BM in Music Composition (78 hours)
This is a limited-enrollment program requiring departmental admissions approval. Please see the college advisement center for information regarding requirements for admission to this major.
The BM in composition degree program teaches young composers to write with modern and experimental music vocabularies as well as historic vocabularies, write for diverse color combinations (including orchestral and electroacoustic), and recruit and rehearse players to perform their music.
The music composition major prepares the student for graduate study in composition and theory or may lead to a professional career in composing, arranging, or related fields.
Program Requirements |
View MAP
- See the college advisement center for the application procedure for official acceptance into a specific degree program.
- Complete the following lower-division music core courses:
MUSIC 193 : Dictation 1.
(1:0:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | Acceptance as a music major; concurrent enrollment in Music 195, 197. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Development of aural skills through melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic dictation. |
MUSIC 196 : Music Theory 2.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | W, Su |
| PREREQUISITE: | C- or higher in Music 193, 195, 197; concurrent enrollment in 194, 198. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Writing and analysis in diatonic and chromatic harmony. |
MUSIC 197 : Sight Singing 1.
(.5:0:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | Acceptance as a music major; concurrent enrollment in Music 193, 195. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Rhythm and pitch-reading skills using two systems of counting and melodic solfeggio singing with hand signs. |
MUSIC 221 : Functional Piano Skills 1.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | Piano skills determined by entrance diagnostic exam; music major status. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Provides music majors with basic keyboarding ability in such areas as sight reading, technique, harmonization, and score reading. |
MUSIC 235 : Conducting Techniques.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, W, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | music major status, C- or higher in Music 194, 196, 198. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Physical techniques and musical understanding required to conduct a performance ensemble. |
MUSIC 295 : Music Theory 3.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | C- or higher in Music 194, 196, and 198; concurrent enrollment in Music 293, 297. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Extended chromatic techniques and introduction to twentieth-century concepts. |
MUSIC 296 : Music Theory 4.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | W, Su |
| PREREQUISITE: | C- or higher in Music 293, 295, 297; concurrent enrollment in Music 294, 298. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Set theory, serialism, and late twentieth-century concepts. |
- Complete one of the following options:
- Instrumentalists complete the following:
- Vocalists complete the following:
MUSIC 260R : Performance Instruction.
(.5-2:1:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, W, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | Music major status. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Private instruction and studio class. |
| NOTE: | From one to four hours of daily practice. Fee. |
| : Performance Instruction: Bassoon. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Brass and Percussion. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Cello. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Clarinet. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Euphonium. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Flute. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Guitar. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Harp. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Harpsichord. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Horn. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Oboe. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Organ. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Percussion. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Piano. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Recorder. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Saxophone. | |
| : Performance Instruction: String Bass. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Strings. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Synthesizer. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Trombone. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Trumpet. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Tuba. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Viola. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Violin. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Voice. | |
| : Performance Instruction: Woodwinds. | |
- Complete one hour of ensemble each semester for four semesters, including 2-3 hours from Category 1: Approved Large Ensembles (see General Information) and 1-2 hours from the following Category 2 ensembles:
MUSIC 317R : Opera Ensemble.
(.5-3:6:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, W, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | audition; instructor's consent. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Training and experience in operatic excerpts, chamber opera, and full productions for operatic soloists. |
MUSIC 318R : Music Theatre Ensemble.
(1:0:5)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, W, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | audition and director's consent. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Auditioned chorus or orchestra for opera or music dance theatre productions. |
MUSIC 319R : Music Theatre Performance.
(.5-3:0:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, W, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | audition and director's consent. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Participation as soloists, coaches, or directors in music dance theatre or opera performances. |
| : Living Legends Performance. | |
| : Young Ambassador Performance. | |
MUSIC 333R : Jazz Ensemble.
(1:1:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, W, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | Audition. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Includes Jazz Ensemble (big band), Jazz Lab Band (entry-level big band), and Vocal Jazz Ensembles. |
| : Jazz Lab Band. | |
| : Vocal Jazz Ensemble. | |
MUSIC 333R : Jazz Ensemble.
(1:1:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, W, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | Audition. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Includes Jazz Ensemble (big band), Jazz Lab Band (entry-level big band), and Vocal Jazz Ensembles. |
| : Jazz Lab Band. | |
| : Vocal Jazz Ensemble. | |
- Complete the following upper-division music core courses:
MUSIC 301 : Survey of Music Literature 1.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | Music 194, 196, 198; 201, 202, or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Survey of musical genres, forms, styles, and performance practices from antiquity through the sixteenth century. |
MUSIC 302 : Survey of Music Literature 2.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | W, Su |
| PREREQUISITE: | Music 194, 196, 198; 201, 202, or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Survey of musical genres, forms, styles, and performance practices from the baroque through the early classic. |
MUSIC 303 : Survey of Music Literature 3.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | Music 294, 296, 298; 201, 202, or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Survey of music genres, forms, styles, and performance practices from the high classic through the romantic. |
MUSIC 304 : Survey of Music Literature 4.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | W, Su |
| PREREQUISITE: | Music 294, 296, 298; 201, 202, or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Survey of musical genres, forms, styles, and performance practices of the twentieth century. |
MUSIC 395 : Form and Analysis.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F, W, Sp |
| PREREQUISITE: | C- or higher in Music 293, 295, 297. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Analytical study of forms from the common-practice period, including baroque contrapuntal structures and instrumental forms, classical sonata cycle, and romantic part forms. |
- Complete the following lower-division composition courses:
MUSIC 188 : Composition 1.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | W |
| PREREQUISITE: | Music 195 or instructor's consent. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Introduction to principles of recent art music; composition and performance of student works for one to five instruments. |
MUSIC 288 : Composition 2.
(2:1:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | W |
| PREREQUISITE: | Music 287. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Invention and exploration of sound, control of multivoiced textures and larger forms, and recent art music. |
- Complete eight hours of the following upper-division composition seminar:
- Complete the following:
MUSIC 483 : Counterpoint.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | F |
| PREREQUISITE: | C- or higher in Music 294, 296, 298. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Eighteenth-century contrapuntal styles and techniques, emphasizing those of J. S. Bach. |
MUSIC 583 : Sixteenth-Century Counterpoint.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | W |
| PREREQUISITE: | Music 483 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION: | Strict modal counterpoint in sixteenth- century style (Palestrina); includes species, text setting, and motet. |
- Present a juried composition recital (Music 449R) during the senior year.
Recital: Enroll in 449R (1 credit hour) for the semester during which a recital is to be presented. A prerecital hearing is required at least three weeks before juried recitals. Contact the Harris Fine Arts Center Scheduling Office (C-358, south lobby of de Jong Concert Hall) for further information.
- After consulting with faculty advisor, complete 4 hours of music electives.