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How to apply

Fall 2024 admissions

Applications open: October 1, 2023

Application deadline: March 15, 2024

Step 1: Complete Concordia's online admissions application

All new applicants must complete Concordia University's online admissions application before completing the Music Admissions Package in Slideroom. (see instructions in Step 2)

If you are already a student at Concordia please review the following instructions:

Students enrolled in other Faculty

Concordia students currently enrolled in another faculty (Arts and Science, Gina Cody School, or JMSB) complete the following:

  1. Request an undergraduate degree transfer
  2. Submit the apporiate form at Slideroom (Music Admission Package).
  3. Complete your Music Admission Package in Slideroom (see instructions in Step 2)

You must submit this first in order to be allowed to sign up for an audition and/or interview. The deadline to submit this request is March 15, 2024.

Students enrolled in the Faculty of Fine Arts

  1. Complete the Internal Transfer of Program Request Form, and upload it in Slideroom (Music Admission Package).
  2. Complete your Music Admission Package in Slideroom (see instructions in Step 2)

For Electroacoustic Studies applicants

Step 2: Create and submit your Music Department Admissions Package at Slideroom

In Slideroom, choose BFA Electroacoustic Studies. Then,

  • Provide information about your background, in particular your:
    • Music and sound interests and activities
    • Technical (familiarity with software and hardware)
    • Professional/work experience (if applicable)
    • Other arts activities
  • Define a list of terms
  • Provide a letter of intent - Please describe your interest and motivation to succeed in this program
  • Complete a basic theory screening test
  • Take theory placement tests
  • Upload a portfolio

Electroacoustics Portfolio Guidelines

Read the portfolio guidelines below and then begin your electroacoustics admissions process.

Important

The portfolio is the most important part of your application to the Electroacoustic Studies program, and the committee listens to your portfolio in great detail. The works must be technically correct, normalized and accurate. When reviewing your portfolio the committee will pay attention to the following:

  • Is the work simply sampled from low-quality mp3 samples? 
  • Is the work made from carefully selected soundscape recordings?
  • Does the work use off-the-shelf DAW processing plugins in standard or clichéd ways?
  • Does the work show careful attention to all of the sounds, all the time?

Select your best, most representative examples of creative sound work that show your breadth and depth of interest in the field. Electroacoustic compositions and or sound art demonstrating sound generation and manipulation techniques are the most suitable for this application. The committee looks for the amount and quality of sound design being done, the kinds of manipulation, the creative ways in which the sound is put together.

Submit 3 to 5 electroacoustic compositions and/or sound design material

  • Duration can be 2-5 minutes for each
  • For each example, there is space to give a description
  • Label your works clearly and provide context in the online admissions form: 
    • Give the title, duration, program/production notes, and your intention in creating the work (for a video, for coursework, for the portfolio etc.)
    • Identify the hardware/software you used, and the source sounds and processes
    • Indicate if you recorded your own sounds for the work
    • Tell us if the work was a collarborative piece, and if so, identify your role

To get an idea of suitable material, research and listen to examples of electroacoustic and/or acousmatic music online.

Please contact us if you would like additional guidance before submitting your admissions form.

SPECIAL NOTE: Please do not, for any reason, send your portfolio files via email or web file transfer services. ONLY use the upload site provided above. 

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