Composition
DMA
Why study Composition?
CCM’s Doctoral of Musical Arts in Composition (DMA) degree 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.
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 team-taught by composition faculty and faculty in other disciplines (dance, visual art, etc.).
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. The DMA in composition helps students acquire competence in the broad range of endeavors characteristic of composing through the following requirements:
- Private lessons
- Required courses in electronic music, music history, graduate research, and music electives in composition and other areas
- DMA Recital
- DMA Orals Presentation
- DMA Analytical Presentation
- DMA Dissertation
In addition, students in the DMA program will undergo a course of studies in a cognate area to be determined in consultation with faculty in both composition and the area of their chosen cognate.
Composition students at CCM enjoy a wide variety of performance opportunities ranging from small ensembles to readings and performances by large ensembles (orchestral, winds, chorus). CCM's composition students are also engaged in a number of activities outside the campus, such as performance in new music ensembles, participation in festivals and membership in professional societies. Support for these activities can be provided by the CCMpower fund. The CCM Center for Computer Music provides computer music studios and opportunities for composition, performance and research involving technology.
Composers of national and international renown visit CCM to teach, lecture and meet informally with students to discuss their own work and that of other composers. These visits sometimes coincide with performances of the composer's work by CCM ensembles or other ensembles in the greater Cincinnati area such as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Visits by guest composers add a valuable element to CCM's commitment to the creation, performance and recognition of new music. Guests have included such distinguished composers as John Adams, Timo Andres, Christopher Cerrone, Gabriela Lena Frank, Jennifer Higdon, Nathalie Joachim, Missy Mazzoli, Andrew Norman, Iris ter Schiphorst, Carl Vine, Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon, and many others.
CCM is a college within the University of Cincinnati, a major undergraduate university and graduate research institution of more than 50,000 students. The synergy created by housing CCM within a comprehensive public university gives the college its unique character and defines its objective: to educate and inspire the whole artist and scholar for positions on the world's stage.
Scholarships are available to qualified students.
Admission Requirements
CCM’s admission requirements vary by program. Please visit the CCM Admissions website for additional information. All programs require both the appropriate University application followed by a pre-screening submission via CCM's Acceptd website, which must be completed and uploaded by Dec. 1.
The successful composer brings talent, creative imagination, competency, theoretical and historical knowledge, desire and determination to achieve goals. The ability to work both alone and collaboratively is important. The university setting offers a myriad of educational opportunities in acoustic and electronic realms, as well as opportunities to interact with similarly talented students.
Graduates of CCM’s Composition, Musicology and Music Theory programs pursue careers as writers, researchers, analysts, scholars and creative professionals. CCM places great emphasis on merging the theoretical with the practical via biennial graduate student conferences, an in-house and student-run journal, residencies by leading composers and a robust lecture series featuring distinguished speakers, all of which give CCM graduates a competitive edge.
Described by The New York Times as "one of this country's leading conservatories," CCM offers students unparalleled opportunities to perform, learn and live in a thriving next-generation city known for its intense interest in the performing and media arts.
Nationally ranked and internationally renowned, CCM’s state-of-the-art facilities provide a highly creative and multidisciplinary artistic environment. The college serves as the largest single source of performing and media arts events in Ohio, and few schools can match the quality of its performing ensembles and theatrical productions.
CCM’s roster of eminent faculty offers professional training in all areas of the performing and media arts, including composition, musicology, theory, conducting, music education, opera, musical theatre, acting, technical arts for the stage, dance, arts administration and electronic media. Members of CCM’s faculty regularly receive distinguished honors for creative and scholarly work, and many maintain strong professional ties to the region’s leading arts entities.
Students will find an immensely competitive but mutually supportive and personalized “family” atmosphere. With its emphasis on experienced-based learning, CCM provides students with access to internship and performance opportunities with major organizations like the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and Cincinnati Ballet. Students also benefit from the fact that Cincinnati frequently hosts major media and performing arts events and is home to the newly renovated Music Hall, one of the nation’s most beautiful and revered performance centers.
Explore unique opportunities, faculty, and resources available in Composition, Musicology and Theory
CCM’s founding schools (the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and the College of Music of Cincinnati) were both charter members of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The requirements for entrance and graduation in all music programs are in accordance with the published regulations of NASM.
Contact Information
University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music
P.O. Box 210003
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0003
(513) 556-9478
ccmadmis@uc.edu
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Program Code: 16DOC-COMP-DMA