Courses

Our Composition curriculum is very strong, providing thorough training in compositional technique and classical acoustic composition at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.  Click on the following links to access a full list (as Word or pdf documents) of the curricula for undergraduate and graduate composers. 

Listed below are specialized courses, as well as courses which highlight the distinctive nature of the composition program. 

Specialized Graduate Coursework

Course Name	Frequency	Description
Stage Music Practicum (SMP) (MUS 617)	Every year or every other year	SMP is a course specifically designed for graduate composers in the MM Composition, Stage Music Emphasis degree program, although all Composition majors are welcome to enroll in the course.  Central to the course is the creation and performance of collaborative projects in the four core areas of the program's specializations: Opera, Musical Theater, Dance, and Drama.  Composers in the course are paired with collaborators in each of these disciplines, and together create new work for presentation to the class.  (3 cr., Required for MM Stage Music; elective for graduate composers.  Dept. consent required for non-Composition majors.)
Topics in Stage Music (MUS 555)	Every year	This course is an innovative series of three 5-week "mini-courses," each of which focuses on a particular topic of collaborative or theatrical composition.  Each 5-week course is 1 credit hour; composers may register for 1, 2, or 3 of these sessions as they are given in a semester.  The first, "pilot" offering of the course, "Opera Production for Composers," met for the first 5 weeks of the Spring 2006 semester.  In spring 2007, three mini-courses will meet: "Text-Setting" for Composers," the first mini-course, will be offered in January 2007.  (1 cr., elective)
Composition Seminar (MUS 629)	Every semester	This course, required of all BM and MM Composition majors and undegraduate composition minors (strongly recommended for DMA students), is a weekly meeting devoted to a.) the presentation of student work with critique and feedback; b.) a workshop devoted to practical business-of-composition matters such as career development; or c.) lecture-presentations by guest artists and composers.  (1 cr., required for BM and MM Composition majors and undergraduate composition minors)
Seminar in Music History and/or Theory Topics (MUS 720)	Every semester	A joint venture between the Theory-Composition and Musicology divisions of the School of Music, MUS 720 is a research-based seminar which considers specialized topics from either a theory- or history-based perspective.  The emphasis rotates from semester to semester.  The first semester of this new course, in fall 2005, was a theory-emphasis seminar, "Music of Stravinsky," taught by Dr. Simpson.  Spring 2006, history-emphasis, was "Sacred Music," taught by Dr. Weaver.  Fall 2006, again a theory-emphasis seminar, is "History of Theory," taught by Dr. Strunk.  Fall 2007's theory-emphasis topic will be "The Operas of Alban Berg," taught by Dr. Simpson.  (3 cr., elective for all graduate students: departmental consent required)
Introduction to the Analysis of 20th-century Music (MUS 633)	Every other year	Intended as an introduction to methods of pitch, rhythm, and formal analysis of post-tonal music of the 20th century, including close study of free atonal, dodecaphonic, and non-traditionally centric repertoire.  (3 cr., elective for graduate composition majors)
Pedagogy of Theory (MUS 713)	Every other year	Recommended for all graduate students who might consider a university teaching position, this course introduces students to typical methods of pedagogy for both written (concepts) and aural (skills) theory.  The class also presents an introduction to the variety of textbooks, electronic, and internet resources available.  Students perform class observations and give teaching presentations.  (3 cr., elective for graduate music majors).
Advanced Counterpoint (MUS 714)	Every other year	Double and triple counterpoint; contrapuntal writing from the 16th century to the present.  (3 cr., required of graduate composition majors).
Advanced Orchestration (MUS 717)	Every other year	A continuation of undergraduate orchestration, MUS 717 considers advanced scoring and instrumentation techniques, including an emphasis on extended techniques and contemporary orchestrational practices.  Study of wind ensemble and pit-band/theatrical scoring included, as well.  (3 cr., required of graduate composition majors; may be taken in lieu of MUS 324, Orchestration II, by entering graduate students showing a deficiency).

Click here to see a complete list of the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music's course offerings and course descriptions. 

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