Composition
Undergraduate | Graduate
Faculty: Jack Boss, David Crumb (chair), Robert Kyr, Terry McQuilkin, Jeffrey Stolet

Composition Studies at the UO School of Music and Dance The programs offered by the Composition Department at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance are designed for students with a talent for and strong interest in composing music in a contemporary idiom. Students whose primary interest is in jazz, popular, or commercial music may find that choosing the Composition Major may not fulfill their needs.

Undergraduate composition studies normally begin in the sophomore year, after students have completed Music Theory I, Aural Skills I, and Keyboard Skills I. Those wishing to take Composition I are expected to have some original music properly notated to show to the composition faculty before being admitted to the composition program.

The School of Music and Dance offers degrees in composition at all levels: the Bachelor of Music in Composition (normally a four- to five-year program), the Master of Music in Composition (normally a two-year program), the Doctor of Philosophy, and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition (a three- to five-year program).

UNDERGRADUATE
Students wishing a broader education while majoring in music with a focus in composition should consider the Bachelor of Science or the Bachelor of Arts degrees.

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GRADUATE
A full range of graduate studies in composition is available through such programs as the master of music, doctor of musical arts, and doctor of philosophy degrees. The general purposes of these programs are to advance ability in composing artistic music, to provide guidance and facilities for composing, and to encourage opportunities for public performances of new works. Compositional studies are available in private sessions focused on individual interests and needs and in seminars and small classes in which composers meet to explore mutual concerns.

Several kinds of scholarships and teaching fellowships are available to graduate students in composition. The Ruth Lorraine Close Musical Fellows awards are especially addressed to composers. Each year several of these scholarships are awarded. Three professional composers, each with a substantial reputation, and an eminent composer of electronic music, comprise the composition faculty. Together they represent well a diversity of twentieth-century artistic styles.

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