Morrin, Rabinowitz, and Dockterman say they are happy to be in the program, despite the significant time commitment and frequent commutes.

Morrin, who travels to NEC two to three times per week, admits, “It’s really busy trying to commute, keep up with lessons, practice, and have a full courseload here.”

“I tell people it’s like ‘varsity music’ in terms of time commitment,” Rabinowitz says. However, Rabinowitz says that stepping off the Harvard campus is often a welcome break. “I find it really refreshing to go off campus once or twice a week,” she said. “It gives me a fresh outlook that is very helpful in the musical and creative process, especially as a composer.”

ONE OF A KIND

Unlike in a traditional two-year master’s program, students enrolled in the Harvard/NEC dual degree program are granted both degrees after a total of five years. For the first three years of the program, students are only required to take private lessons from NEC. However, many also choose to partipate in ensemble groups or seminars. Students begin and complete NEC coursework during their fourth and fifth years in the program.

In addition to fufilling the NEC curriculum requirements, students are still required to complete Harvard’s graduation requirements.

Because of the rigor of the program, Mary Gerbi, a coordinator for the Harvard music department, says that students in the joint program need to show promise above and beyond that of the average student at NEC.

“We need to see that those students will be at the top of their class and stay on top of their work,” she said.

Students apply for admission to both Harvard and NEC separately. Of those admitted to both, roughly 20 then apply for the joint program. NEC conducts the final selection of about five to eight students for the joint program each year, according to Thomas Novak, provost of NEC and dean of the college.

Those numbers, however, do not represent the extent of the interest in the program, which was started in 2005. Novak says that roughly 100 to 125 students indicate plans to apply to the program if admitted to both schools.

“We look for students who are very advanced musically and would love to be a part of our community while also having strong academic interests,” he said.

Thomas F. Kelly, a music professor at Harvard, says that the program seeks to attract a pool of highly skilled and talented instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers.

“The idea was to attract excellent musicians who might not otherwise come to Harvard,” he said. “It is a chance to deepen and enrich the pool of excellent musicians here.”

According to Kelly, the Harvard/NEC program is the only dual undergraduate and graduate degree program between a university and a conservatory. Though similar programs are offered by Columbia and Juilliard, Tufts and NEC, and Oberlin College and Conservatory, those programs only grant dual bachelors degrees.

BEYOND MUSIC