Music Composition

• Our faculty members are practicing composers, producers, and performers
• Our remarkably low student/teacher ratio ensures ongoing personal interaction with faculty
• Explore unique, interdisciplinary courses and honors classes

Create Your Own Music–And Your Own Ensemble

At Converse, students can create their own ensembles centered on their interests. Want to write a piece for flute, oboe, and xylophone and get it performed? Go for it–the sky’s the limit! You’ll earn ensemble credit while developing relationships with fellow student musicians who will be part of your musical network for life.

The Annual Pajama Concert

One of Converse’s beloved traditions is the annual Pajama Concert featuring Converse composers and friends. Student and faculty composers, performers and friends wear their favorite jammies for an evening of original music written and performed by Converse’s own. Many styles of music are represented from classical to electronica to singer/songwriter.

A Bachelor of Music (BM) in Composition emphasizes the creation of music. As a composition major, you will take private lessons in composition for all four years of your program, in which you will focus on developing aural and analytical skills, composition techniques, expanding your unique creative instincts, and discovering your own compositional voice. You will also develop self-knowledge, a historical understanding, and a better appreciation of your own creative voice. As a composition student, you will develop composition skills and gain an in-depth understanding of history, theory and literature.

In your senior year, you will present a recital of original works, and have the opportunity to present an Honors Thesis.

Sample Courses

• Composition Lessons
• Diverse Cultures and Their Music
• Principles of Harmony
• Counterpoint
• Electronic Music
• 20th-Century Idioms
• Piano Class
• Music History
• Fundamentals of Conducting

For full course requirements, see the academic catalog.

What are common careers in Composition?

• Freelance Composer
• FIlm and Video Composer
• Performer
• Conductor
• Music Teacher

What are Composition alumni doing?

Our alumni are consistently creating, performing and producing new music all over the world, composing in a multitude of genres and styles.