The Boston Conservatory Announces the Conservatory College

BOSTON, May 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Conservatory is announcing the establishment of its Conservatory College, a new academic division offering degree programs complementary to its core performance disciplines of music, dance and musical theater. The Conservatory College addresses new but related areas of student interest, including contemporary theater, multidisciplinary stage management and music education programs that focus on the special skills needed in teaching music to individuals on the autism spectrum. Some programs are designed to achieve degrees or certificates in less than the traditional time, some are low residency and all take advantage of the Conservatory's unique teaching and learning environment.

"The Boston Conservatory continues to shape the next generation of leaders in the performing arts. But we recognize that the landscape is changing, and we're adding programs that reflect an expanded range of career skill-building in a variety of imaginative ways," said Richard Ortner, president of The Boston Conservatory. "We're the oldest Conservatory of our kind in the U.S., but we also intend to be at the forefront of re-imagining traditional models."

Beginning in September 2015, with offerings in contemporary theater, multidisciplinary stage management, music education and a unique dance training partnership with the Walnut Hill School in Natick, the Conservatory College will add new programs as the new division evolves. "As we considered options for the Conservatory College, we created a set of offerings that would expand the diversity of the Conservatory performing arts community, programs that would broaden and enhance the experience for all students," said Patricia Hoy, D.M.A., vice president for academic affairs. "The new academic programs, and any that will be created later, will add depth and breadth to our internationally-recognized curricular focus on the performing arts."

The new academic programs within Conservatory College include:

B.F.A. in Contemporary Theater
This program is designed to prepare students to work in a wide variety of theater environments, including contemporary theater companies, new media environments, professional or community theaters and new performance experiences or companies. In addition to core areas of study in acting, voice, speech, theatrical movement, theater history and performance theory, students will be exposed to a wide variety of artistic media and fields, such as the use of visual art and photography in connection with performance; film and its interaction with virtual and live performers or performance elements; dramaturgy for video games; directing for video games; and scenography.

B.F.A. in Theater—Multidisciplinary Stage Management
This program places students at the heart of the Conservatory's performance environment, providing them with the knowledge and experience of all aspects of performance infrastructure. By studying and working on productions in multiple disciplines—musical theater, spoken theater, opera, dance and contemporary theater, as well as new works and established masterworks for orchestra, wind ensemble, chamber music and solo recitals—students are given a unique range of experience that diversifies their professional options working behind the scenes.

B.F.A. in Dance—Walnut Hill Partnership Program
This one-of-a-kind partnership between The Boston Conservatory and Walnut Hill School for the Arts enables students who are completing the senior year of high school at Walnut Hill concurrently to meet the academic and performance requirements of the Conservatory's freshman year. In this way, selected Walnut Hill students are offered the opportunity to earn a B.F.A. in Dance in just three years at the Conservatory.

M.A. in Multidisciplinary Studies—Critical Arts Writing
This advanced degree takes advantage of the Conservatory's unique range of music, dance and theater performances in any given year, providing the ideal environment of study for students interested in pursuing work across traditional boundaries and disciplines. With an emphasis on the relationship between contemporary performance practice and aesthetic and critical theory, the M.A. allows students to engage performance as an area of academic inquiry. The initial offering in the program (fall 2016) will be Critical Arts Writing, enabling students to engage work as journalists, columnists, critics, novelists, editors and documentary film script writers. Current Conservatory students can earn the degree with a fifth year option, following completion of undergraduate work; non-Conservatory students may complete the Master's degree in one academic year, plus a summer program.

M.M. in Music Education—Autism Concentration
The Master of Music in Music Education with a concentration in teaching music to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prepares music teachers to provide positive-quality experiences for all students, including those on the spectrum who are now frequently mainstreamed into music classes and ensembles with neurotypical students. Students may choose this option upon entering the Music Education program, or during their studies. Students may be those who seek the Master's degree with licensure, or those who already have licensure and who wish to gain Master's degree.

Graduate Certificate in Music and Autism
This first-of-its kind Graduate Certificate in Music and Autism prepares educators for teaching music to all students, including individuals on the autism spectrum and people with other special needs. Upon graduating, students will have the background and fieldwork needed to effectively assist children identified with ASD.

About The Boston Conservatory
Founded in 1867, The Boston Conservatory is an independent private college with fully accredited graduate and undergraduate programs in music, dance and theater, training exceptional young performing artists for careers that enrich and transform the human experience. Known for its multi-disciplinary environment and deep community engagement, The Boston Conservatory is internationally recognized as an innovative leader among conservatory programs, focused on elevating and celebrating every aspect of the performing arts, presenting more than 200 performances each year. The institution has established itself as an important voice in the movement to make all forms of performing arts a more visible and valued dimension of communities here and abroad. For more information, visit www.bostonconservatory.edu.

SOURCE The Boston Conservatory