Music Technology (BFA & MFA)

You must complete all admissions requirements as well as the program requirements below to be considered for admission. Before applying, please make sure to familiarize yourself with the School of Music, faculty, facilities, curriculum and student work.

You cannot make any changes to your application after it has been submitted.

Note: Due to its specialized and highly selective nature, students interested in the Music Technology: Interaction, Intelligence, & Design Program (MTIID) should read the program's description and qualifications carefully, review student work, and, before applying, email a brief description of their musical and technical background to akapur@calarts.edu.

This process helps potential students understand the direction of study undertaken at CalArts in the MTIID Program. A strong preference is given to applicants with previous experience in mathematics, computer science, physics or engineering. The focus of the MTIID Program is not in sound engineering or recording, although students have the ability (and are required) to pursue some classes and opportunities in that field.

Application Requirements

Via the portfolio section of the CalArts Application, you are invited to submit a portfolio containing 3–5 examples of your artistic work. Please number your examples beginning with what you consider to be your strongest ones—reviewers will examine them in the order that you indicate. 

The faculty are especially interested in reviewing work that emphasizes:

  • Your own original compositions documented through scores or other appropriate media, improvisations, and/or interdisciplinary work.

  • Performances demonstrating strong technical skills.

  • Innovative and unique musical practices.

  • Proficiency with music technology, including novel and innovative uses.

  • Any original artwork other than music that informs your musical practice.

  • BFA (optional): Please submit an example of Computer Science Code (python, chucK, C++, or other languages with which you have experience).

  • MFA: Examples of software projects (code) or hardware (schematics) of past projects.

  • MFA: A drawing and write-up of a creative, futuristic new musical interface of your own design (see proceedings of the conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression for examples).

Materials to upload might include recordings, videos, scores, writings, and/or other relevant materials. You may link to media hosted on external websites, but please ensure that reviewers will have permission to view this media. For all media, please clearly indicate (in a separate PDF if necessary):

  • The title, composer, personnel, instrumentation, and date of creation.

  • How did you make this? Did you record and produce this yourself or in a professional studio? If you recorded and produced this yourself, please tell us about your process.

  • For each track/part/instrument, please answer the following questions: Is this a recording of an instrument that you (or someone else) played / a sample or pre-recorded loop / or a midi-generated performance? If it is a sample or pre-recorded loop, did you create it yourself? If so, how?

Your portfolio must include an artist statement of 250–500 words that includes all of the following:

  • Your background in the study and practice of music, including a crucial moment in your artistic development.

  • Your main musical passions and artistic influences right now – what you are currently listening to.

  • Genre(s) of music you are interested in performing and studying.

  • What you are interested in exploring or experimenting with at CalArts.

  • What attracts you to the particular Specialization to which you are applying. You may include a CalArts class, faculty, and/or offering that excites you the most.

  • Your long-term goals as a professional musician.

The faculty want to learn more about you, directly from you! We ask that you record a 60–90 second short video of you introducing yourself. You should discuss:

  • Your current artistic practice or what you perform, compose, produce, arrange, write, dance/choreograph, film, etc.

  • A person, place, idea, or thing that inspires you and your music.

  • A new artistic approach or skill you’d like to bring into your practice that you want to learn more about or haven’t tried before.

In your Video Introduction, you should:

  • Record for only 60–90 seconds

  • Speak directly to the camera

  • Not read from a prepared statement

  • Not make edits

  • Not add special effects or on-screen overlays

  • Upload the video or link directly to the portfolio section of the CalArts Application

  • Use the recording equipment you have; cellphone cameras or consumer cameras are okay.

The Music Technology BFA and MFA programs do not hold required auditions. Instead, if needed by our faculty, we will contact you about scheduling a virtual interview.

Two letters of recommendation are required for the BFA, three for the MFA. At least one recommendation should be written by a person who understands your designer work, such as a performance instructor or art teacher.

All letters of recommendation should be received by the application deadline, so it is highly recommended that you contact your recommenders months before. We request that you submit the requests for your letters of recommendation through the online application, as it will allow you to track when we receive your requested letters.

Only if this is not possible, you may download the Letter of Recommendation Form (pdf) and have your recommender send their letters by mail to the Office of Admissions. Please choose only one method – either through the online application (preferred) or by mail – per recommender. Letters of recommendation will not be accepted via credentialing services such as Parchment or Naviance.

Mailed letters of recommendation should be sent to:

CalArts Office of Admissions
24700 McBean Pkwy.
Valencia, CA 91355
United States of America

Please note, letters of recommendation must be written in English or accompanied by a certified English translated document.