Why study Composition?

Composing is the act of creating original music. It draws upon both intuitive and intellectual talents, challenging the student to write music of value to composers, performers and audiences. 

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.). 

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. 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.

The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

 

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

CCM Admissions Office
University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music
P.O.Box 210003
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0003
(513) 556-9479
ccmadmis@uc.edu

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Program Code: 16BAC-COMP-BM