Jonathan Newman, Associate Professor of Music
Ruebush Hall, Room 139, (540) 665-4630, jnewman2@su.edu

The Master of Music in Composition curriculum is designed to enhance the skills of the composer of serious art music.

Program Outcomes

Students completing the Master of Music in Composition degree will be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of and high-level skills related to music theory, analysis, research, and technology;
• Compose large-scale original instrumental and vocal music with an advanced level of craft; and
• Demonstrate creativity, maturity, and artistic self-possession.

Degree Requirements

The degree requirement is 31 credit hours and an overall grade point average of 3.0. Students must complete a minimum of four credits of CONR 694 Culminating Project , as the culminating project. The culminating project is to take the form of a large-scale original work of at least 10 minutes duration and is to be scored for a large ensemble such as orchestra, chamber orchestra, wind ensemble, soloist(s) and/or chorus with orchestra, etc. Any exceptions must be approved by the composition faculty. The score must be copied using Finale® or a similar quality computer music copy program. For presentation at the final jury, each copy of the score is to be accompanied by a concise, but thorough, descriptive analysis of the materials and formal structures utilized by the composer in the thesis piece.