UNC Greensboro Music Composition

Does anyone have any experience with UNC Greensboro’s music composition program? Do students move on to distinguished graduate programs after finishing their undergraduate studies there? Thank you!

I looked up the program, the faculty and the current or past students. I looked at a couple of student websites. The students certainly move on to distinguished grad programs (Princeton for one) and also attend some of the best summer programs with fellowships.

It looks strong in electronic/electroacoustic work as well as acoustic, and their website also touts a nice balance with liberal arts.

I was wondering about the fact that there are 25 composition students (undergrad and grad) and whether this means undergrads study with grad students, or how private lessons are otherwise arranged.

Admission to grad programs is very much dependent on portfolio, along with personal statement and letters of recommendation. So during the undergrad years a student would need to write and have performed and recorded 3-4 pieces worthy of inclusion in an application for grad school.

It would seem, from what I have seen, that students from all kinds of schools end up at prestigious grad programs. UNCG certainly has some grads who end up at great schools for further study.

One more thing: choosing a grad program will mean paying very close attention to the prevailing aesthetic at the school. For undergrad, on the other hand, the ideal (In my opinion) is an environment that is open to many aesthetics and student works that show a lot of diversity as a result.

Thank you for your feedback! I really appreciate it!! Do you have a child that is a music composition major?

It’s not a program one hears much about so I had to look it up. It sounds like a friendly active program, with opportunities to get one’s music performed, and involvement with different genres. It certainly wouldn’t be an obstacle to going on to top grad programs. Only two regular composition professors but they do bring in guest artists.

Is there a particular reason it’s on your radar? I’m assuming it’s in state? As @compmom said, the portfolio will be the most important part of applying for grad school - but networking will be helpful as well, which can be accomplished through summer programs, if not directly from one’s professors, as well as getting one’s work known outside the college during undergrad - all of which is possible no matter where one is attending.

What other programs are you looking at?

Thank you! Yes it is in state. Other program is Hartt. It is very costly though. He wants to end up working and living in Manhattan, so he has people telling him he needs to go to Hartt if he wants the connections in NY. He would like to go to NYU for grad school. They have a musical theatre composition graduate degree.

There’s no reason he couldn’t go to NYU for grad school coming from Greensboro. Yes, being close to NYC can be great if your son is the kind of person who will put himself out there and make connections. However, if he wants to compose musicals a program like Greensboro which encourages working across disciplines would be ideal for exploration as an undergrad. Your son’s goals may also change throughout his undergrad years. I’d worry more about what feels like a better fit now, than what he might want to do four years from now.

SUNY Purchase is relatively affordable and a wonderful program. Has he looked at that? How about UNC School of the Arts? Greensboro is fine though, just not many composition professors so, again, I would see how private study works at the undergrad level (is it with grad students?).

If you are in-state in NC, and maybe even would get financial aid at UNCG, it is a great option financially. (Many freestanding conservatories focus more on merit aid in the context of financial need; music schools within universities may give financial aid.)

Composers do have flexibility in terms of what degree to go after. Hart and Greensboro are both conservatory (music school) BM programs within universities. Has he considered a BA program? Some kids apply to both BM and BA and decide between the two in late senior year, after acceptances. In other words, keep options open.

I am sure you know this but a BA would usually be a general, academic music major, but often there is a composition strand in the major. Classes would be 1/4-1/2 music. For a BM, classes would be 2/3-3/4 music. But both cover theory, aural skills and musicianship; orchestration, music analysis, music history, musicology, ethnomusicology, composition, and technology/electronics.

Some BA programs offer private lessons and performance opportunities for composers. But if he does look into the BA route, make sure there are several chances/year for undergrad composers to get pieces played.

It can be argued that long term, it benefits composers to learn about art, literature, philosophy, history and so on. Does he have any academic interests?

Close to NY, Sarah Lawrence is a possibility. Bard is accessible by train and has both BM and BA: the BM students are required to do a double degree. IF a BA is a possibility, we can suggest more schools.

Financial aid is more likely at some of the BA programs versus freestanding conservatory, but it will vary how they stack up versus UNCG and Purchase in that regard.

Other BM programs may have aid. I mean, he could consider Oberlin, Lawrence or Ithaca, for instance, or countless other schools, if you would qualify for financial assistance.

Again, for grad school, he will need a portfolio. That’s it musically- plus recommendations, and a personal statement, but it really is about the music. He does not even have to have performances outside of school or an impressive resume if the music is good. But attending summer programs is a great help because students meet faculty and peers from various grad environments, and that can indeed help.

So I would check into UNCG’s system for private study for undergrad composers, and performance opportunities at any school he looks at. And think about Purchase, UNCSA, and BA programs as well as Greensboro!

Thank you spirit manager and comp mom for your feedback! I appreciate it very much!!