rev. 8/2021
Frequently Asked Questions about registering for composition courses or applying for a Minor or Outside Area.
UNDERGRADUATE
K100 - How do I register for elective composition? Do I need authorization?
Undergraduate students may register for this course WITHOUT authorization by registering for BE-301, which is a “block” registration, enrolling you in both K100 and the corequisite I301 Master Class, which is the non-majors’ composition seminar meeting Monday evenings.
Prerequisite: Music Fundamentals Online or T109 Rudiments of Music I with a grade of C or higher.
Minor (undergraduate)
17 credit hours (no application needed); required Courses:
- K100 Composition Undergraduate Elective/ Secondary (3-3-3-3 cr.)
- K133 Notation and Calligraphy (1 cr.)
- K214 Instrumentation I (2 cr.)
- K215 Instrumentation II (2 cr.)
- I301 Departmental Masterclass (0 cr.) to be taken concurrently with each semester of K100
What other courses can I take as a non-major?
K133 Notation, K214-215 Instrumentation, K231-232 Free Counterpoint, K451-452 Orchestration, Z361 Introduction to MIDI and Computer Music, Z362 Computer Music: Design/Perform, and K450 Laptop Ensemble (not every semester).
Other options include Z290 Remixing and Z291 Producing Electronic Dance Music, which are both available through the Music in General Studies Program.
GRADUATE
K710 - elective composition. How do I register? Do I need authorization?
Authorization IS needed for K710. Send an email requesting authorization to the chair of composition. Students are assigned to one of the composition AIs for weekly private lessons. Note that you must also register for the corequisite ‘majors’ I501 Master Class, the composition seminar meeting Monday evenings.
K810 - minor-level composition lessons.
This is study with faculty rather than AIs, requiring the submission of a portfolio of works (pdf), a list of compositions (pdf), and any recordings (mp3) to the composition chair (preferably via a folder shared) for approval by the faculty. Note that being accepted into a faculty studio for a semester of K810 is NOT the same as being accepted to do an Outside Area or Minor. Submitted scores should demonstrate enough compositional craft, ability and experience to do graduate level work in composition. Scores and recordings will be evaluated by the composition faculty; an interview with the student may be requested.
Minor in Composition (Graduate)
The minor in music composition provides graduate-level instruction in composition.
12 credit hours
- K810 Composition Graduate Minor (3-3-2 cr.)
- 2 credit hours selected from:
- K810 Composition Graduate Minor (2 cr.)
- K551 Advanced Orchestration (2 cr.)
- 2 credit hours of K501 Composition Forum (1-1 cr.); typically these should be taken during semesters of K810(2) or K551(2), making a total of 3 credits for the semester.
- the public performance on student composition recitals of at least three compositions written while enrolled in K810, to be graded as Pass/Fail by a committee of at least three composition faculty in attendance; and
- the composition of a vocal work to an assigned text within a 24-hour period, and the composition of a short movement for chamber ensemble within a seven-day period. Both compositions will be graded Pass/Fail.
Outside Area (for MM)
Courses
5 hours of K810 (2-3), private composition lessons, with concurrent registration in K501 (1), Composition Forum, during the first semester of composition lessons.
Performance
Public performance of at least one composition (written while enrolled in K810), preferably on student composition recitals. The piece will be graded Pass/Fail by a committee of at least three members of the composition faculty in attendance.