Composition

Composition faculty member reviews a piece of sheet music with a student while sitting at a piano

The Composition program at CCM offers undergraduate and graduate degrees with a focus in providing students with the necessary training to successfully compose original music in acoustic or electro-acoustic mediums.

Core courses in the Composition major include private lessons, orchestration, counterpoint, introductory to advanced courses in electronic music, professional aspects of a composition career and changing special topics courses. The composition symposium is a forum for guest and departmental presentations.

In these courses and additional courses in other CCM departments, students in CCM’s Composition program study the various analytical and compositional procedures of music and gain knowledge of past musical styles as well as music of other cultures.

CCM's composition programs not only benefit composition majors, but also serve as a resource for all music students, enriching the already active musical atmosphere of the college. The prestigious Alexander Zemlinsky Prize for Composition also acts as a further resource for the conservatory, engaging international jury members and award recipients in the commissioning and performance of chamber and orchestral work at CCM.

The CCM Center for Computer Music contains studios/laboratories for computer music composition, research and performance equipped for exploring programming, interactive performance, virtual reality, internet performance and multimedia and multi-channel composition.


Faculty

Headshot of Michael D. Fiday

Michael D. Fiday

Professor of Composition

513-556-9499

Headshot of Mara M. Helmuth

Mara M. Helmuth

Professor of Composition

513-556-0807

Headshot of Carl Jacobson

Carl Jacobson

Adjunct Instructor of Composition

513-556-6046

Headshot of Douglas Knehans

Douglas Knehans

Norman Dinerstein Professor of Composition Scholar

513-556-9401

Headshot of Miguel A. Roig-Francoli

Miguel A. Roig-Francoli

Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music Theory and Composition

513-556-1821

Headshot of Felipe Tovar-Henao

Felipe Tovar-Henao

Charles Henry Turner Post-Doctoral Fellow

513-556-6046


Composition, Musicology and Theory Division Head and Staff

Headshot of Christopher Segall

Christopher Segall

Interim Division Head of Composition, Musicology, and Theory; Associate Professor of Music Theory

513-556-6251

Headshot of Darlene Y. Miller

Darlene Y. Miller

Executive Staff Assistant

513-556-6046

CCM's admissions process begins on August 1 (undergraduate) and September 1 (graduate) for entrance in the following year's fall semester. All application materials must be submitted on or before December 1 to be considered for specific scholarship awards. Visit the CCM Admissions website for additional application instructions.

Composition - BM, MM, DMA

Pre-screening

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

Pre-screening Requirements
  • Portfolio of three original works:
    • Undergraduate applicants: a recording of at least one of the submitted works (live recordings are preferred where possible)
    • Graduate applicants: recordings of at least two of the submitted works (live recordings are preferred where possible)
    • All applicants: documentation of the submitted works should include scores (in the case of works with instruments or voice) or alternate format (in the case of purely electronic music)
  • All applicants should submit a list of works composed
  • For applicants with electronic music experience, please submit a statement listing software used, a description of how it was used, and genres of interest.

Interview

Interviewees will be asked to discuss their background and interests, and demonstrate their musical knowledge.

The purpose of the undergraduate degree program in composition is to provide a structured course of study that will lay a foundation for possible graduate work in this field. Career opportunities as a professional composer often require studies beyond the bachelor's degree. The Bachelor of Music in composition takes four years to complete and courses include instruction in the following areas, among other electives and university requirements:

  • Private instruction in Composition
  • Theory and Musicianship
  • Music History
  • Ethnomusicology
  • Orchestration
  • Counterpoint
  • Composition Labs and Symposia
  • Electronic Music
  • Music Business

From the outset, students at CCM study with major teachers of their choice and are encouraged to study with multiple teachers during the course of their degree. Extensive work is done in CCM’s computer music studios. Interaction with student performers under professors’ guidance is offered in workshop courses. Multidisciplinary courses are occasionally team-taught by composition faculty and faculty in other disciplines (dance, visual art, etc.).

The master's program is designed to provide a comprehensive course of study in the composition of music in both acoustic and electro acoustic mediums. A candidate is expected to compile a portfolio of compositions in the course of their studies in the master's program, culminating in a solo composition recital given towards the end of their degree program. To accomplish these goals, a candidate will need to develop the requisite skills associated with the technique of musical composition as well as familiarize themselves with the literature and aesthetic issues pertaining to the field. In addition, students in the master's program will undergo a course of study in graduate level theory and history needed in the formation of a well-rounded musician.

The DMA program is designed to provide a comprehensive course of study in the composition of music at the advanced level in both acoustic and electro acoustic mediums. A candidate is expected to compile a portfolio of compositions in the course of their studies in the DMA program, culminating in a solo composition recital given towards the end of their degree program. To accomplish these goals, a candidate will need to develop the requisite skills associated with the technique of musical composition, as well as familiarize themselves with the literature and aesthetic issues pertaining to the field.

Students enrolled in a doctoral program at CCM are expected to demonstrate intellectual breadth through the completion of a significant program of study in a secondary field (cognate). 

Cognate in Music Composition

The cognate in Music Composition cognate requires a minimum of 9 credit hours of courses offered within the Composition Department (i.e. with the “COMP” prefix in the course number).

The core course requirement for the cognate is Composition Elective (COMP6030, 1 to 2 course units), which the student should take for at least two consecutive semesters. This course enables the student to compose their own music under the guidance of weekly lessons with one of our Graduate Assistants in Composition.

Beyond that, the student may take any other course within the Composition program, provided the course is at the graduate level (i.e. 6000 course number or above). Available courses for which the student may register include the following:

  • Composition Symposium (COMP6001, 1 course unit)
  • Advanced Orchestration (COMP6012, 3 c.u.)
  • Special Topics in Composition (COMP6011, 3 c.u.)
  • Composer/Performer Workshop (COMP6002, 1-3 c.u.)
  • Introductory courses in Electronic Music (Introduction to Electronic Music, Electronic Music Techniques (COMP6071, 6072, 3 c.u.)
  • Advanced courses in Electronic Music (Music Programming Projects, Interactive Music, Timbre Studies, COMP6077, 6076, 3 c.u.)
  • A variety of other courses available within the Composition program, such as Professional Aspects of a Composition Career, Shaping Time, Writing for Voice, etc.

Interested students first meet with a member of the Composition faculty to determine their interest and readiness to pursue a cognate in Composition. Once accepted, the student draws up a course plan in consultation with a member of the Composition faculty who acts as that student’s cognate advisor. After the student has completed their coursework in the cognate, they consult with their cognate advisor at least one semester before they take the DMA Orals Exam in their major to devise a focused course of study that will provide the basis for questioning during the cognate portion of the orals exam. The cognate advisor then questions the student on composition-related topics for 20 minutes during the cognate portion of the DMA Orals Exam. Once this requirement has been passed, the student has successfully completed the cognate.


Cognate in Musicology/Music History

The music history cognate will consist of three graduate-level MUHS topics courses or seminars (at least 9 semester hours at the 6000, 8000, or 9000 level). The student should consult with a musicology faculty member whose specialty is in an area of the student’s interest. If the faculty member agrees, they will become the student’s cognate advisor and will help the student draw up a suitable plan of study according to the following guidelines:

  • At least one of the courses must be an 8000- or 9000-level course.
  • Courses in ethnomusicology may be included if appropriate to the area of specialization
  • The following courses may not be used for cognate hours:
    • Any courses being used to fulfill the student’s degree requirement in music history
    • Any courses being used as substitution for a DMA document.

The cognate advisor will participate on the committee for the student's final oral examination. 


Cognate in Music Theory

The music theory cognate (12 credit hours) consists of three required courses (9 credit hours) and one graduate-level elective (3 credit hours). The cognate aims to provide students with a solid grounding in advanced tonal and post-tonal analysis, theory pedagogy and another practical/theoretical area depending on the student’s interest. Applicants will be interviewed by the cognate advisor (a member of the music theory faculty) to discuss their experience and interest in music theory. Approval will be granted to students with sufficient background and proficiency in analytical and/or theoretical studies in music at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.

Required Music Theory Cognate Courses (9 credit hours)

  • Pedagogy of Theory (THRY 7015) 3
  • Studies in Post-Tonal Analysis (THRY 8042) 3
  • Studies in Tonal Analysis (THRY 8041) 3

Cognate electives (3 credit hours)

Students may choose any one course from the following list of graduate-level courses:

  • Advanced Musicianship (THRY 6015)
  • 16th-Century Counterpoint (THRY 6001)
  • 18th-Century Counterpoint (THRY 6005)
  • Special Topics (THRY 6060)
  • Tonal Theory (THRY 7020)
  • Readings in Music Theory (THRY 7050)
  • Advanced Topics in Analysis (THRY 8001)
  • Set Theory 2 (THRY 8012)   
  • Schenkerian Analysis 2 (THRY 8016)
  • Introduction to Aesthetics (THRY 9001)
  • History of Theory 1: Antiquity to 1600 (THRY 9011)
  • History of Theory 2: 1600 to present (THRY 9012)
  • Rhythm and Meter (THRY 9050)
  • Seminar in Analysis (THRY 9082)
  • Seminar in Music Theory (THRY 9081)

Cognate in Ethnomusicology

Students enrolled in a doctoral program at CCM are expected to demonstrate intellectual breadth through the completion of a significant program of study in a secondary field (cognate). 

Requirements (9-15 credits)*:

  • 3 credits: Theory and Historiography in Ethnomusicology (required)
  • 1-3 credits: World Music Lab(s)
  • 3-6 credits: Electives in ethnomusicology or related discipline(s) in consultation with faculty advisor. 

* The following courses may not be used for cognate credits:

  1. Any courses being used to fulfill the student’s degree requirement in music history
  2. Any courses being used as substitution for a DMA thesis

The cognate advisor will participate on the committee for the student's final oral examination. 


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Event: January 24, 2025 12:00 AM

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