Bachelor’s or Master’s in Music Composition (BM or MM)
The Music Composition program challenges individual composers to hone their creative skills. Students will cultivate the ability to use all the building blocks of music to create a diverse portfolio of original works, gain necessary professional skills and explore a variety of musical styles as they develop their unique voices.
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Why ƽ
Accomplished Guest Composers
Each year, we bring in several distinguished and emerging composers to teach composition lessons and/or give presentations on their music.
Recognition in the Field
Our former students have also received recognition in the field, including awards such as the Guggenheim Fellowship, Aaron Copland Award and Rockefeller Foundation Artist Fellowship. Former students have also had their works performed by violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the American Composers Orchestra and the Louisville, Austin and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras.
Building Musical Organizations
ƽ graduates have created musical organizations such as Access Contemporary Music, Anaphora Ensemble, Chicago Composers Orchestra, Singers on New Ground and the Heisenberg Uncertainty Players.
“The Music Composition program is focused on challenging our students to realize their utmost potential as composers while encouraging them to explore and discover their own unique compositional voice. Our award-winning faculty are dedicated to giving students a comprehensive education that will prepare them for the professional life and business of being a composer.”
Kyong Mee Choi
Program Director of Composition Program and Music and Computing Program, ƽ.
Admission Info
Sample Courses
Career Opportunities
Admission Info
Location: Chicago Start Term: Fall, Spring
All portfolio materials are due by the time of your interview and must be submitted through Acceptd. Mailed submissions will not be accepted.
The Music Composition program uses a two step admissions process:
Step 1: Applicants must apply to ƽ. Once this application is complete, students will be emailed information about how to schedule an interview time for the Music Composition program.
Step 2: Applicants must create a profile on Acceptd and upload all required materials to that site by the date of their music composition interview. Applicants who do not meet this deadline will only be considered for admission at the discretion of the Music Composition faculty. A link for Acceptd will be available to you after you apply.
Undergraduates (BM)
Undergraduates should submit scores and, when possible, recordings for at least two (2) original works, preferably composed for different performance media (for instance, a violin and piano duo, woodwind trio or string quartet). One composition may be an electronic work. Neatness and legibility of scores will be considered. Scores and recordings MUST be uploaded to Acceptd. Recordings of performances are greatly preferred, although MIDI representations are acceptable.
Undergraduates are also required to submit two letters of recommendation by persons familiar with your work, a résumé including a complete list of compositions (include title, duration and instrumentation for each work) and a statement of your professional goals. All of these items MUST be uploaded to Acceptd - hard copies will not be accepted.
Graduates (MM)
Graduates should submit scores and, when possible, recordings for at least three (3) substantial original works, preferably composed for different performance media (for instance, a chamber ensemble work, choral piece or orchestra score). Up to two compositions may be electronic works. Neatness and legibility of scores will be considered. Scores and recordings MUST be uploaded to Acceptd. Recordings of performances are greatly preferred, although MIDI representations are acceptable.
Graduates are also required to submit two letters of recommendation by persons familiar with your work, a résumé including a complete list of compositions (include title, duration, and instrumentation for each work) and a statement of your professional goals. All of these items MUST be uploaded to Acceptd - hard copies will not be accepted.
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