serious music question

[don1]

What is the highest qualification that can be achieved in music, I know you can get a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters degree but is there any level of achievement higher than this?

Thanks Don

[cruella]

Hi don 1
As far as I know, the highest degree you can obtain in music is the D.M.A.

[don1]

Thanks for your reply but what is a D.M.A

[CJ2]

You use the phrase 'level of achievement'. 'In music', one either writes (composes) music, or performs it.
I would have thought that the 'highest achievement' would either to have composed a piece that most people get the most out of, or to perform a piece that the performer gets the most out of, or that the audience gets the most out of. It all sounds very theoretical, doesn't it? I'd say Beethoven was a high 'achiever' in a sense, but (fortunately), its subjective. Horowitz (at his best) and Heifitz I would rate as 'high achievers' on the performing side. But who is higher, leave alone highest, I leave to people who must think they have better things to do than write or perform music.

[cruella]

Hi don1
It is abbreviation for Doctor of Musical Arts.

[don1]

Thanks for your replies each

[sherlockian]

How about Master of the Queen's Music - a very rare "qualification" only held by a few, roughly equivalent to the Poet Laureate of music. You can't get much 'higher' than that - but it depends how specific you want to be in your definitions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_the_Que en's_Music

[don1]

Thank you sherlockian, I was meaning the highest level of academic achievement rather than the highest honour