Music (BA) - Music Composition Specialization
Program Mission
The mission of the Music Program is to guide students to various career options in music and to prepare them for entrance into graduate music study. Graduates of the program will have developed their musicianship and performance skills and acquired a knowledge of music as an art form.
Program Outcomes
- Graduates will offer solo performances at a technical level and repertoire breadth appropriate to the graduates’ musical emphasis.
- Graduates will experience diverse and multicultural music literature through performance, theoretical analysis, and historical synthesis.
- Graduates will have broad experience in music that represents participation in a variety of academic and performance venues.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Music Core | ||
| MUSC-1003 | Keyboard I | 1 |
| MUSC-1004 | Keyboard II | 1 |
| MUSC-1010 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUSC-1011 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| MUSC-1020 | Aural Skills I | 1 |
| MUSC-1021 | Aural Skills II | 1 |
| MUSC-2010 | Music Theory III | 3 |
| MUSC-2011 | Music Theory IV | 3 |
| MUSC-2020 | Aural Skills III | 1 |
| MUSC-2110 | Music Technology | 1 |
| MUSC-3201 | Introduction to Conducting | 1 |
| MUSC-4100 | Music History I: Antiquity to 1750 | 3 |
| MUSC-4110 | Music History Ii: 1750-1900 | 3 |
| MUSC-4120 | Music History III: After 1900 | 3 |
| MUSC-4997 | Senior Recital | 1 |
| MUSC-PIAPR | Piano Proficiency (P/F) | 0 |
| MUSC-COMP | Senior Comprehensive Exam (P/F) | 0 |
| MUSC-ATT6 | Concert Attendance 6 (Six semesters, P) | 0 |
| Applied Music | ||
| Four semesters (1 credit each of a major instrument.) | 4 | |
| Ensembles | ||
| Eight semesters (1 credit each) of participation in a major ensemble on the principal instrument. 1 | 8 | |
| Composition | ||
| MUSC-2001 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-2002 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-3001 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-3002 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-4001 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-4002 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-3003 | Orchestration/Arranging | 2 |
| MUSC-3004 | Seminar in Composition | 3 |
| MUSC-3005 | Countpoint | 2 |
| MUSC-4997 | Senior Recital 2 | 1 |
| Total Hours | 61 | |
- 1
Voice students are required to enroll in Schola Corvorum, St. Benedict Singers, or St. Scholastica Singers. Wind, brass, and percussion students are required to enroll in Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, or Orchestra. String students are required to enroll in Orchestra. Piano, organ, and guitar students can participate in the major ensemble of their choice.
- 2
Senior Recital can be met in any of the four following ways for students pursuing the composition specialization:
- A recital of original work with the option of a lecture/recital format.
- A recital consisting of two-thirds original composition and one-third performance on the primary instrument/voice.
- Five composition premiere performances on major concerts or recitals during the sophomore through senior years of study documented by score, program, and recording.
- One composition for orchestra or concert band and three composition premiere performances documented by score, program, and recording.
Suggested Sequence of Courses for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music with Specialization in Music Composition
| Freshman Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| MUSC-1010 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUSC-1020 | Aural Skills I | 1 |
| MUSC-1003 | Keyboard I | 1 |
| MUSC-1005 | Class Voice (or Applied Music) | 2 |
| Major Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSC-ATT1 | Concert Attendance 1 (P/NP) | 0 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| ENGL-1010 | English Composition | 3 |
| EXSC-1115 | Wellness for Life | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUSC-1011 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| MUSC-1021 | Aural Skills II | 1 |
| MUSC-1004 | Keyboard II | 1 |
| Applied Music | 2 | |
| Major Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSC-ATT2 | Concert Attendance 2 (P/NP) | 0 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Aesthetic Experience | 3 | |
| THEO-1100 | Introduction to Theology | 3 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| MUSC-2001 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-2010 | Music Theory III | 3 |
| MUSC-2020 | Aural Skills III | 1 |
| Applied Music | 1 | |
| Major Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSC-ATT3 | Concert Attendance 3 (P/NP) | 0 |
| PHYS-1200 | Acoustics (or other Natural World) | 4 |
| PHIL-2100 | Principles of Nature | 3 |
| Approved Fitness Activity course | 1 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 19 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUSC-2002 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-2011 | Music Theory IV | 3 |
| MUSC-2110 | Music Technology | 1 |
| Applied Music | 1 | |
| Major Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSC-ATT4 | Concert Attendance 4 (P/NP) | 0 |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Philosophical Inquiry | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| MUSC-3001 | Music Composition | 2 |
| Select one of the following: | 2 | |
| Countpoint (Even) | ||
| Seminar in Composition (Odd) | ||
| MUSC-4100 | Music History I: Antiquity to 1750 | 3 |
| Major Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSC-ATT5 | Concert Attendance 5 (P/NP) | 0 |
| Faith Foundation | 3 | |
| Western Perspective | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUSC-3002 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-3201 | Introduction to Conducting | 1 |
| MUSC-4110 | Music History Ii: 1750-1900 | 3 |
| Major Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSC-ATT6 | Concert Attendance 6 (P/NP) | 0 |
| MUSC-PIAPR | Piano Proficiency (P/NP) | 0 |
| Faith Foundation | 3 | |
| Person & Community | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Seminar in Composition (Odd) | ||
| Countpoint (Even) | ||
| MUSC-3201 | Introduction to Conducting | 1 |
| MUSC-4001 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-4120 | Music History III: After 1900 | 3 |
| Major Ensemble | 1 | |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 3 | |
| Upper-division Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| MUSC-3003 | Orchestration/Arranging | 2 |
| MUSC-4002 | Music Composition | 2 |
| MUSC-4997 | Senior Recital | 1 |
| Major Ensemble | 1 | |
| MUSC-COMP | Senior Comprehensive Exam (P/NP) | 0 |
| Philosophical Inquiry | 3 | |
| Understanding the Natural World | 3 | |
| Upper-division Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 134 | |