Doctorate in Music - Research and Practice - 3ème Cycle

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Information

  • Name

    Doctorate in Music - Research and Practice

  • Cycle

    3rd Cycle

  • Course's number of years

    3 years

  • Maximum duration

    3 years (one or more additional years may be obtained on special request to write the thesis, depending on the University's regulations)

  • Delivered diploma

    Doctorate of Music

  • Course objectives and content

    This degree is designed for performing musicians who wish to conduct research to enrich their own artistic practices and those of others through new insights. It enables graduates to teach their discipline through research at institutions of higher education.

    Throughout the program, research production and instrumental or vocal practice are closely integrated to enable the doctoral student to:

    • Conduct research leading to the writing of a dissertation in French in a music-related field (performance, repertoire, composition, organology, artistic and cultural production, etc.);
    • To pursue and develop a performing career that informs and builds upon their research;
    • To develop artistic projects through research (concerts, festivals, recordings, masterclasses, etc.).

    Supervision of the doctoral student is provided by at least two faculty advisors:

    • a research director with HDR status, affiliated with ED 433;
    • a faculty advisor from the CNSMDP selected in consultation with the CNSMDP’s Research and Innovation Department (DRi) upon the doctoral student’s recommendation.

    Doctoral students are encouraged to disseminate their research throughout their doctoral studies by participating in events (conferences, seminars, young researchers’ associations, etc.) or by contributing to scholarly publications within their institutions (CNSMDP and SU) and beyond.

    During their studies, the doctoral student is entitled to 70 hours of working sessions with at least two faculty members or administrative staff from the CNSMDP, including their advisor, to be spread out over the entire duration of their doctoral program.

     

    PROGRAM OVERVIEW

     

    Year 1 – Foundation Year

     

    The doctoral student receives support from the CNSMDP’s Research and Training Department (DRi) in developing and drafting their research proposal, particularly by attending the monthly doctoral workshops organized by the DRi, until the proposal is approved by the thesis advisor.

    Starting this year, they may begin using their allocated work session hours.

    At the same time, the doctoral student is encouraged to seek funding for their research project.

    Once the research proposal has been finalized and approved by their thesis advisor, the doctoral student must register on the ADUM platform (Accès Doctorat Unique et Mutualisé) during one of the two annual sessions (one in the spring and one in the fall). The ADUM platform facilitates the administrative tracking of the thesis project, from enrollment at the University through to the thesis defense.

    (See the CNSMDP PhD guide distributed upon entering the program for more details.)

     

    Subsequent Years 

     

    Upon officially enrolling in the doctoral program at Sorbonne University, the doctoral student develops a work plan with their supervisory team (thesis advisor(s), CNSMDP faculty advisor serving as co-supervisor, and ED 433). This plan will evolve over the course of the doctoral program as needed.

    During their doctoral studies, the doctoral student commits to attending:

    • Training sessions or seminars as recommended by their thesis advisor
    • Doctoral study days organized jointly by the CNSMDP and SU
    • At least one SU doctoral seminar
    • At least one semester-long doctoral course at SU
    • Obligations to the CNSMDP and SU
    • Possibly one or more research stays abroad
    • Any other requirements deemed necessary for their training

    The doctoral guide details the conditions for each of these elements.

Entrance exam

Doctorate in Music Performance - Research and Practice

Opening date for registration :  01 April 2026

Description :

DOCTORAL ENTRANCE EXAM 2026-2027

 

Admission to this PhD program is contingent upon passing the doctoral entrance exam, with no age limit.

Candidates may not apply more than three times.

 

Prerequisites

Candidates must hold a national master's degree or another degree conferring the grade of master, in the field of early music, classical and contemporary music, or jazz and improvised music, in instrument or voice. This category includes

  • Master's degree or diploma conferring the grade of Master's awarded by a French or foreign higher education establishment;
  • Diplôme de 2e cycle supérieur conferring the grade of master according to the European framework granted by a French or foreign music higher education institution ;
  • DFS from the CNSMD in Paris ;
  • DNESM from the CNSMD in Lyon.

 

Candidates from non-French-speaking countries must submit, in support of their application for the entrance examination, a certificate issued bya body approved by the French government attesting to a level of French at least equal to C1 on the Council of Europe's scale of common reference levels.

 

Pre-selection

Pre-selection is based on an examination by a panel - common to both stages of the competition - of a file sent no later than the closing date for registration for the entrance competition, comprising :

 

  • a statement of intent describing the research project (approximately 10,000 characters including spaces). This must include :
    • a working title ;
    • the objectives of the research in terms of its contribution to the candidate's knowledge and professional project;
    • a literature review with bibliography relating to the subject and the methodological orientations envisaged.
  • one or more videos recorded in the year preceding the opening date for applications, presenting the interpretation of a free programme ofbetween 15 and 20 minutes in length, enabling the candidate's technical and musical qualities to be assessed (to be submitted via the online application space). Videos already recorded for other occasions are accepted;
    • The following are exempt from this requirement 1° Performers who hold, in the discipline concerned, a 2nd cycle degree from one of the two CNSMDs, obtained less than 3 years before registering for the doctoral entrance examination.2° teachers at one of these two establishments (professor, associate professor, assistant professor) in the discipline concerned.
  • a letter of support from a research supervisor attached to the Ecole Doctorale 433 of Sorbonne Université, to be sent directly to the CNSMDP reearch officer (fguillaumecastel@cnsmdp.fr).
  • a covering letter of no more than one page, detailing the reasons why the candidate wishes to enter the doctoral programme, and how the candidate intends to organise his/her dissertation work;
  • a copy of the diploma required;
  • a curriculum vitae, highlighting the candidate's artistic and research activities.

 

 

 

Admission

 

The doctoral admission interview consists of a 40-minute presentation (in French) of the research project, including at least 20 minutes of played music (in a format of the candidate's choice), followed by a 20-minute interview with the jury.

 

The jury will be chaired by the director of the CNSMDP or his or her representative. It will comprise at least :

  • a representative of the Research and Innovation Department ;
  • two musicians who hold a PhD, including at least one from another institution;
  • a representative of the Ecole Doctorale 433.