Theory/Analysis Ph.D. Program

Faculty :: Course Requirements :: Admissions :: Completed Dissertations

The Doctoral Program in Music Theory offers a solid foundation in the principal subfields of our discipline, including Schenkerian theory, post-tonal theory, and the history of theory. Our faculty and alumni have made major contributions to the field and we have an impressive record of placing our graduates in academic positions. 

The music theory faculty includes Mark Anson Cartwright, L. Poundie Burstein, Norman Carey, David Gagné, Philip Lambert, Shaugn O'Donnell, Jonathan Pieslak, William Rothstein, Mark Spicer, and Joseph Straus. The Theory Department helps sponsor a series of free lectures and workshops under the auspices of the Graduate Center Music Forum.

Students interest in applying to the Music Theory Program at the Graduate Center should feel free to contact Prof. Straus at jstraus@gc.cuny.edu.

News Flash: CUNY faculty/alumni wins Publication Award 

     CUNY faculty member and alumni L. Poundie Burstein is the recipient of the 2008 Outstanding Publication Award of the Society of Music Theory (SMT) for his essay “The Off-Tonic Return in Beethoven's Op. 58 and Other Works,” in Music Analysis.

     Other members of the CUNY family who have received the SMT Outstanding Publication Award, Emerging Scholar Award, or Wallace Berry Award in the past include Joseph Straus, William Rothstein, Norman Carey, Carl Schachter, Joel Lester, and Channan Willner.

Graduates of the last 4 years 
   Eve Poudrier (2008) is an Assistant Professor at Yale University in 2008.
   Tom Robinson (2008) is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama.
   Sigrun Heinzelmann (2008) is an Assistant Professor at Oberlin.
   Aleksandra Vojcic (2007) is an Assistant Professor at University of Michigan.
   Kyle Adams (2006) is an Assistant Professor at Indiana University;.
   Michael Berry (2006) is an Assistant Professor at Texas Tech.
   Jamuna Samuel (2005) teaches as SUNY Stonybrook.
   Erez Rapoport (2005) teaches at the  Rubin Academy and Tel-Aviv University in Israel.
   Catherine Losada (2004) is Assistant Professor at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.
   Jan Miyake (2004) is an Assistant Professor at Oberlin College.
   Channan Willner (2004) is the Acquisitions Librarian at the Music Division of the New York Public Library.


Click here for complete list of graduates since 1996.

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