CMA Promotionals
2026

PROMOTIONAL GUIDELINES SPRING 2026 DEADLINE MONDAY, MAY 4, 2026

What happens:

• Each student will discuss their work from the previous year with a panel of CMA faculty. Students will receive their written evaluations in an email from the Office of Student Services. Students who do not pass their promotional for any reason will be given specific guidelines and assigned a re-hearing date in the spring.

What to do:

Promotional Essay:

• Write a brief (2 - 3) page paper (12pt font, double-spaced) about the details of your work over the past two semesters, including: 

• a self-evaluation of what you’ve accomplished in your studio lessons 

• a self-evaluation of the work you’ve accomplished in ensembles, classes, and lessons 

• highlights of your NEC experience over the past year

• goals and objectives for your next year of study 

• studio teacher requests for next year 

• Save document as “YOUR NAME P2026” in a pdf format

Promotional Music:

• Submit two recordings that highlight some of your work at NEC over the past year, drawing on ensemble or JH concerts, special class projects, pieces you have developed in studio lessons, or other projects that reflect the work you have engaged with at NEC. 

• These must be pieces/excerpts in which you are the primary soloist, arranger, and/or musical director. Your total submission should be under 8 minutes.

• One of the pieces should be your own interpretation of a pre-existent composition – that is, a rendition of the piece showing your original musical vision and expressing what you think of as your own musical personality. 

• Your second piece can be an original composition, another personal interpretation of a pre-existent composition (for example, an ensemble piece that features you), or a structured improvisation that draws on a rhythmic or melodic motif or a specific conceptual, theoretical and/or a compositional model. 

Music Submission Requirements:

• Provide links for your music.

• Check to make sure that the link works before your promotional.

• Provide relevant info (specific start/stop times, track #, etc) so that we listen to the right thing (i.e. your solo in the middle of a group performance).

• For NEC specific recordings, visit the Blumenthal Library.

Where to submit:

• See link at top left of this page.

Deadline: MONDAY, MAY 4 at 4:00 PM

Don’t know what music to share? Please discuss with your studio teachers.

Other questions? Reach out to Farayi or Hankus.

Promotionals will occur over ZOOM - which means from anywhere - on MONDAY, MAY 12. If you will be out of the country, contact RICH FROST ASAP so that you can be scheduled at an appropriate time.