determine the appropriate course of study and whether subject review courses are necessary.
All Master of Music Education applicants will complete the Music Aptitude Profile (MAP) test. This test measures innate rhythmic and melodic ability and potential for cognitive growth
Applicants to Hartt graduate programs must have attained the requisite training through degree study in the same or similar field. Applicants to all master's degree and Graduate Professional Diploma (GPD) programs must provide evidence of undergraduate study and degree/diploma confirmation. Applicants for all Artist Diploma (AD) and doctoral programs (DMA, PhD), must provide evidence of study and achievement at both the bachelor's and master's level. Hartt faculty and administration reserve the right to determine whether an applicant's prior training and educational background meet the necessary standards for acceptance.
Music Education Licensure and Teaching Experience
Applicants to the Master of Music Education degree program must have completed a bachelor's degree in music education at an accredited institution. Applicants to the PhD in Music Education degree program must provide evidence of educational training and accomplishment at both the bachelor's and master's levels at an accredited institution. All applicants to Hartt graduate programs in Music Education must hold a valid teaching license. A valid copy of applicant’s teaching license must be submitted. Hartt's Music Education Division strongly recommends that applicants have at least one year (for master's degree) and three years (for PhD) of teaching experience at an elementary or secondary, public or private school before beginning their program.
Preliminary Conducting Video for Orchestral/Instrumental Conducting Applicants
Instrumental/orchestral conducting applicants will submit application materials and prepare a short preliminary video (20 minute maximum), containing two or three sections of contrasting material. If possible, a segment should be included showing the applicant conducting one movement of a substantial work. The position of the camera should be facing the conductor. It is recommended that the student also submit an audio recording, of approximately the same length, demonstrating additional conducting experience . If possible, a segment should be included showing the applicant conducting one movement of a substantial work. Enclosed with the video should be a cover letter indicating the applicant's intended program and major, and a written statement expressing the reasons for interest in the chosen career and major. Once the preliminary video is reviewed, applicants may be contacted with an invitation to audition in person on an arranged date.
Preliminary Teaching Video for Music Education Applicants
Music Education applicants should submit a video of their teaching by the application deadline. The video should present 30 minutes of teaching elements, concepts, or performance techniques in a classroom setting demonstrating modeling, feedback, and other effective instructional strategies. Confirmation of your interview date will follow a positive review of the preliminary teaching video.
Preliminary Conducting Video for Choral Conducting Applicants
Applicants for the Master of Music, Master of Music Education, or Doctor of Musical Arts programs in Choral Conducting will submit application materials and prepare a short preliminary video (30 minutes total), containing 15 minutes of the applicant conducting in performance as well as 15 minutes of rehearsal conducting. The camera should be positioned to be facing the conductor during a performance and appropriately placed at the rehearsal to show clearly the conductor as well as some view of the group if possible.
It is recommended that the student also submit an additional unedited audio recording of approximately the same length as the video. The recording should demonstrate additional conducting experience in a variety of styles and/or situations. Once the preliminary video is reviewed, applicants may be contacted with an invitation to audition in person on a date to be arranged.
Prescreening Requirement for Doctor of Musical Arts and Artist Diploma Applicants
Doctor of Musical Arts and Artist Diploma applicants in performance must submit with their completed application upload a preliminary audition recording electronically, via the UHart Application Portal, on or before the application deadline. All recordings must contain music of contrasting styles and periods within a time frame of 20 to 30 minutes maximum. Confirmation of your audition date will follow a positive review of the preliminary audition recording.
Note: DMA and AD prescreen recordings must contain elements of the audition requirements, but do not need to be the same pieces performed at the live audition.
As part of the application process, all DMA, PhD, and graduate Music History and Music Theory applicants must submit a research paper on a topic in the field of music history, music theory, or music education. This requirement allows faculty to determine an applicant's scholarly ability to successfully meet master's and doctoral thesis requirements.
MASTER OF MUSIC - MUSIC THEORY
Applicants are to submit two research papers. Both papers must be on music, one of which must be an analysis paper.
Music History Research Paper Submission
The research paper must meet specific standards and guidelines, so it is important for the applicant to observe the following criteria:
- The paper must have a title page giving the name of the student, the title of the paper, and the date of completion. If the paper was written as partial fulfillment of a course requirement, give the name of the course.
- LENGTH: The paper must be generated by word processor and must be a minimum of 10 pages of double-spaced text, exclusive of musical examples and bibliography.
- FOOTNOTES: Footnotes must be included and must be in MLA (Modern Language Association) or academic format, consecutively numbered, and placed at the bottom of the page. APA (American Psychological Association) style is not acceptable for papers in music history.
- BIBLIOGRAPHY: The bibliography may cite books, editions, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and periodical literature, and may also include references to recordings, interviews, websites, etc. Papers which have been written with reference to websites only are not acceptable. If a website is among your sources, give its official name, the URL (website address), and the date consulted. Unrefereed sites such as Wikipedia are not acceptable sources of information.
- All pages must be numbered
- The paper must demonstrate evidence of original analysis, synthesis, or interpretation. A summary of the history of an instrument, for example, or a review of a composer or performer biography is not appropriate. Writings on such topics will not meet the guidelines of the submitted research paper requirement.
- A paper which analyzes musical style or makes frequent references to musical passages must include appropriate musical examples. These must be numbered and cited in complete for, e.g. “Ex. 2, Beethoven, Sonata in B-Flat, op. 106, I, mm. 35-38.” Citations to musical examples should be placed at the bottom of the page that contains the example.
Suitable writing in formal papers is termed academic style. It is objective, unbiased, specific, and supported by evidence. Speculation, when supported by fact and logic, can prove interesting as part of an historical paper and may be included. Use proper grammar, correct spelling, and punctuation. Avoid the use of coined words and colloquialisms.
The purpose of the research paper application requirement is to provide evidence of a student’s ability to conduct research and present findings in written form. The subject of the paper must be related to an established, historical topic with a substantial literature. Additionally, the paper should be written in such a way that is understandable to an audience beyond those intimately associated with the topic area. It is not the purpose of a research paper to impart to the reader one’s musical preferences or personal tastes.
A research paper may take any of several forms. It may be:
- interpretive (“What’s so Funny about Mozart’s ‘Musical Joke’?”)
- comparative (“Settings of Goethe’s ‘Kennst du das Land’ by Schubert, Schumann, and Wolf”)
- analytical (“Fugal Writing in Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem”)
- musico-technological (“The Keyed Bugle and Haydn’s Concerto”)
- socio-musicological (“Nadia Boulanger, Germaine Tailleferre, and Women in French Musical Society”)
- a musical genre (“Samuel Barber and the Orchestral ‘Essay’”)
- a musical activity (“The Brass Band in American Life from the Civil War to Sousa”)
- an individual publication (“Music in the Bay Psalm Book”)
The paper should not deal exclusively with the sociology of music, e.g. “The Politics of Popular Music in South Africa in the 1990s.”
Note: A study on a jazz-related subject will be considered if it demonstrates comparable research skills, exhibits independent synthesis of ideas, and is neither solely biographical nor derived from secondary accounts (e.g. “Duke Ellington’s Rockin’ in Rhythm – The Evolution of a Jazz Masterpiece”).
Music Theory Research Paper Submission
Students who submit a music theory analytical paper must meet specific standards and guidelines. It is important for the applicant to observe the following criteria for writing and submitting a music theory analytical paper.
- The purpose of the music academic paper application requirement at The Hartt School is to provide evidence of the student’s ability to organize and present musical findings and observations in an acceptable, comprehensible written format.
- Writing about Music: An Introductory Guide by Richard J. Wingell, 4th edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009 is suggested for reference. This widely-used guide is a concise book providing detailed information for the organization and writing of music academic papers. For the preparation and use of either footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography in a music academic paper, students are encouraged to consult and follow the information given in A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by K. Turabian, W. Booth, G. Colomb, J. Williams; 8th edition, University of Chicago Press, 2013.
- The subject of a music theory analytical paper must be related to an established analytical procedure (e.g., formal analysis, linear-reductive analysis, pitch-class set-theory analysis) and should be an analysis of music from the general classical repertoire. An analytical paper on a non- classical-related subject will be considered if it clearly demonstrates comparable analytical skills and exhibits independent synthesis of ideas. An analytical paper should be written in such a way that it is understandable to readers beyond those immediately associated with the topic area. It is not the purpose of an academic analytical paper to impart to the reader one’s idiosyncratic musical preferences, tastes, or biases.
- Suitable writing in formal papers is termed academic style. Academic style is objective, unbiased, specific, and is supported by evidence. Speculation, when supported by fact and logic, can be an interesting component within an analytical paper and may be included. The analytical paper, nevertheless, must use proper grammar, correct spelling, and punctuation. The use of coined words, colloquialisms, and artificial terminology are to be avoided.
- The analytical paper must have a title page giving the name of the student, the title of the paper, and the date of completion. If the paper was written as partial fulfillment of a course requirement, the name of the course, school, and instructor must be indicated. Papers submitted with or without the instructor's corrections are acceptable
- The paper should be of sufficient length to present the purpose, observations, and conclusions of the analysis. All pages must be appropriately numbered. All text of the paper must be generated by word processor using appropriate margins, spacing, and font.
- An analytical paper does not require footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography. However, if footnotes or endnotes are used, they must be in an acceptable academic format and must be consecutively numbered, and placed at the bottom of the page as footnotes or at the end of the paper as endnotes (see 2. above). Likewise, if a bibliography is included, it must be in an acceptable academic format and must clearly indicate books, editions, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and periodical literature, and may include references to recordings, interviews, and websites (also see 2. above).
The paper must clearly demonstrate evidence of original analysis, synthesis, or interpretation. Papers directly or indirectly exhibiting plagiarism will be rejected. The paper must make frequent references to musical passages and must include appropriate musical examples or a musical score. Musical examples must be clearly prepared, numbered, and cited.