22 Feb 2021

Harvard University

Music Composition, PhD (F21)

Other via Other on 22 Feb 2021

Note

Regarding not accepting composers this application cycle. To lift the veil and explain how/why: the music dept was given 4 spots by GSAS to accept new grad students across all the grad programs at the music department (5 departments). They also aren't told how many spots/how much funding is available until they start to review applications. It sucks but the faculty don't get any say in how many spots they can have for the entire dept. But with this shortage (only 4 spots), this means that there was a chance one, or more, of these accepted would have been composers into the composition department or, as happened, none accepted at all. Usually they are given more open spots for all the music dept but unfortunately that didn't happen this year. Partly because they are trying to support current students and students who have no funding opportunities elsewhere due to COVID (so even those who have recently graduated). It's not decided until all applicants have been reviewed for all the departments exactly how many of these spots will go to each department. All departments have to negotiate and it was particularly tough this year. This is why it's pretty fluid how many candidates get accepted each year, though usually the composition department, in previous years, usually ends up only accepting 1 or 2 grad students. It ended up that there were really strong candidates and these spots when to the CPCI (interdisciplinary music makers), music theory, and the rest but not composition. It sucks but hopefully this helps illuminate any questions.

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