<p>We are just starting the process of looking at colleges. My D (sophomore) is interested in composition. She plays piano and flute - she has talent but is far from a prodigy. I'm looking for school recommendations (no conservatories) for composition. Also, I'd like advice in terms of auditions. How good do they have to be, particularly in they will not major in performance? Thanks for any insight.</p>
<p>Has your daughter had any experience so far with composition/music theory?</p>
<p>Artfulmom, welcome. nycm is correct in that the more detail you can provide as to your D's composition background, composer styles she admires, summer experiences, formal training the easier it is for posters to recommend some programs that might work.</p>
<p>In the interim, if you use the search function, use composition as your keyword, and choose the "search thread titles" button, you'll see the prior threads on this subject.</p>
<p>I'm curious, why isn't your daughter looking at conservatories? There are a range of conservatory environments, from free-standing, to part of a college or university (on the main campus or separate),to cross-registration with nearby colleges or universities, and so on. Would your daughter be pursuing a BA or BM degree?</p>
<p>Applying to a college or university for composition will mean doing the usual application plus an optional mailing of score or CD, maybe a list of compositions so far, concert programs, maybe a music resume, music letters of recommendations...separate from the main application. It is us to you, there are no rules. Our daughter only sent one score/CD, mainly out of courtesy, not wanting to overwhelm admissions.</p>
<p>Applying to a conservatory, our daughter had to submit a portfolio of up to 4 scores with CD's. The CD's were all of pieces played by professional musicians. In one case we hired the musicians, in two cases they were provided, and in one case our daughter received a commission. In any case, many schools won't accept a midi recording or Finale or whatever. One school requires at least one hand-written score.</p>
<p>The submission of the portfolios with applications was due 12/1. In late Feb. and early March this was followed by visits to the schools for "auditions," which, in composition, meant 3 hour exams, interviews (4 in a row at one school), and/or overnight composition exercises.</p>
<p>I believe that, at most colleges/universities there would be no audition, or music interview, unless it is a Bachelor of Music program.</p>
<p>Many colleges do have composition strands within the music major. People do go on to graduate school from colleges, to do the MM or MA for composition. It can be a difficult conflict for kids, whether to do conservatory or college. The Peabody Institute site has a great piece of writing on this topic.</p>
<p>No, other than some very basic things she has done on her own.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tips. My D has been studying piano privately for 8 years, and playing flute in the school band for 6 years. She has worked her way up to first chair in the second year high school band. She has always enjoyed music but frankly I was surprised when she mentioned wanting to be a music major. In the few minutes I've spent on this site, I can see how incredibly naive we both are on the topic. Her education in terms of theory is extremely lacking and she has not expressed a strong interest in any composers. She has dabbled in compositions on a very basic level on her own.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice. This is all a bit overwhelming. I wouldn't consider the conservatory route because my D is not a prodigy. She is a well-rounded 15 year-old. While she has probably has above average talent, I don't think she is on the scale (pardon the pun) with some truly serious young musicians. She does not spend hours practicing every day. Are we totally off base here? Should she have completed major compositions at this point to even consider this route?</p>
<p>This may be slightly tangential to the OP's original question, but it's how I've been thinking about it lately (my musician child is a junior this year and does not yet definitively know what kind of school she want to go to, by the way).</p>
<p>Your daughter has 4 years available to do something that will make sense for her future. If she can imagine a future in which she is making a living playing music/teaching music/composing, etc. then a conservatory may be the appropriate place for her, regardless of her accomplishments as a high school sophomore in comparison to 'prodigies'. There are conservatories at many different levels; not all are filled with prodigies.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if she doesn't see herself making a life in music, then the conservatory route is probably not a good choice. A B.A. with a music major, minor, or concentration can be a perfectly reasonable choice for someone who wants to explore an interest in composition, but will probably make a living doing something else. Certainly, you're no worse off than you would be with a concentration in just about any other liberal art.</p>
<p>Anyway, you have time to explore! Summer is around the corner; any music/composition programs or options in the offing for your daughter?</p>
<p>My school, the University of Chicago, has a very good music department, and a great composition faculty. The department is small, but quite excellent and is regularly ranked first or second in the country (trading off with Harvard). There are also a number of excellent composers working in Chicago at the moment - Osvaldo Goljiov comes to mind - who your daughter could try to get lessons from if she were to attend UChicago, and the university would help pay for the lessons. At the University itself, we have John Eaton, Shulamit Ran, Easley Blackwood, Marta Ptaszynska, and Kotoka Suzuki teaching composition. We also have wonderful music theory, ethnomusicology, and music history faculty, as well as a number of solid performing groups, and three great ensembles in residence (the Pacifica Quartet, Eighth Blackbird, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra). We also have Center for Italian Opera Study led by the great music historian, Philip Gosset, who's on faculty here. </p>
<p>Let me know if you have any questions about the University or music department.</p>
<p>Artfulmom---you might want to consider a reputable summer program next
year. The audition experience, the prep time, and the actual summer program
might help your daughter get a feel for where her skill level needs to be. Plenty of students in the visual and performing arts make up their minds whether or not they are cut out for their feild of interest during summer programs.</p>
<p>Artfulmom, now is a much better time for your daughter to decide she might be interested in studying music at the college level than August, just as senior year is beginning, as my daughter did! </p>
<p>I would encourage you to try to find someone to tutor your daughter in composition this summer and, as someone said above, to start looking for a summer program for summer of 2009. I would also suggest she consider whether she would prefer to audition on flute or piano, should she decide she wants to do an audition based admission. Then consider whether she needs to have a new private teacher to prepare for the audition. </p>
<p>My own dd and I were quite naive and unprepared for the audition process when she decided that, yes, she wanted to study music in college, if she could find somewhere that would accept that she is first and foremost interested in folk fiddle and jazz violin rather than classical performance. She was entering her senior year, and was suddenly thrust into preparing for a classical audition in addition to doing all her college apps. She is now finishing her first year at a school that is not one of the biggest name conservatories, but is a solid program in a state school of music. She chose this particular school for a teacher that understands her ultimate goal and a BM degree path that will support her interests. It's not a totally perfect fit, but good enough. </p>
<p>I guess my point is that if your daughter is talented, even though the talent is undeveloped, you still have a good year for her to get involved with music at a more serious level and to "try on" the idea of a potential music major to see if it fits.</p>
<p>Our daughter wasn't doing anything really as a sophomore, in terms of composing. She was taking a very basic theory class at our small, poor quality public school, which led to some piano lessons w/ a theory/composition slant. (She also had played clarinet and guitar for a long time, but not at all conservatory level)</p>
<p>Due to her budding interest in composition, we did make some calls, based on references from the piano teacher, and found a mentor who had a lot of resources (the mentor is a college music prof.) So, in ONE year, she learned a lot about composing from this man, and he found ways to have her music played.</p>
<p>In the last 2 years of high school she did take a theory class on Saturdays.</p>
<p>We were advised by these teachers to get things played and taped, and we were grateful for this advice once the application process started, because she already had 3 good tapes, and them made a last one in Jan. of her senior year, when a quartet played it.</p>
<p>So, your daughter is ahead of ours at this point, in terms of time, if you want to put it that way. Our daughter is not a prodigy, but found something she really loved to do, and feels lucky.</p>
<p>The whole college versus conservatory decision can be hard. I was just trying to describe the process involved in applying, ahead of time, because noone told us!</p>
<p>During high school, anything can happen, I think. The theater kid can all of a sudden do music, the athlete stars in the musical, subtle talents blossom unexpectedly, and it is a wonderful thing, that we don't have to do anything about except facilitate when it happens!</p>
<p>err-- when did Osvaldo Golijov move to Chicago?</p>
<p>I dunno but he's in residence with the Chicago Symphony, so he probably spends a fair amount of time in Chicago. I also think I read the other day that he gives classes at some school in Chicago... although I can't recall which one.</p>
<p>Hey there !</p>
<p>I am a professional musician…in Nashville, TN. I graduated from Belmont with a BA in Music Performance. I have composed for solo guitar, done studio work, touring, etc…etc.(as I know none of that is relevant in Graduate level studies)…but, I also did some stuff with the New Music Ensemble while attending Belmont (three years to be exact)…but, it’s been some time since my formal study of Analysis, High level Theory, Composing for Ensembles, etc…</p>
<p>What should I know about what the Universities are expecting from me as I attempt to enter their Graduate Level Music Composition Studies…?</p>
<p>James, I have nothing concrete to offer other than to suggest a thorough and complete reading of each institutions grad level admissions parameters. There is quite a variation of expectations and requirements. A STRONG background and knowledge of theory, analysis is required (as typically are excellent grades in ug coursework in those areas, so if you’re at all rusty or unsure, I would self study or engage a tutor, possibly a refresher of some sorts.</p>
<p>Your body of work will be an important factor, and there may be a wide variety of options in what would constitute an “acceptable” cross section from a submissions standpoint. In some cases, you may find the GRE’s are a requirement even for MM candidates; again school specific criteria, so checking is vital.</p>
<p>I assume you’ll be investigating programs based on the faculty, their styles and body of work to find “like minds” based on the path and genres you wish to pursue.</p>
<p>The prior titled threads on grad level composition from this forum:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/633795-college-grad-seeks-music-composition-conservatory.html?highlight=composition[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/633795-college-grad-seeks-music-composition-conservatory.html?highlight=composition</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/530787-grad-schools-composition.html?highlight=composition[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/530787-grad-schools-composition.html?highlight=composition</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/412698-mm-music-composition-where-go-info-about-schools.html?highlight=composition[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/412698-mm-music-composition-where-go-info-about-schools.html?highlight=composition</a></p>
<p>You may find other general or specific info by doing a title search for “composition”, and displaying the results as threads (not posts). From memory, you may also want to search for past threads by compclub, MahlerSnob and WindCloudUltra, as I seem to recall they were all planning on a MM comp path.</p>
<p>My son has a peer that recently got his MM in comp from Yale, and although his background was choral and classical composition if you feel it might help, pm me and I’ll give you a link to his website. </p>
<p>I also suggest you pick the brain of your performance peer and alumni/undergrad faculty network, as these are people that know your styles , strengths, and potential areas of weakness that may preclude you from considering certain programs.</p>
<p>Again, nothing concrete but it might help get you started.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the thoughtful and insightful response.</p>
<p>You’ve helped me out considerably.</p>
<p>I am very interested in the website of the individual that graduated from Yale. Though I am certainly not qualified to go to such a school, I am very interested to see what he/she is doing musically and if the website has any relevant information.</p>
<p>Thanks again !</p>
<p>-jS</p>
<p>James, I sent you a pm.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if this is the right forum to post my question but I do it anyway. I’m from Austria (a little country in Europe), 17 years old and I desire to become a music composer. At the moment I’m attending a high-school in austria with a major in music. I’m playing the piano for 10 years already, I have the perfect pitch and I believe that music composition (with major in film music) would be exactly what I’ve ever dreamed about and what I am looking for. I’ve created some music pieces already but I did not consider the composing roles. The reason why I’d prefer studying in the USA or Canada is firstly because it’s said that the education is much better there and that there are a lot of Musicans and producers to work togetter with and also because I can improve in speaking English.</p>
<p>As I am not of the USA I certainly don’t know anything about the education systems and I also don’t know anything about colleges because we have none in Austria. and a additional reason why I want to do it in America is because I feel that there are more possibilities.</p>
<p>There are quite a lot Universities in Austria that provide music composition as a subject matter but there are always such difficult qualifying examinations that requires much more than in my school is teached. Are the qualifying examinations in the USA or Canada different? I heard somewhere that it would be different. So that there is an Interview instead of an examination. Is this true?</p>
<p>I hope you’re able to understand me because English is not my native language and maybe you could give me advice on</p>
<p>Which school would be the best to study (film) music composition
How is the qualifying examination how to prepare for it and maybe you could also post the link to the specific university/collage.</p>
<p>I say thank you in advance thousand times and also for reading this. Best Regards Andy</p>
<p>I am not sure If this is the right place to post my question but it is similar to the one on top.</p>
<p>I am from Austria, (a country In Europe) and I am searching for a college, or University or similar institutes with a major in music composing specifical film music composing. Currently I am attending a high school in Austria with major in Music and I have some expieriences with producing and composing my own music and I already made up my own compositions which are, however, very unprofessionel. Moreover I have the active perfect pitch and I am playing the piano for more than 10 years already. Maybe I’m not got with playing fast and difficult pieces but I have the ability to play everything with a lot of emotions and with a lot of fantasy and to improvise and creating Ideas.</p>
<p>I already looked for several universities in austria that provide this subject matter. There are quite a few but firstly there is always a really difficult qualifying examination which is extremely hard to pass secondly the american and Canadian way of education is much better so they built on your skills, as it is said in Austria, and there would not be a qualifying examination but rather an interview. Is this true?. I am afraid of hard examinations because I know that composing soundtracks is exactly what I desire to do later but in austria you have to be some kind of music composer otherwhise there is no chance on passing the examinations. </p>
<p>I say thank you for reading this and maybe you could be so kind to give me some advise on how the examination is and maybe the differents between doing it at a college and a university and maybe some colleges that provide exactly this education programs.</p>
<p>Thank you in advance already
yours faithfully</p>
<p>Andy H.</p>