Shenandoah Conservatory students may apply for the PALM 4+1 accelerated program in their sophomore year and once accepted, take PALM required courses during their undergraduate studies, participate in the annual Arts Leadership Institute in Athens, Greece (GEL course) and register for an internship course during the summer between senior year and their one year of graduate study. Online courses in the PALM program are designed as asynchronous learning, giving students the opportunity to learn at their own pace. 

The PALM program is now fully online so students do not need to stay in Winchester for their one year of graduate study. Students who do decide to stay on campus to continue with studio classes, perform in ensembles and productions, and take advantage of campus life, will form a “study group” with other resident students.

PALM program’s graduates have found management positions with

• The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
• Arena Stage
• Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts
• Pittsburgh Ballet
• Shakespeare Theater
• Gulf Coast Symphony
• Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
• Yale School of Music
• 92nd Street Y
• YouTube
• Omaha Symphony
• Woodruff Arts Center
• Dance Institute of Washington
• Asolo Repertory Theatre
• Boyer College of Music and Dance
• Signature Theatre
• Dallas Summer Musicals
• Washington Conservatory of Music
• Sarasota Ballet
• Opera San Jose
• Americans for the Arts
• The Washington Ballet
• Cleveland Institute of Music

I am the Creative Director for the Dance Institute of Washington.

Ashanté Green ’15 | M.S. in Performing Arts Leadership & Management

I am the Chief Executive Officer of Westmoreland Cultural Trust.

Benjamin Luczak ’09, ’15 | B.F.A. in Musical Theatre, M.S. in Performing Arts Leadership & Management

I am the Director at Patron Insights and Engagement.

Serena Robbins ’09 | M.S. in Performing Arts Leadership & Management

I am currently the Production Administrator at The Shed in Hudson Yards, New York City.

Kate Gibson Holland ’00, ’22 | B.M. in Music (Voice), M.S. in Performing Arts Leadership & Management

Transition Courses for the PALM 4+1 Program

Students who are accepted into the accelerated PALM must take MATH 207 Statistics and BA 211 Accounting at any time during their undergraduate years. In the junior or senior year, students take PALM 509 and PALM 512. These are both online courses, so they will not interfere with busy undergraduate class and performance schedules.

General Information About PALM Courses

Online courses in the PALM program are designed as asynchronous learning, giving you the opportunity to learn at your own pace. Unlike some large online programs in other disciplines, recorded lectures are not used in the PALM program.

Courses integrate readings, media, assignments and projects using the latest research and experiences from the field to create a rich and immersive learning environment.

Students work both independently and collaboratively with other students and utilize their local arts community or national arts organizations as a laboratory, with internships and participation in professional arts activities, events, and advocacy as an integral part of learning. Regular, one-on-one teleconference “check-ins” with your instructor are a hallmark of online learning in the PALM program.

View Full Performing Arts Leadership & Management Curriculum

PALM students who are local to the Winchester area, or wish to relocate to Winchester, can supplement their online coursework by taking advantage of all that Shenandoah Conservatory has to offer:

• Perform in ensembles, concerts and productions
• Attend hundreds of Conservatory performances free of charge
• Experience and take part in the only ShenCoLAB in this hemisphere 
• Explore our superb campus facilities and activities

In addition, PALM students in residence will form study groups to further enhance learning, engagement, and a sense of community.

4+1 Accelerated PALM Program

Conservatory students with a 3.0 GPA can apply for the program in their sophomore or junior years. All applicants must interview with the PALM program director at the time of application.

Download the PALM 4+1 Application Form

2-Year PALM Program

The program is intended for students who hold a baccalaureate degree in music, theatre, dance or related fields, emerging leaders who hold an entry-level arts position and are seeking to advance their career, and those seeking to change career to arts leadership and management.

Admission to Shenandoah Conservatory graduate programs is highly competitive and the Performing Arts Leadership and Management program only accepts a small number of students each year. Applicants must complete a teleconference interview with the program director.

Fall admissions only. No auditions are required.

Conservatory Graduate Application Information

 

Summer Arts Leadership Institute

Each May, eligible Performing Arts Leadership and Management graduate students will participate in a 10-day leadership institute in a European capital exploring the city and its arts, meeting with distinguished cultural policy leaders and visiting a wide range of arts and culture organizations. Participation provides students with 2 credits of graduate coursework.