Choral Conducting at YSM
The choral conducting program prepares students for careers in civic conducting, church conducting, and education by expanding their musicianship skills and developing the broad knowledge of repertoire required of conductors.
Choral conductors take individual lessons with the choral conducting faculty and have lessons during regular supervised conducting sessions with the Repertory and Recital choruses. They are required to sing in the Yale Camerata, attend a weekly seminar, and conduct a recital each year. First-year students conduct Repertory Chorus in two shared performances, while second-and third-year students present a degree recital with the Recital Chorus. Choral conducting students are also required to study voice as a secondary instrument for two terms. Some choral conducting students may serve as assistant conductor for one of the faculty-led choirs.
To apply for the choral conducting program, prospective students must submit applications to both the Yale School of Music and the Institute of Sacred Music.
Faculty Spotlight

Jeffrey Douma
Degrees + Programs
Master of Music
The two-year master of music (M.M.) degree program is open to students who hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in any major.
Master of Musical Arts
The performance-oriented master of musical arts (M.M.A.) program is designed for students who want to further their education beyond an M.M. degree.
Doctor of Musical Arts
The intensive doctor of musical arts (D.M.A) program is comprised of a two-year residency followed by a three-year period in which candidates launch their professional careers.