Music Composition Description

The NYU Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions offers B.M., M.M., and Ph.D. degrees in Music Composition.

Conceived as an eclectic program, a composition student may follow Traditional/General Composition studies, or specialize in Electronic and Computer Music Composition, Composition for Music Theater, or Composition for Film, Multimedia and Television.

Our students are actively involved in the scheduling and performance of their own works, in concerts and readings by NYU performance groups in residence, school performing ensembles, as well as chamber groups specially hired for specific composition concerts. There is a very active weekly meeting of our department's Composers Forum in which students have a great variety of activities: meeting and working with world-renowned composers and performers, preparing two student showcases per semester, and attending highlights in the New York City new music concert season.

During the summer, our students have the unique opportunity to participate in the cutting edge Music Technology Tonmeister Program in conjunction with the Summer Composer's Seminar. This outstanding project places each composer together with their own Tonmeister-trained recording engineer, and a professional chamber ensemble specifically hired to rehearse, present in concert and record (under the production direction of the Tonmeister engineer) the student's work. At the end of this class each student receives a fully edited and produced CD.

Insofar as our large department includes dance and theater programs, our composers have countless opportunities to collaborate with performers, dancers, actors, and multi media applications. Within the department there are very active collaborations with the Music Technology, Jazz Studies, and Instrumental and Vocal Performance Programs. In addition, we have a very active collaboration with musicians and other artists from New York City.

The composition faculty consists of internationally recognized composers. Many are recipients of prestigious awards and prizes: Prof. Justin Dello Joio is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and has regular performances and recordings of his works by major artists and ensembles. Prof. Mark Antonio Consoli is a winner of two Guggenheims and has a special collection of his compositions housed at the Lincoln Center Library. Prof. Robert Rowe, who worked at IRCAM in Paris with Pierre Boulez, is a much sought after composer of interactive computer music and has written two major books (M.I.T. Press) on electronic music. Prof. Joseph Church, the music director of “The Lion King” on Broadway, teaches students interested in composition for music theatre. Prof. Ron Sadoff has written scores for films that have won major awards including an Oscar.

Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions - 35 W. 4th Street, Suite 777 - New York, NY 10012 - (212) 998-5424