Introduction

The Bachelor of Music in Composition is designed to:

  1. Provide students with a learning environment conducive to the pursuit, fostering, development, and exchange of ideas and information, particularly as it pertains to music composition and performance.
  2. To provide student access to varied composition communities.
  3. To continue to build upon the Frost School of Music's reputation as an innovative, forward-thinking, and first-rate center for advanced study.
  4. To maintain the highest educational, professional, and ethical standards.

Goals of the program are:

  1. To provide students with training to be fluent in basic compositional skills.
  2. To help students understand various directions that are available to composers in the 21st century.
  3. To help students perform and realize their music.

The curriculum in Composition is designed for those students intending to pursue a career as a composer and/or to pursue graduate degrees in Composition. Prospective students are expected to furnish evidence of compositional ability.

Educational Objectives

  • Students develop basic compositional skills of varying lengths and genres.
  • Students compose works utilizing various compositional techniques and styles.
  • Students compose works for varied instrumentation and/or media.

Advanced Writing and Communication Skills

Courses

All students are required to successfully complete 3 Advanced Writing and Communication Skills (AWC) courses. Student degree requirements will include courses that meet the desired communication outcomes in evaluated and revised writing, speaking, stage presence, and audience engagement.

All Music Theory and Composition students will successfully complete:

1. MCY 341 Music of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Periods, which will include substantial evaluated and revised writing components.

2. MTC 402 Composition VIII, which will include evaluated communication skills in attracting an audience, engaging an audience during performance, and preparing program notes or similar media as appropriate to the medium/venue.

3. MTC 311 Analysis and Experience which will include discipline specific communication skills.

Assessment

There will be at least 2 specific assessments in each Advanced Communications Skills course for communications or writing equivalent to 4000 words, evaluated and revised.

Curriculum Requirements

General Education Requirements
Written Communication Skills:
WRS 105First-Year Writing I3
WRS 106First-Year Writing II3
or ENG 106 Writing About Literature and Culture
Quantitative Skills:
MTH 113Finite Mathematics3
Areas of Knowledge:
Arts & Humanities Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major)
People & Society Cognate9
STEM Cognate9
Additional Requirements
UMX 100The University of Miami Experience0
Advanced Writing and Communication Skills (3 courses) AWC. See details below
Experiential Music Curriculum Core Courses MTC 1
MTC 12Composition Forum (8 semesters)8
MXX XX1 (Level 1)Principal Instrument/Voice Lesson & Studio Class (semesters 1-4, 2 credit hours)8
MXX XX3 (Level 3)Principal Instrument/Voice Lesson & Studio Class (semesters 5-6, 2 credit hours)4
MTC 140
MTC 107
Experiential Musicianship I
and Skills Lab I 2
4
MTC 141
MTC 108
Experiential Musicianship II
and Skills Lab II 2
4
MTC 240
MTC 207
Experiential Musicianship III
and Skills Lab III 2
4
MTC 241
MTC 208
Experiential Musicianship IV
and Skills Lab IV 2
4
MKP 140Keyboard Studies I1
MKP 141Keyboard Studies II1
MCY 140Experiencing Music3
MCY 341Music of the Mediaeval, Renaissance, and Baroque Periods3
MTC 506Digital Editing and Sequencing3
MIN 310Music Business and Entrepreneurship for Musicians3
Ensembles (semesters 1-6, 1 credit hour)6
Courses in the MTC Major
Ensembles (semesters 7-8, 1 credit hour)2
MTC 101Composition I2
MTC 102Composition II2
MTC 201Composition III2
MTC 202Composition IV2
MTC 301Composition V2
MTC 302Composition VI2
MTC 401Composition VII2
MTC 402Composition VIII (Senior Composition Recital)1
MTC 182Composition Workshop (4 semesters of 1 credit hour)4
MTC 311Analysis and Experience3
MTC 31220th and 21st Century Techniques3
MTC 31318th Century Counterpoint3
MTC 505Analysis and History of Electroacoustic and Acousmatic Music2
MTC 516Advanced Orchestration3
MTC 518Advanced Counterpoint3
MTC/MCYElective Music Theory or Musicology3
MCY 342Music of the Classical, Romantic, and Modern Periods3
MKP 240Keyboard Studies III2
MKP 241Keyboard Studies IV2
MIP 181Instrumental Conducting I2
or MVP 181 Choral Conducting I
MIP 182Instrumental Conducting II2
or MVP 182 Choral Conducting II
Total credits for courses in the major = 52
Total Credit Hours135
1

EMC core courses require a grade of “C” or higher.  Lessons require a grade of "B-" or higher.

2

 Jazz or Contemporary principals will be required to take MTC 140/MTC 107, MTC 141/MTC 108, MTC 240/MTC 207, MTC 241/MTC 208.

Suggested Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredit Hours
MTC 12 Composition Forum 1
Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class 2
MTC 140 Experiential Musicianship I 3
MTC 107 Skills Lab I 1
MKP 140 or MSJ 103 Keyboard Studies I
or Jazz Piano I
1
MCY 140 Experiencing Music 3
MTC 101 Composition I 2
MTC 182 Composition Workshop 1
WRS 105 First-Year Writing I 3
UMX 100 The University of Miami Experience 0
Ensemble 1
 Credit Hours18
Spring
MTC 12 Composition Forum 1
Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class 2
MTC 141 Experiential Musicianship II 3
MTC 108 Skills Lab II 1
MKP 141 or MSJ 104 Keyboard Studies II
or Jazz Piano II
1
MTC 102 Composition II 2
MTC 182 Composition Workshop 1
MTH 113 Finite Mathematics 3
WRS 106 or ENG 106 First-Year Writing II
or Writing About Literature and Culture
3
Ensemble 1
 Credit Hours18
Year Two
Fall
MTC 12 Composition Forum 1
Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class 2
MTC 240 Experiential Musicianship III 3
MTC 207 Skills Lab III 1
MKP 240 Keyboard Studies III 2
MTC 182 Composition Workshop 1
MTC 201 Composition III 2
MTC 505 Analysis and History of Electroacoustic and Acousmatic Music 2
STEM Cognate 3
Ensemble 1
 Credit Hours18
Spring
MTC 12 Composition Forum 1
Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class 2
MTC 241 Experiential Musicianship IV 3
MTC 208 Skills Lab IV 1
MTC 506 Digital Editing and Sequencing 3
MKP 241 Keyboard Studies IV 2
MTC 182 Composition Workshop 1
MTC 202 Composition IV 2
People & Society Cognate 3
Ensemble 1
 Credit Hours19
Year Three
Fall
MTC 12 Composition Forum 1
MCY 341 Music of the Mediaeval, Renaissance, and Baroque Periods 3
MTC 301 Composition V 2
MIP 181 or MVP 181 Instrumental Conducting I
or Choral Conducting I
2
MTC 311 Analysis and Experience 3
MTC 313 18th Century Counterpoint 3
Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class 2
Ensemble 1
 Credit Hours17
Spring
MTC 12 Composition Forum 1
MCY 342 Music of the Classical, Romantic, and Modern Periods 3
MTC 302 Composition VI 2
MIP 182 or MVP 182 Instrumental Conducting II
or Choral Conducting II
2
MTC 312 20th and 21st Century Techniques 3
MTC 516 Advanced Orchestration 3
Principal Instrument/ Voice Lesson & Studio Class 2
Ensemble 1
 Credit Hours17
Year Four
Fall
MTC 12 Composition Forum 1
MIN 310 Music Business and Entrepreneurship for Musicians 3
MTC 401 or 402 Composition VII
or Composition VIII
2
MTC/MCY Elective 3
People & Society Cognate 3
Ensemble 1
 Credit Hours13
Spring
MTC 12 Composition Forum 1
MTC 518 Advanced Counterpoint 3
People & Society Cognate 3
MTC 402 or 401 Composition VIII
or Composition VII
1
STEM Cognate 3
STEM Cognate 3
Ensemble 1
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours135

* MTC 402 (Senior Composition Recital) may be taken the semester immediately preceding MTC 401 Composition VII with departmental approval. Neither MTC 401 or 402 may be taken earlier than the 7th semester of study.

Mission

The mission of the Bachelor of Music in Composition program is to:

  • Provide students with a learning environment conducive to the pursuit, fostering, development, and exchange of ideas and information, particularly as it pertains to music composition and performance.
  • To provide student access to varied composition communities.
  • To continue to build upon the Frost School of Music's reputation as an innovative, forward-thinking, and first-rate center for advanced study.
  • To maintain the highest educational, professional, and ethical standards.

Goals

  • To provide students with training to be fluent in basic compositional skills.
  • To help students understand various directions that are available to composers in the 21st century.
  • To help students perform and realize their music.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will develop basic compositional skills of varying lengths and genres.
  • Students will have works performed in concerts, recitals, and reading sessions.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to compose for a variety of instruments