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Curriculum

BM, Music Theory and Composition: Concert Music

In Steinhardt’s unparalleled facilities, you’ll explore diverse musical traditions and work closely with our faculty of internationally recognized composers. You'll be deeply engaged in the performance of your works in a variety of different forums – in concerts and readings by NYU student groups as well as professional ensembles – and collaborate with musicians and performers in the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions and throughout New York City.

Core Course Sequence

Students in the Concert Composition specialization will complete a range of liberal arts core courses, and will also complete music core courses. Our music specialization courses, such as orchestration, conducting, and our Composer’s Forum course, allow students to work closely with our composition faculty. You'll learn how to use industry-standard music technology.

Sample Elective Courses

Students can take a variety of classes throughout the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions, collaborating with the programs in Music Business, Music Technology, Screen Scoring and Songwriting, and Instrumental and Vocal Performance, and may include MPAMB-UE 1320 Music Business Internship for 1-6 credits

Culminating Experience 

Students complete an undergraduate capstone course and project, working with a faculty mentor to coordinate and develop all aspects of the concert experience, including production, marketing, and programming. The realization of their composition culminates in a final public performance.

CourseTitleCredits
Liberal Arts Requirements 
Foreign Language 
Select four credits of a foreign language4
Expository Writing 
EXPOS-UA 1Writing as Inquiry4
ACE-UE 110Advanced Writing and Research4
Foundations of Contemporary Culture 
Texts and Ideas4
Cultures and Contexts4
Foundations of Scientific Inquiry 
Quantitative Reasoning/Mathematics4
Physical/Life Science/Societies and the Social Sciences4
Other Liberal Arts Requirements 
MPATC-UE 1067Music History I2
MPATC-UE 1068Music History II: Baroque & Classical2
MPATC-UE 1077Music History III2
Select 2 credits from the following, by advisement2
MPATC-UE 1123
Global Soundscapes: A Survey of Musical Traditions 
MPATC-UE 1048
Music History: Gender and Sexuality in Music 
MPATC-UE 1079
Music History: Music & Protest 
MPATC-UE 1086
Music of East and Southeast Asia, Past and Present 
MPATC-UE 1195
Songwriting History and Criticism: 14 Songs I 
MPATC-UE 1196
Songwriting History and Criticism: 14 Songs II 
MPAVP-UE 1351
Music Theatre Hist I 
MPAVP-UE 1352
Music Theatre Hist II 
MPATC-UE 1123
Global Soundscapes: A Survey of Musical Traditions 
MPAJZ-UE 1121
Jazz History 
MPATC-UE xxxx Music History: American Music
 
MPAJZ-UE 160x Jazz music history course by advisement
 
Unrestricted Liberal Arts Elective4
Specialization Requirements 
Required Music Courses 
MPATC-UE 1302Aural Skills I: Global Approaches to Music1
MPATC-UE 1321Aural Skills II: Tonal Harmony & Voice Leading1
MPATC-UE 1341Advanced Aural Skills: Chromatic Harmony1
MPATC-UE 1342Advanced Aural Skills: 20th and 21st Century1
MPATC-UE 1301Theory & Practice I: Global Approaches to Music 12
MPATC-UE 1311Theory & Practice II: Tonal Harmony & Voice Leading2
MPATC-UE 1331Advanced Theory & Practice: Chromatic Harmony & Form2
MPATC-UE 1332Advanced Theory & Practice: 20th and 21st Century Music2
MPAPE-UE 72Keyboard Skills I1
MPAPE-UE 73Keyboard Skills II1
MPATC-UE 1092Junior Experience1
MPATC-UE 1192Music Composition Undergraduate Capstone1
Music Composition Specialization Courses 
MPAPS-UE 1261Percussion Practicum for Composition2
MPATC-UE 1021Composition (Private Lessons) 224
MPATC-UE 1088Orchestration I3
MPAMB-UE 100Business Structure of The Music Industry 32
or MPATC-UE 1156Rights, Revenue & Relationships: Career-Building for Music Creators
or MPATC-UE 1157Music Copyright: Landmark Cases
MPATE-UE 1801Fundamentals of Music Technology2
Concert Music Concentration Courses 
MPATC-UE 101816th-Century Counterpoint2
or MPATC-UE 101918th-Century Counterpoint
MPATC-UE 1098Orchestration II3
MPATC-GE 2082Advanced Orchestration: Concert Music3
Seminar in Composition2
MPATC-UE 1424Composer’s Forum (8 semesters for 1 credit)1
Unrestricted Electives21
Additional Requirements 
SAHS-UE 1New Student Seminar0
Writing Proficiency Examination 
Total Credits128

Students are placed into this course through a placement exam.  Students who do not place into this course will first enroll in MPATC-UE 1300 Music Fundamentals. 

Students take this 3-credit course every semester for 8 semesters.

Students who take this 3 credit course will take one fewer elective credit.

Plan of Study Grid
1st Semester/TermCredits
MPATC-UE 1424Composer’s Forum1
MPATC-UE 1021Composition (Private Lessons)3
MPATC-UE 1301Theory & Practice I: Global Approaches to Music2
MPATC-UE 1302Aural Skills I: Global Approaches to Music1
MPAPE-UE 72Keyboard Skills I1
EXPOS-UA 1Writing as Inquiry4
MPATE-UE 1801Fundamentals of Music Technology2
MPATC-GE 2429Music Notation1
 Credits15
2nd Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424Composer’s Forum1
MPATC-UE 1021Composition (Private Lessons)3
MPATC-UE 1088Orchestration I3
MPATC-UE 1311Theory & Practice II: Tonal Harmony & Voice Leading2
MPATC-UE 1321Aural Skills II: Tonal Harmony & Voice Leading1
MPAPE-UE 73Keyboard Skills II1
ACE-UE 110Advanced Writing and Research4
MPAPS-UE 1261Percussion Practicum for Composition2
 Credits17
3rd Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424Composer’s Forum1
MPATC-UE 1021Composition (Private Lessons)3
MPATC-UE 1098Orchestration II3
MPATC-UE 1331Advanced Theory & Practice: Chromatic Harmony & Form2
MPATC-UE 1341Advanced Aural Skills: Chromatic Harmony1
MPATC-UE 1067Music History I2
Liberal Arts4
 Credits16
4th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424Composer’s Forum1
MPATC-UE 1021Composition (Private Lessons)3
MPATC-UE 1068Music History II: Baroque & Classical2
MPATC-UE 1332Advanced Theory & Practice: 20th and 21st Century Music2
MPATC-UE 1342Advanced Aural Skills: 20th and 21st Century1

MPATC-UE 1018
 

or MPATC-UE 1019

16th-Century Counterpoint
 

or 18th-Century Counterpoint
2
Liberal Arts course4
 Credits15
5th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424Composer’s Forum1
MPATC-UE 1021Composition (Private Lessons)3
MPATC-UE 1092Junior Experience1
MPATC-UE 1112Advanced Orchestration: Concert Music3
MPATC-UE 1077Music History III2
Liberal Arts4
Electives2
 Credits16
6th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424Composer’s Forum1
MPATC-UE 1021Composition (Private Lessons)3
MPATC-UE 1078Music History IV: Twentieth Century2
Seminar in Composition2
Liberal Arts4
Electives4
 Credits16
7th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1021Composition (Private Lessons)3
MPATC-UE 1424Composer’s Forum1
Seminar in Music Theory3
Liberal Arts Electives4

MPATC-UE 1156
 

or MPAMB-UE 100

Rights, Revenue & Relationships: Career-Building for Music Creators
 

or Business Structure of The Music Industry
2
Electives5
 Credits18
8th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1021Composition (Private Lessons)3
MPATC-UE 1424Composer’s Forum1
MPATC-UE 1192Music Composition Undergraduate Capstone1
Electives10
 Credits15
 Total Credits128

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