Music Composition Resume'

College Majors Music Major
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<p>As D prepares for college application season next fall, she is working on her resume' to give to teachers who have agreed to write LORs for her. She has completed her "academic" resume, but we decided that she should also have a separate music resume' prepared. Her viola teacher only has experience with performance resumes, not Composition. I searched on here for ideas, and D also found good tips online from NEC's Career Center, although they are intended for older, more experienced musician graduates.</p>

<p>So far, the sections she has are:
Education (including summer programs)
Compositions
Works Performed
Commissions
Other Musical Experience
Honors/Awards</p>

<p>What is not clear to either of us is how to list things in the "Other" category - she plays the viola, and would audition on that when an audition is required for Composition, but also has taken many years of piano (but not in hs), and has also taken guitar lessons at CCM. In addition, she has played vibraphone and synthesizer in the marching band. Since her resume' needs to be tailored to Composition, how much information should she give, particularly about the viola? Would she include MEA ratings? Orchestra chair? Would she include info about awards/honors her orchestra and marching band have won? How about including performance venues? I'm not sure how much any of that matters when she is not planning a performance major, but I assume that would speak to the level of the orchestras and band. Also, would she need to include a repertoire list of pieces performed at recitals and competitions, in addition to what she has performed with the orchestra, since she is not applying as a performance major?</p>

<p>I know that is a ton of questions. We would appreciate any guidance you can offer!</p>

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<p>My feeling about the Other Musical Experience/instrumental portion of the resume:</p>

<p>It’s fine to list all the instruments she plays, and the different ensembles she’s been involved in.</p>

<p>I would not include MEA ratings, but would include if she’s principal of her section (otherwise not.) If she’s won major competitions on her instrument, then I would mention it, otherwise, not. No awards about the orchestra and marching band, unless they’re national or international awards. No performance venues, unless they are particularly striking and invitational, rather than ones where there is a high school group that rents Carnegie Hall…</p>

<p>Under education, you’ll want to list who she’s studied with. Does she have a composition teacher or only her viola teacher? Who will be writing her LoR for composition? She will need one, occasionally two, music references.</p>

<p>Commissions could also, and probably will, be listed in the same section as the Compositions - with a line about the commissioner and performance, if there was one. Works performed can be rolled into the same section - after the pieces listed, she would list where they’re performed. Check out some websites of composers and look at their ‘works’ page - you can get some tips from their format.</p>

<p>Btw. if she doesn’t yet have a composition teacher, I would recommend getting one right away. It will be very helpful over the next year as she grows as a composer, as well as preparing for her applications and interviews, and portfolio.</p>

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<p>These were headings on my daughter’s resume near the end of high school:
Music resume:</p>

<p>Education
(high school- I forget if this was on the version at that time)</p>

<p>Composition Studies
(included private study, classes/seminars, including conservatory prep, summer programs)</p>

<p>Performances of Compositions
(included title, instruments/musicians, venue, commission if any; a first version listed all compositions with asterisk next to those performed; a second version only had those performed.)</p>

<p>Composition Awards</p>

<p>Then separate sections for Theory, Music History, Classical guitar, Clarinet, Choral, and Piano. These included teachers for lessons/classes, level, and in the case of guitar, a brief list of some repertoire</p>

<p>“Other” might include working in a school program as an intern, volunteering at a festival, that kind of thing.</p>

<p>In your daughter’s case, there are a few options. A section on Viola (w/info on orchestra, and marching band) and then an “other” section with info on guitar, piano, vibraphone and synthesizer? Or a section on orchestra (viola), a section on marching band (viola, vibraphone and synthesizer), and then “other” with guitar and piano?</p>

<p>I am sure schools appreciate experiences in music that are diverse and contribute to a “holistic” feel for music, especially for a composer. Getting across the caliber of her playing, and of the orchestra and band, would be more important, I would think, than venue or any info on repertoire, but sometimes, depending on the format, that info can be included elegantly (!) in the same way performance and commissions can be fit into the list of compositions as described above.</p>

<p>There is no one right way. The instrumental experience is relevant because it shows discipline, dedication and “passion.” But you are right that composition is a priority. Play around with it and see what works visually and spatially.</p>

<p>Letters of recommendation from teachers are of course very important. Have her pieces been played by good musicians, meaning does she have some nice recordings as yet? Good luck to her with all of this and hope this helps a little :)</p>

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<p>Thanks so much! Your responses were very helpful. Good to know that there is no one “right” way to set up a music resume’. </p>

<p>She wavered for several months, saying she was not going to pursue Composition as a major, but continue with it as a hobby, so I thought the pressure was off for college applications/auditions… and then she took AP Music Theory, which she LOVED, and she started getting requests by directors to use her compositions, which has led to commissions from others. Fortunately, that has put her in a good situation, so that she has several professional recordings to submit, between those and summer programs, AND has also made her more certain about pursuing composition. She is still debating whether she will pursue more of a film scoring path, or “straight” composition. After meeting with the head of Composition at Frost SoM, I think he pretty well convinced her that film scoring was probably not the direction she would want to go…but who knows?!</p>

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<p>I believe film scoring is best studied in grad school. For undergrad it will limit her choices to a narrow group. However, she might want to look at schools which also have a strong film department (like USC, FSU or NYU) where she could meet budding filmmakers and perhaps work on their student films. NYU does offer scoring for undergrads, I believe. One of the few. It’s not just the big universities which have engaged film students. Liberal arts schools like Oberlin, Bard and Wesleyan also have strong film programs.</p>

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<p>What kinds of programs is she applying to? I mean, BA or BM or double major, college or conservatory or music school?</p>

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<p>Hi Compmom! She definitely wants a college setting…and our biggest challenge is that she is being very picky about colleges based on setting/experience/location, rather than wanting to base her choice on a composition major. Until a few months ago, she was completely set on attending Belmont as a Music Business (songwriting) major and I almost thought she could be “one and done.” She loved the Nashville setting. Now that she is back to thinking composition, she is not sure that Belmont is the best fit for that major. She is not interested in UNT, Oberlin, or USC. She probably would like NYU, but I just don’t see that working for us financially, knowing our EFC and their reputation for not giving much $. She did love UMiami and IU, so they’re on her list. Considering looking more at Michigan, and based on SpiritManager’s advice, perhaps she should be looking at FSU as well. Excellent grades in AP and Honors classes, but test scores are not as stellar (putting her in range for the middle 50% of a school like Miami, but certainly not in range for a school like Yale), which makes it hard to know what direction to go, as many colleges do require academic admission prior to the music admission.</p>

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<p>Sorry! My computer crashed and has been in the shop. I sometimes recommend a book entitled “Creative Colleges” that I bought online a few years ago, which lists schools with good music programs.</p>

<p>For composition there are many, many possibilities and she may be right in looking into location, experience, vibe, that kind of thing. Has she looked into curriculum and courses at various schools? Has she looked at faculty and listened to their music? Or performance opportunities?</p>

<p>She will need to decide on BM versus BA at some schools. Some have double degree programs too. I don’t know if I sent this to you: it might be helpful.
[Double</a> Degrees | Peabody Conservatory](<a href=“http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html]Double”>http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html)</p>

<p>Composition can be studied thoroughly in most college general music majors, for a BA. Colleges will vary in the number of classes required within the music major (my daughter chose a college where her major is more than 50% music, even though it is for a BA). Generally BM’s will be 2/3-3/4 music, and BA’s will be 1/4-1/3 music. Check distribution requirements as well. Some schools are quite free in terms of course choices, while others have extensive “gen eds.”</p>

<p>There really are a lot of schools for her. And her music accomplishments may mean she can shoot higher that she might otherwise expect with middling scores (if I understand you, or maybe they are quite good but not perfect!). Feel free to PM me.</p>

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<p>I have a question very loosely related to resumes. We spent some time working on “the spreadsheet” today, filling in dates, figuring out what each school required for auditions, etc. Most music schools understandably want music teacher LORs in addition to the regular LORs that may be sent with the CA. Some specify only one, some say two…but if the student has multiple teachers, how do they choose which teachers to use? Better to use the private instrument teacher (longer relationship, but D’s not planning a performance major), the composition teacher (knows less well than the other teachers, but perhaps lends prestige?), the orchestra teacher who has gone above and beyond for D for the past 3 yrs and we know writes incredible LORS, or the AP Music Theory teacher who is also the marching band director and knows D well?</p>

<p>I’m presuming that like the CA, if the SOM gives a number of recs that they want to see, then submitting beyond that is overkill?</p>

<p>D also has asked both the Honors Precalc teacher and the AP English teacher to write LORs for her to go along with the regular application…but should she switch one of those to a music teacher? Common wisdom seems to be to go with two core subject teachers, but perhaps that doesn’t apply to a music major?</p>

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<p>My feeling is if she’s applying for composition, then at least one of the LORs for the composition program should be from the composition teacher. If she’s applying to a regular university/college rather than a conservatory - this will be in addition to the two academic subject LORs which are required. Math and English are perfect for that.</p>

11

<p>S (audio production) included one academic letter and one from a professional mentor.</p>

<p>D2 (nonmusic major but active in music in college) included two academic letters and one from her long-time viola teacher, who knows her very well</p>

<p>D3 (music major) included one academic letter (plus another from the HS music teacher in cases where they wanted two from the school) and letters from both her major and minor instrument teachers. She applied to both universities and conservatories, and made sure to follow their directions carefully, never submitting more than one “extra” letter.</p>

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<p>Collegefortwins - My son was in a similar position to your daughter in that his composition teacher did not know him as well as his instrumental teachers or his high school music teachers. However, since he was applying to composition programs, in all cases, his composition teacher provided the LOR. Depending on the requirements of the school he was applying to, he would sometimes add a letter from his high school music teacher or one of his non-music teachers.</p>

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<p>FYI: If she has excellent grades + APs, I’d definitely focus on getting the SAT and/or ACT as high as possible, because that combination can result in some serious merit scholarships from Miami. And those are awarded separately from music talent scholarships, so she could get both.</p>

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<p>Thanks all for advice! </p>

<p>RoKr, after 3 ACT tests (and private tutoring, after which her score DROPPED one point!), she has a 29 on the ACT, and I’m thinking that’s as good as she is going to get. I’m thinking not quite high enough for merit from Miami. :frowning: She took the SAT last week, just to see if maybe that was a better test, especially since it does not include science. However, her PSAT came in pretty much in line with the ACT scores, so kind of doubt it. She does have a nice GPA, including APs with good scores, so hopefully that will help…</p>