Earn your MA in Piano
The piano area at the UI School of Music is vibrant with artist-teachers who are active as soloists, chamber musicians, recording artists, clinicians, authors, and lecturers. Dedicated to a comprehensive and versatile educational approach, the we offer intensive instruction. The graduate program is among the most substantial in the U.S. and prepares students for rewarding careers in both teaching and in performance. The piano area is known for the personal attention students receive, supporting the individual musical interests of each student within the program of study.
The University of Iowa School of Music and its brand new state-of-the-art Voxman Music Building offers excellent facilities for pianists. We offer one of the best maintained stable of over 90 Steinway grand pianos, extraordinary recital and recording spaces, world-class acoustics, and beautiful rehearsal spaces. Our teaching assistants enjoy large offices, which are only shared with one other TA.
Requirements and program planning
download performance track course requirements download pedagogy track course requirements
This information is intended to assist in your course planning but is not intended to serve as an official guide to graduation requirements. To confirm progress toward graduation, you should consult your advisor.
- Introduction to Graduate Study in Music (MUS:5300), 2 semester hours
Students exempt from MUS:5200 through the advisory examination in music theory must complete 6 semester hours from the following:
- Counterpoint Before 1600 (MUS:4200), 3 semester hours
- Counterpoint After 1600 (MUS:4201), 3 semester hours
- Jazz Theory (MUS:4730), 3 semester hours
- Tonal Analysis (MUS:5235), 3 semester hours
- Non-Tonal Analysis (MUS:5236), 3 semester hours
- Analysis of Popular Music (MUS:5237), 3 semester hours
- Special Topics in Theory and Analysis (MUS:5240), 3 semester hours
- History of Ideas in Music (MUS:6210), 3 semester hours
- Theoretical Approaches to Music (MUS:6211), 3 semester hours
- Theory Pedagogy (MUS:6215), 3 semester hours
- Advanced Tonal Theory and Analysis (MUS:6250), 3 semester hours
- Advanced Non-Tonal Theory and Analysis (MUS:6251), 3 semester hours
- Advanced Theory and Analysis of Popular Music (MUS:6252), 3 semester hours
Select from the music history courses in the following list. Only one 4000-level course (taken at the University of Iowa or equivalent transferred in from another institution) may count toward the 6 semester hours required:
- Music and Gender (MUS:4320), 3 semester hours
- Medieval and Renaissance Music (MUS:4325), 3 semester hours
- Baroque Music (MUS:4330), 3 semester hours
- 18th-Century Music (MUS:4335), 3 semester hours
- 19th-Century Music (MUS:4340), 3 semester hours
- 20th-Century Music (MUS:4345), 3 semester hours
- Advanced Jazz History (MUS:4350), 3 semester hours
- American Music (MUS:4355), 3 semester hours
- Jazz Matters (MUS:4360), 3 semester hours
- Studies in Film and Music (MUS:4610), 3 semester hours
- Teaching Music, History, and Culture (MUS:6305), 3 semester hours
- Topics in Musicology (MUS:6310), 3 semester hours
- Historical Approaches to Music (MUS:6312), 3 semester hours
- Topics in Ethnomusicology (MUS:6314), 3 semester hours
- Foundations of Ethnomusicology (MUS:6315), 3 semester hours
- Renaissance Music Notations (MUS:6326), 3 semester hours
- Music Editing (MUS:6375), 3 semester hours
- Major Piano (MUS:6021), 8 semester hours
- Note: 4 semesters required, 2 semester hours each
- Applied lessons are taken each semester until the recital requirement is completed; requests for exceptions must be approved by the piano area.
- Ensemble requirement; 4 semesters chosen from the following:
- Piano Accompaniment (MUS:3480), 1 semester hour
- Note: Required unless permitted by the piano area to advance to MUS:7401.
- Piano Chamber Music (MUS:3481), 1 semester hour
- Note: 1 to 2 semesters
- Chamber Music Residency Program (MUS:3489), 1 semester hour
- Special Studies in Piano Accompaniment and Chamber Music (MUS:7401), 1 semester hour
- Note: 2 semesters required
- Piano Accompaniment (MUS:3480), 1 semester hour
- Piano pedagogy; 2 courses required from the following:
- Methods of Teaching Piano (MUS:3400), 2 semester hours
- Special Studies–Piano Pedagogy (MUS:3990), 2 semester hours
- Piano Pedagogy I (MUS:5400), 2 semester hours
- Piano Pedagogy II (MUS:5401), 2 semester hours
- Piano literature; 2 courses required from the following:
- Piano Literature I (MUS:5410), 2 semester hours
- Piano Literature II (MUS:5411), 2 semester hours
- Special Studies Piano Literature (MUS:7400), 2 semester hours
- Major Piano (MUS:6021), 8 semester hours
- Note: 4 semesters required, 2 semester hours each
- Applied lessons are taken each semester until the recital requirement is completed; requests for exceptions must be approved by the piano area.
- Ensemble requirement; 4 semesters chosen from the following:
- Piano Accompaniment (MUS:3480), 1 semester hour
- Note: Required unless permitted by the piano area to advance to MUS:7401.
- Special Studies in Piano Accompaniment and Chamber Music (MUS:7401), 1 semester hour
- Note: 2 semesters required
- Piano Chamber Music (MUS:3481), 1 semester hour
- Note: 1 to 2 semesters
- Chamber Music Residency Program (MUS:3489), 1 semester hour
- Piano Accompaniment (MUS:3480), 1 semester hour
- Piano pedagogy; 3 courses required from the following:
- Methods of Teaching Piano (MUS:3400), 2 semester hours
- Special Studies–Piano Pedagogy (MUS:3990), 2 semester hours
- Piano Pedagogy I (MUS:5400), 2 semester hours
- Piano Pedagogy II (MUS:5401), 2 semester hours
- Piano literature; 1 course required from the following:
- Piano Literature I (MUS:5410), 2 semester hours
- Piano Literature II (MUS:5411), 2 semester hours
- Special Studies Piano Literature (MUS:7400), 2 semester hours
- MA Recital (MUS:6900), 2 semester hours
Both committees, selected by the student and approved by the applied teacher, shall consist of three members. Both committees must include the major applied teacher and at least one other faculty member from the piano area.
Performance track
The solo piano master's recital must consist of at least 50 minutes of memorized repertory.
Pedagogy track
The master's recital must be either:
- A solo piano recital consisting of at least 50 minutes of memorized repertory
- A lecture recital with at least 35 minutes of memorized solo piano repertory and at least 50 minutes in total duration.
Create your academic path
You'll find degree overviews, requirements, course lists, academic plans, and more to help you plan your education and explore your possibilities.
Current course list
The MyUI Schedule displays registered courses for a particular session and is available to enrolled students. The list view includes course instructors, time and location, and features to drop courses or change sections.
Add a minor
Any student admitted to a graduate degree program in the School of Music may add a theory pedagogy minor by completing the required courses.
Key Change Piano Revolutionaries
Annual 7-concert series performed by UI distinguished piano faculty and their students, as well as guest artists from across Iowa.
Piano Sundays
Performances by UI School of Music faculty and students in the Senate Chamber at the Old Capitol Museum. Concerts are played on the museum's 1878 Steinway concert grand piano.
Piano faculty
Alan Huckleberry
Réne Lecuona
Doreen Lee
Ksenia Nosikova
Tammie Walker
Practice and perform
Need to book a music room, request an accompanist, check out audition information, rent a locker, or use a recording studio? Visit the Music Callboard for all scheduling and policy information.