The Department of Music at the University of California, Irvine invites applications to a new Master of Fine Arts program in Integrated Composition, Improvisation, and Technology (ICIT). The program is taught by a core faculty whose work embraces diverse forms of music making, challenging conventional distinctions between classical composition, computer music, improvisation, and jazz. Students will receive close personal attention from faculty, and are encouraged to work on interdisciplinary projects. We seek students with a strong foundation who wish to develop new creative work integrating a wide range of contemporary music and ideas.
ICIT merges two previous UCI programs: 1) Composition and Technology and 2) Jazz Studies. This is an innovative program seeking to break down traditional limitations of academic programs, focusing on contemporary modes of creative music making and the critical discourses surrounding them.
In addition to four core ICIT faculty, the Music Department includes many other performers, musicologists, theorists and historians, making for a rich environment in which to develop critical skills that are essential for the 21st-century musician. The Claire Trevor School of the Arts is home to excellent graduate programs in Dance, Drama, and Studio Art, as well as an interdisciplinary Master’s program in Arts Computation Engineering (ACE). UC Irvine is a quickly growing campus within one of the nation’s leading research university systems. Located near the coast in Orange County, Irvine is an hour south of Los Angeles, a major art world center with vibrant contemporary music scenes.
The MFA program is generally completed in two years. Many students receive tuition waivers and stipends in return for working as teaching assistants. Applicants should possess an undergraduate degree in music or an equivalent level of training, and should demonstrate potential for creative and innovative work.
If you have questions or are interested in applying, please review the pages linked above, and then contact one of our core faculty with any further questions. We welcome your inquiries and proposals.