Come to LSU and help invent the future of Experimental Music and Digital Media!
The PhD curriculum in Experimental Music & Digital Media (EM/DM) is designed to prepare students to be composers, performers or music researchers whose work explores music technology, digital media and experimentation in either professional or academic settings. Graduates will also be prepared to teach electroacoustic music, digital media and music technology at the college-university level.
For more information on current topics in music and research, please see the rest of this website as well as the presentation Creating the future of music — today
Facilities The EMDM program occupies space both within the School of Music and Dramatic Arts as well as at the new Digital Media Center building on LSU campus. Facilities include new recording studios, fabrication facilities (including a laser cutter and a 3D printer), a 92 speaker sound diffusion system, an XR and Virtual Production Studio, the Laptop Orchestra of Louisiana, Shaver Auditorium, the Digital Media Center Auditorium, the School of Music Recital Hall, and more.
EMDM faculty include
Dr. Jesse Allison
Dr. Steven David Beck
Dr. Christopher Trapani
Affiliated faculty include
Prof. Frederick “Derick” Ostrenko
Marc Aubanel
Emeritus faculty include
Prof. Edgar Berdahl
Prof. Griffin Campbell
Prof. Hye Yeon Nam
For more detailed information on the curriculum, please see the Graduate Handbook in additional resources at the bottom of the page.
Example Courses
MUS 7745 Advanced Computer Music (Prereq: MUS4745) Advanced techniques in digital sound synthesis and composition; analysis/resynthesis techniques, granular synthesis, physical modeling, interactive computer music performance and algorithmic composition using computers; survey of representative music from the genre.
MUS 7746 Graduate Seminar in Experimental Music and Digital Media (Prereq: MUS7745 or consent of instructor) Focused study of various topics in experimental music and digital media such as development of new computer music systems, interactive computer music, multimedia composition, alternative human-computer interfaces for music, experimental music performance, sound installations and advanced analysis of computer music.
MUS 7747 History of Electroacoustic Music The history of electroacoustic music; developments in technology, aesthetics and style since ca. 1900 to present; survey and analysis of representative music from the genre.
MUS 9000 Dissertation The dissertation must be an original contribution to knowledge in the student’s major field of study. It should demonstrate a mastery of research techniques, ability to complete original and independent research, and skill in formulating conclusions that in some way enlarge upon or modify accepted ideas.
Minor Area Students take 12 hours of any campus minor program.
Other courses (as described in the Graduate Handbook) include Introduction to Research in Music, Survey of Analytical Techniques, Music Theory Course, Music History courses, Applied Courses, and an elective.
Apply
To apply, visit the LSU School of Music Graduate Admissions web page and learn more about the application process. Applications goes through the LSU Graduate School with the Portfolio and Interview process through the School of Music.
Most candidates should apply to the EMDM concentration for the Doctor of Philosophy in Music. A master’s degree is required for admission. The GRE is not required, but can be submitted in support of an application. Applicants must submit a letter of intent, an application for admission, and official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. In addition, applicants to the program must submit a portfolio representative of their prior work in this area. The portfolio should include project reports and/or computer source code from prior projects, recorded media (CDs DVDs, etc.), scores (if appropriate), and in general a list of work that demonstrates the student’s interest and abilities in experimental music, electroacoustic music and/or digital media.
Language Requirement
A test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) is required for international applicants from countries other than United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belize, or certain Caribbean Islands. If you have a degree from a U.S. college or university or a degree from any of the listed countries, you are exempt from this requirement.