Composition

The Bachelor of Music in Music Composition is a professional music degree that helps students to find his or her individual voice as a composer. Original compositions are written for a variety of instrument combinations and twentieth and twenty first century compositional techniques are analyzed, explained and incorporated as integral to the creative process. Each graduating student will have a public performance of their original work.

Written theory course descriptions:
The written music theory sequence (MUT 1140, 1160, 2140, 2160) provides the student a thorough foundation in the harmonic, melodic and rhythmic language of music. After an initial review of music fundamentals, the first three theory courses in the sequence cover part-writing and the harmonic vocabulary of the "common practice period" through the end of the 19th century. The stylistic tendencies of the Classical and Romantic Periods are discussed and analyzed. The fourth semester of theory emphasizes 20th and 21st century compositional techniques. This class includes Impressionistic music, jazz harmony, mainstream, the avant garde, electronic music, and modern notation. All the classes include creative writing and analysis. Original student compositions are performed in class and class participation is essential to the learning process. The ear training courses similarly guide students through diatonic, chromatic, and post-tonal materials, developing fluency in sight reading and aural recognition. Upper-level course offerings include counterpoint, composition, analysis of musical form, orchestration, post-tonal theory, Schenkerian analysis, and the history of theory.

Contact Jon Anderson for more information on our composition program.