Welcome to the Composition Area of the University of Utah School of Music!

Composition

About the Composition Area

The practice and study of composition has been a central musical endeavor at The University of Utah since 1948, when the original Department of Music was established, with illustrious Utah composer Leroy Robertson (1896-1971) as its first chair (1948-1962). Among the many noteworthy composers who have taught here is Ramiro Cortés (1933-1984), who was one of the first Hispanic-American musicians to achieve international recognition as a concert music composer. Vladimir Ussachevsky (1911-1990), the American electroacoustic music pioneer, taught at the University of Utah from 1970 to 1987, and established its Electronic Music Studio. Trailblazers, such as these composers, have helped to shape the dynamic character of the Composition Area. They continue to inspire composition faculty to value innovative original work and the development of each student's personal musical voice.

Composition Studies at the University of Utah

The School of Music offers a Bachelor of Music in Composition, a Master of Music in Composition, and a Ph.D. in Composition. The composition faculty is committed to providing a stimulating environment that fosters the development of students’ creative and technical abilities in writing music. The average number of composition students in the school is 25, with around 10 graduate students and 15 undergraduate students. These numbers allow the composition faculty to teach and mentor students individually in weekly private lessons for junior, senior, and graduate composition students. Sophomore students enroll in two semesters of the Undergraduate Composition Seminar (MUSC 2570), where they complete specific composition assignments in a small supportive group setting, in preparation for being officially admitted as Juniors into the B.M. in Composition program. Our students typically go on to prestigious graduate programs, or to teaching positions at academic institutions in the U.S. and beyond.

Prospective Masters and Ph.D. students and transferring undergraduate composition students please contact the Composition Area Chair. First year undergraduate students intending to major in composition should enroll in the first year courses described in the guidelines for the Bachelor of Music in Composition, which are similar in the first year to those for the B.A. in Music. In order to be admitted into the School of Music, incoming undergraduate composition students must audition for Private Performance Lessons for Music Majors (MUSC 194x, lessons for Music students whose primary focus is not performance). Auditions are scheduled in the spring and before the Fall semester. Please contact the Music Office for exact dates, and the Composition Area Chair for advising.

Opportunities for Composition Students

There are many opportunities for students to present and record their compositions in the Music School’s wonderful facilities. A typical year will include four student composers concerts, with two of them being dedicated to electroacoustic music. Other recurring opportunities are recorded reading sessions of student works with local professionals, such as musicians of the Canyonlands Ensemble, or with visiting ensembles, such as the New York New Music Ensemble, Flexible Music, the Kopperud/Gosling Duo, etc. All composition students are eligible to receive the Leroy Robertson Prize and the Leroy Robertson Scholarship, which are presented each year thanks to the generous support of the Robertson family. Several of our students have also received important national awards and commissions.

Teaching Assistantships and Graduate Fellowships are available for eligible students. These awards usually include a stipend and cover tuition costs. In Composition, teaching assistants usually teach musicianship or lower division music theory courses. This teaching experience is particularly helpful when students apply for academic positions.

The Abravanel Visiting Distinguished Composer Series

Each semester the Maurice Abravanel Visiting Distinguished Composer Series brings a celebrated composer to the School of Music for a 3-day residency that allows students to interact directly with the visiting composer in an informal setting. Typically, the Canyonlands New Music Ensemble presents a concert focusing on the visiting composer’s music, and the composer presents two open lectures: one for the general public, and a more specialized one, for composers. In addition, composition students have the opportunity to meet individually in private composition lessons with the visiting composer.

Over the course of more than 15 years, the series has brought to the University of Utah School of Music composers John Adams, Samuel Adler, Milton Babbitt, Harrison Birtwistle, William Bolcom, Martin Boykan, John Corigliano, Mario Davidovsky, John Harbison, Lou Harrison, Jonathan Harvey, Andrew Imbrie, Louis Karchin, Leon Kirchner, Paul Lansky, Fred Lerdahl, Steven Mackey, Donald Martino, Tristan Murail, Thea Musgrave, Shulamit Ran, Steve Reich, Roger Reynolds, Frederic Rzewski, Gunther Schuller, Joseph Schwantner, Harvey Sollberger, Olly Wilson, Charles Wuorinen, Yehudi Wyner, Chen Yi, and Pamela Z.