Composition Minor in and Music Technology

Composition and Music Technology Minor

IN THIS SECTION

Pursue your passion for music!

The Music Composition and Technology Minor will give you a strong foundation in music theory, performance, and composition. You will learn how to use electronics and computers in music composition and performance, and you will study acoustics, sound mixing, and digital recording. You will also perform original compositions and compose original music for student video and film projects and theatrical productions. For your elective, choose from a variety of fields, including theater, visual art, creative writing, film, web design, and practical business management.

Explore sample courses in this program.
MU-205 Music Theory I
Analysis and application of harmonization techniques using diatonic chords. Further emphasis is placed on voice-leading, figured bass, melodic construction, and embellishing tones.
3 credits
MU-185 Composition I
An introduction to compositional methods and techniques. Students develop personal expression by creating musical works while exploring use of melody, harmony, timbre, rhythm, texture, and tonality within conventional musical forms.
3 credits
MU-280 History of Music
A general survey of western art music covering the historical periods of the medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th-century periods.
3 credits
MU-102 Applied Music
Audition required. Private instruction in an instrument or voice. 13 weekly 1-hour lessons. May be repeated. Studio fee required. Instruments offered: brass, guitar, piano, percussion, strings, and winds.
1 credit
MU-275 Computers and Music
An introduction to computer music technologies with emphasis on use of electronics and computers in music composition and performance, Further emphasis is placed on basic acoustics, perception of sound, application of computer music in experimental genres, digital recording, mixing, fundamentals of sound synthesis, and digital signal processing.
3 credits
MU-285 Composition II
A continuation of Composition I. Students explore methods of tonal composition. Emphasis is placed on melodic writing, harmonization practices, chord substitutions, use of figurations, texture, and timbre in tonal music. Experimentation with rhythmic and metric practices including asymmetry, shifting accents, changing time signatures, and ostinato.
1 credit
MU-305 Music Theory II
Harmonization of melodies using primary and secondary chords, harmonic analysis of tonal music from the common practice period, including diatonic and chromatic chords, secondary dominants, modulation, and aural skills. An introduction to formal schemes in music including phrase structure, binary and ternary form, sonata form, and species counterpoint.
3 credits
MU-375 Sound Synthesis
A continuation of Computers and Music. Focus on application of sound in composition acoustics and additive synthesis, modulation and waveshaping, signal flow, processing, digital filtering, reverberation, and sample processing.
3 credits
MU-385 Composition III
An exploration of compositional practices presented during Composition II. Students compose absolute music in the style of the common practice period as well as working with superimposed chords, shifting tonality, pandiatonicism, large-scale forms, polyrhythms, and polymeter. This course introduces composing tonal music for non-musical genres including media, video games, and incidental music for theater and film.
1 credit