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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. 

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.

Course Title Credits
Liberal Arts Requirements
Foreign Language
Select four credits of a foreign language4
Expository Writing
EXPOS-UA 1Writing as Inquiry4
ACE-UE 110Advanced College Essay: Educ & The Professions4
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 one additional Music History course by advisement2
Unrestricted Liberal Arts Elective
Select four credits of Unrestricted Liberal Arts Electives4
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: Post Tonal and Extended Chromaticism1
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: Post Tonal and Contemporary 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 Industry2
or MPATC-UE 1156 Rights, Revenue & Relationships: Career-Building for Music Creators
MPATE-UE 1801Fundamentals of Music Technology2
Concert Music Concentration Courses
MPATC-UE 101816th-Century Counterpoint2
or MPATC-UE 1019 18th-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)8
Unrestricted Electives
Select 21 Unrestricted Elective credits21
Additional Requirements
SAHS-UE 1New Student Seminar0
Writing Proficiency Examination
Total Credits128
1

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. 

2

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

Plan of Study Grid
1st Semester/TermCredits
MPATC-UE 1424 Composer’s Forum 1
MPATC-UE 1021 Composition (Private Lessons) 3
MPATC-UE 1301 Theory & Practice I: Global Approaches to Music 2
MPATC-UE 1302 Aural Skills I: Global Approaches to Music 1
MPAPE-UE 72 Keyboard Skills I 1
EXPOS-UA 1 Writing as Inquiry 4
MPATE-UE 1801 Fundamentals of Music Technology 2
MPATC-GE 2429 Music Notation 1
 Credits15
2nd Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424 Composer’s Forum 1
MPATC-UE 1021 Composition (Private Lessons) 3
MPATC-UE 1088 Orchestration I 3
MPATC-UE 1311 Theory & Practice II: Tonal Harmony & Voice Leading 2
MPATC-UE 1321 Aural Skills II: Tonal Harmony & Voice Leading 1
MPAPE-UE 73 Keyboard Skills II 1
ACE-UE 110 Advanced College Essay: Educ & The Professions 4
MPAPS-UE 1261 Percussion Practicum for Composition 2
 Credits17
3rd Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424 Composer’s Forum 1
MPATC-UE 1021 Composition (Private Lessons) 3
MPATC-UE 1098 Orchestration II 3
MPATC-UE 1331 Advanced Theory & Practice: Chromatic Harmony & Form 2
MPATC-UE 1341 Advanced Aural Skills: Chromatic Harmony 1
MPATC-UE 1067 Music History I 2
Liberal Arts 4
 Credits16
4th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424 Composer’s Forum 1
MPATC-UE 1021 Composition (Private Lessons) 3
MPATC-UE 1068 Music History II: Baroque & Classical 2
MPATC-UE 1332 Advanced Theory & Practice: Post Tonal and Contemporary Music 2
MPATC-UE 1342 Advanced Aural Skills: Post Tonal and Extended Chromaticism 1
MPATC-UE 1018
or MPATC-UE 1019
16th-Century Counterpoint
or 18th-Century Counterpoint
2
Liberal Arts course 4
 Credits15
5th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424 Composer’s Forum 1
MPATC-UE 1021 Composition (Private Lessons) 3
MPATC-UE 1092 Junior Experience 1
MPATC-UE 1112 Advanced Orchestration: Concert Music 3
MPATC-UE 1077 Music History III 2
Liberal Arts 4
Electives 2
 Credits16
6th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1424 Composer’s Forum 1
MPATC-UE 1021 Composition (Private Lessons) 3
MPATC-UE 1078 Music History IV: Twentieth Century 2
Seminar in Composition 2
Liberal Arts 4
Electives 4
 Credits16
7th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1021 Composition (Private Lessons) 3
MPATC-UE 1424 Composer’s Forum 1
Seminar in Music Theory 3
Liberal Arts Electives 4
MPATC-UE 1156
or MPAMB-UE 100
Rights, Revenue & Relationships: Career-Building for Music Creators
or Business Structure of The Music Industry
2
Electives 5
 Credits18
8th Semester/Term
MPATC-UE 1021 Composition (Private Lessons) 3
MPATC-UE 1424 Composer’s Forum 1
MPATC-UE 1192 Music Composition Undergraduate Capstone 1
Electives 10
 Credits15
 Total Credits128

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