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Inquiries related to the online application can be directed to SGPS at:
Email: gradapps@uwo.ca
Phone: 519-850-2341
Fax: 519-661-3730
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization
The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization in all aspects of graduate and postdoctoral studies. For more information regarding these commitments please visit grad.uwo.ca/edi-d.
Music
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)Meet Chad Louwerse, DMA candidate in Music

What is it about your grad program that enables you to thrive and be successful?
Three things: the great faculty, the music library (staff and resources), and the support music students give to each other.
Where is “home” for you?
Vancouver Island, Sidney and the Saanich Peninsula particularly, are home for me.
Describe your research.
I am researching the life and music of Czech composer Victor Ullmann and his Songs of Hafez in particular. His music is really interesting because it bridges the gap between musical periods, language and styles. As a Jew, he was executed in Auschwitz in 1944 and much of his music was lost. What survived is not well known and it should be.
What’s your favourite music?
Bach’s music, particularly his orchestral suites, is what I come back to again and again.
Have you taken any professional courses that Western makes available to grad students?
I’ve taken the Teaching Assistant Training Program that Western offers. It was very useful. I find that I use the skills presented to me there in many areas of my life. I intend to complete the Certificate in University Teaching and Learning before I leave Western.
Have you worked as a TA or RA?
Working as a TA is really rewarding because it gives me the chance to teach and learn from my students. This ultimately makes me a better teacher, which is something I value. Students are great because they sometimes ask questions that I haven’t thought through. It has also helped me to continue innovating how I express material so that it’s accessible to the great variety of learning styles out there.
Program Websites
Program Contact
Audrey Yardley-Jones (ayardley@uwo.ca)Graduate Program Assistant
Don Wright Faculty of Music
Western UniversityTalbot College, Room 216
London, Ontario N6A 3K7
t. 519-661-2111 ext. 85354
The DMA in Performance provides is designed for highly proficient artists in musical performance who wish to strengthen their background with advanced study of literature and pedagogy, and also wish to pursue independent research.
The Own Your Future doctoral professional development program creates career-ready graduates with the Power Skills necessary to excel in their studies and achieve their future goals. Assess your own strengths and opportunities for growth and focus on what you want to get out of your time here at Western. To learn more, visit www.uwo.ca/ownyourfuture.
Program Length
- 12 Terms
Program Design
- Full-time study
- Project-based or thesis-based
Admission Requirements
- A strong academic record in a Master’s degree in performance, or its equivalent.
- A successful audition and interview.
- Evidence of ability in research and writing.
English Language Proficiency
Applicants whose first language is not English must furnish evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language:
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum acceptable score is 550 for the paper and pencil version, 213 for the computer version, or 86 for the internet version with no individual score below 20. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984].
- The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). Minimum acceptable score is 6.5 out of 9.
Application Deadline
- January 15 - Acceptance notification in early March
Fields of Research
- Conducting
- Orchestral instruments
- Piano (collaborative)
- Piano (solo)
- Voice