Info: Rachel Roberts, (585) 275-1730, rroberts@esm.rochester.edu
Media only, Simon: Yael Schneiderman, (585) 276-4884), Yael.Schneiderman@simon.rochester.edu
The Eastman School of Music and Simon Business School, both of the University of Rochester, are offering students the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Music Leadership in combination with a Master of Business Administration for Professionals degree. Drawing upon the resources of Eastman and Simon, this combined degree opportunity is the first to pair a conservatory level music administration degree with an MBA.
This opportunity has been created to recognize and support the selected number of students who seek to further music leadership skills and acquire the skills and knowledge that an MBA offers. Eastman’s alumni lead, both on and off the stage, many of the country’s most prestigious traditional and non-traditional music arts organizations. Increasingly, musicians are expected to demonstrate artistic and managerial skills to succeed in these leadership roles. The opportunity to combine the Master of Arts in Music Leadership and Masters of Business Administration courses of study provides a one-of-a-kind experience for comprehensive preparation in music leadership and business.
“Creating the pathway to combine the Master of Arts in Music Leadership and Master of Business Administration degrees provides a unique avenue for students who want to pursue the development of both music leadership and MBA skillsets,” says Rachel Roberts, Associate Professor in Music Leadership and Graduate Degree Program Director at the Eastman’s Institute for Music Leadership. “The combination of these two rigorous degrees provides a distinctive educational experience that furthers our capacities to equip future music leaders.”
Students will be accepted into the combined degree program through each school’s separate admissions process and will complete the full Eastman Music Leadership curriculum as part of Eastman’s Institute for Music Leadership, and Simon’s MBA mandatory core. Students will spend the first summer and full academic year at Eastman, then transition to Simon for a second summer and full academic year, and conclude both programs with the Music Leadership capstone internship or mentorship during the third summer.
“At Simon, we’re proud of our ability to turn poets (a business school nickname for arts and humanities graduates) into quants,” said Andrew Ainslie, dean of the Simon Business School. “While it’s true that we are unabashedly analytical across all of our disciplines, we are certain that with this combined degree program, musicians will enhance their creative and musical abilities while also developing business skills that differentiate them from their peers in a competitive industry.”
“The opportunity for accomplished musicians to obtain a Master’s degree in Music Leadership through the Eastman School of Music, combined with a Master of Business Administration degree through the Simon Business School, will prepare graduates with the knowledge and skills to be impactful music leaders in a constantly evolving music profession,” says Jamal J. Rossi, Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School of Music. “We are very excited about this collaborative relationship between two of the University of Rochester’s distinguished schools.”
Applicants wishing to pursue the combined Music Leadership and MBA degrees must apply through both Eastman’s Master of Arts in Music Leadership application process and the Simon Business School’s application processes. More information about these application processes can be found at:
Eastman School of Music: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/admissions/grad/
Simon Business School: https://www.simon.rochester.edu/programs/full-time-mba
MA in Music Leadership program: https://iml.esm.rochester.edu/master-of-arts-in-music-leadership/
The deadline for all ESM Music Leadership applicants is December 1. It is recommended that combined degree applicants apply to the Simon Business School no later than the January MBA application deadline.
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About Eastman School of Music:
The University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music was founded in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman (1854-1932), founder of Eastman Kodak Company. More than 900 students are enrolled in the Collegiate Division of the Eastman School of Music, coming from almost every state, and approximately 23 percent from other countries. They are taught by a faculty comprised of more than 130 highly regarded performers, composers, conductors, scholars, and educators. They are Pulitzer Prize winners, Grammy winners, Guggenheim Fellows, ASCAP Award recipients, published authors, recording artists, and acclaimed musicians who have performed in the world’s greatest concert halls.
About the Simon Business School:
The Simon Business School is a world-class business school located on the campus of the University of Rochester. Rooted in quantitative analysis, Simon offers a distinct advantage in today’s data-driven economy. Simon offers full-time and part-time MBA programs, as well as MS programs.