<p>My son is starting high school in September. He plays piano, sax, and guitar with an emphasis on jazz. He gets private instruction in sax and guitar. Both teachers work with him on composition and theory. He knows he wants to be a music major and is thinking of going on the direction of composition. He writes and records his own music, and according to his private teachers, has good knowledge of music theory. However, I suspect that writing music in your basement isn't enough to get into college as a composition major. We live in a small urban area in upstate New York - not close enough to NYC to take advantage of resources there. What can he do to be better prepared to get into college as a composition major?</p>
<p>One way to help you understand what will be required from your son when he starts to apply is to go ahead and look at requirements now. Pick a couple random colleges of varying degrees of selectivity - a conservatory, a state school, and a few others you might know by reputation. Pull up their applications online, and look at what they’re going to be asking for.</p>
<p>For example, Juilliard requires pre-screening – that means you have to “apply to apply”. Their prescreening requires two 5-minute contrasting excerpts of works composed within the past two years, along with recordings of the same 5-minute excerpt. Knowing that now helps you understand that composing in a variety of styles, as well as getting those compositions performed, are things you are going to want to see happening in the next few years.</p>
<p>I think some schools also require their composition students to audition on an instrument as well - not sure. Something to check.</p>
<p>One good way to help you be ready is to start looking for summer programs your son can attend. My son studied composition at Brevard in NC, so I can recommend that one. The advantages – he learned theory and software, along with composition. He had a teacher specifically reviewing and guiding his work. His time was focused and intense. He had an orchestra and/or solo/ensemble instrumentalists available to perform his works. He also “networked” with teachers and other students, learning about different colleges and teachers and career paths.</p>
<p>My son studied composition at Brevard as a minor – that is, he paid extra for it, in addition to his major instrument. So he did not do it as intensely as the majors. And yet the benefit to him was very great, and I imagine even more so for the majors. We went to one of the composition concerts - where the students showcased some of their pieces. My S also had the reading orchestra perform one of his orchestral works, and it was recorded on CD for him.</p>
<p>The opportunity to write for instruments other than the ones your son plays is an important one. If he can develop a relationship with the band and/or orchestra directors at his high school, perhaps they would be willing to perform his pieces in large ensemble or small.</p>
<p>Keep up his piano lessons, too. My S has often mentioned that having a piano background has put him ahead of so many “one-note at a time” instruments for both composition and theory.</p>