Residential or Commuter: Full-time, 6-week option* 

A rich, immersive university experience with rigorous instruction and extracurricular opportunities to help high school musicians discover their potential for a career in music.

Required classes include:
• Private Studio Lessons
• Music Theory
• Solfège (Sight-Singing)
• Dalcroze Eurhythmics
• Performing Ensembles
• Choir
• Music History Seminar
• Convocation (Includes performances by professional groups, admissions info sessions, and Q&A with faculty and current college students)
• Major-required courses

Students perform in several concerts culminating in Concert Week, which includes festival-style performances of chamber music, opera scenes, choir, jazz ensembles, and more.

In addition, students have access to extracurricular activities and events through Pre-College Student Affairs.

*Also offered in a truncated 3-week format.

Commuter: Part-time (students residing in the Pittsburgh region only)

Supplemental instruction for students looking to expand and maintain musical study over the summer. This option is highly flexible and allows for local students with limited availability to participate in lessons and to perform in ensembles.

Classes include:
• Private Studio Lessons
• Music Theory, Solfège, or Dalcroze Eurhythmics (choose one)
• Any/All Performing Ensemble(s) (Millennium Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Choir, Jazz Choir, Brass Ensemble, etc.)

Students participating as a Commuter: Part-time student may also add on minor studios and/or elective music courses. Additional fees apply.

Please note:
• In order to be eligible as a commuter student, the parent or legal guardian must have a permanent residence within approximately 30 miles of campus or within Allegheny County. Families who relocate temporarily to the Pittsburgh area are not eligible for commuter status. There are no exceptions to this policy.
• The application fee is waived for Commuter: Part-time applicants.

Students majoring in Instrumental Performance participate in classes and music experiences designed to develop them into well-rounded musicians.

Instrumental Performance Majors receive private studio lessons each week and participate in seminars to explore concepts and techniques of performance, discussing topics relevant to their concentration.

Summer Ensembles include Chamber Music groups, the Millennium Symphony Orchestra, the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and others.

The Vocal Performance Major has a rich curriculum of performance and music support opportunities.

Voice Majors receive a one-hour private studio lesson and an additional half-hour private vocal coaching session (with a professional accompanist) each week. In these sessions, students will work on technique as well as the preparation and presentation of classical repertoire.

Voice Majors also take Acting Class and Voice Class as well as perform in the choir, in recital, and in the Opera Workshop. Students may also join the Jazz Choir.

Composition Majors receive private studio lessons each week and explore several areas of music composition through both classroom and individual instruction. Areas of exploration include theory, orchestration, and electronic music.

All Composition Majors meet in Composers’ Forum to hear lectures, participate in discussion, and present student works or works-in-progress.

Composition Majors may audition for any summer instrumental ensemble to develop collaborative playing. Ensembles include the Millennium Symphony Orchestra, the Summer Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Ensemble, and others.

Music Technology/Electronic Music Majors take private studio lessons focused on recording techniques, sound synthesis, and/or other skills related to their specific interests and goals.

All Music Technology/Electronic Music Majors meet in the Music Tech Forum to hear lectures, participate in discussion, and present student works or works-in-progress. In Recording Techniques, students learn how to work in the cutting-edge Vlahakis Recording Studio.

Music Technology/Electronic Music Majors may audition for any summer instrumental ensemble to develop collaborative playing. Ensembles include the Millennium Symphony Orchestra, the Summer Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Ensemble, and others.

Students may major in the following areas:

Through the Minor Studio options, students may take introductory or advanced lessons on any of the major instruments listed here with the addition of Songwriting, Jazz Piano, Jazz Voice, and/or Conducting.

To be eligible for the Pre-College Music program, students must:

• Be at least 16 years old by the program start date.

• Be a current sophomore or junior in high school at the time of application submission (to participate in the full-time program options).

• Have a strong interest in music.

The complete application for the full-time Pre-College Music Program consists of the following:

• Completed online application

• Unofficial transcript

• Standardized test scores (optional)

• One letter of recommendation

• Response to essay prompt

• Submission of the following audition requirements:

  • Instrumental and Vocal Performance Majors should submit recordings of two to three contrasting pieces that demonstrate their musical and technical level of achievement. (Vocalists: Please note that Pre-College Music focuses mainly on classical repertoire, rather than musical theater.)

  • Composition Majors should submit two to three manuscripts of original compositions showing their range in genre, training, and ability. If possible, include an audio recording of each of the submitted compositions. An electronically generated recording is acceptable.

  • Music Technology/Electronic Music Majors should submit a portfolio containing samples of their creative work. This may include audio recordings of performances or compositions that you engineered, video recordings of performances or compositions that you produced or edited, and/or screenshots of your software or other creative work. If this is not possible, please provide a written statement that outlines your specific interests and experience with music technology or electronic music.

An essay is required for the following prompt (300-500 words):

• What do you hope to gain from participating in Carnegie Mellon’s Pre-College Programs?

Are scholarships available?

Yes, but only to students in the Residential 6-week option.
 
I have a family member who lives in Pittsburgh. If I live with them for the summer, can I register for the Commuter Part-time option?

No. To be eligible as a Commuter student, the parent or legal guardian must have a permanent residence within approximately 30 miles of campus or within Allegheny County. There are no exceptions to this policy. Families who relocate temporarily to the Pittsburgh area are not eligible for commuter status.
 
What will I have to play for orchestra, wind ensemble, or chamber music placement auditions?

You should arrive with an example of your best playing to present to the directors of the different ensembles. We are asking for these auditions for placement purposes only. This is not a ‘get-admitted-into-the-conservatory’ audition. The attitude is casual and relaxed. There are no repertoire requirements for these auditions. Think ‘example of my best playing.’ An excerpt of a movement or an etude would be good option.
 
What is the end-of-summer conservatory auditions?

All full-time music students participate in mandatory end-of-summer conservatory auditions. The audition experience is a valuable component of the summer, allowing the individual student the opportunity to go through the paces of a conservatory audition.
 
At the end of the summer program, every student will receive written comments from their private studio, coursework, and advice for future development in the profession. Your summer Pre-College Private Studio faculty will prepare you for the audition experience. As a result of these mock auditions, exceptional students may have their Carnegie Mellon pre-screening auditions waived or be accepted into the School of Music outright. Important note: these students must still be accepted into the university.
 
Will I receive a transcript?

No. All courses are offered for enrichment only. Pre-College Music does not produce official Carnegie Mellon grades or transcripts.
 
Who are the classroom faculty?

The Pre-College Music faculty is made up of professors, conductors, instructors, and staff from its world-class conservatory program. Additional friends and alumni are brought in to complete our summer faculty. For specific faculty information, please contact us.
 
I'll be on campus this summer in a program other than Music. Can I sign up for private lessons? May I take a music elective? May I play in one of the ensembles?

Pre-College Music is happy to include students from other programs into our classes and ensembles.
 
The first concern is scheduling. Most students from other programs do not have the room in their schedule to take other courses, so you should first compare the music schedule and your own program schedule. Private lessons and chamber music are scheduled individually, so they are realistic options for most non-music majors. Placement auditions would be required for orchestra, wind ensemble, and chamber music. Elective fees will apply to all these options.

Please note: Musical Theater students typically prefer private singing lesson options within the Pre-College Drama Program since private voice lessons with Pre-College Music focus on classical repertoire.