Composition

Career potential

University of North Texas composition graduates have been employed as arrangers, orchestrators, music copyists, audio engineers, conductors and teachers. They work for advertising agencies, film studios, recording companies, symphony orchestras and universities. Although the program is not specifically directed toward popular, commercial or film music, a bachelor's degree with a major in composition can provide you with a solid foundation to pursue a number of career paths.

As a way of supplementing courses required in the degree plan, you may take elective courses in jazz studies, business or radio/television/film if you are interested in commercial, television or film music. You may take courses in computer science or physics if you're interested in music technology. Students desiring to teach at the collegiate level may want to pursue a graduate degree.

UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies and interview preparation.

Majoring in composition

With 1,600 music students, 100 full-time faculty and nearly 190 adjunct faculty and teaching fellows, UNT's College of Music is one of the country's most important musical centers. The composition program has more than 50 students and five full-time composition faculty members representing a variety of compositional approaches.

During your course work in composition, you will be exposed to a broad range of contemporary styles and techniques including serialism, indeterminacy, graphic notation, polytonality, minimalism, and electroacoustic and computer music. Through rigorous study of compositional procedures, you will develop your technical skills as you explore the vast resources available to the composer at the beginning of the 21st century.

Under the auspices of the composition program, the Nova recital series showcases performances of contemporary music, often featuring visiting specialists in new music performance. Weekly Music Now forums feature presentations by UNT faculty and students as well as visiting composers and performers. The Center for Experimental Music and Intermedia (CEMI) fosters the creation, production and dissemination of an interdisciplinary art that combines music technology with computer graphics, dance, theater, sculpture, creative writing and web-based technologies.

Getting hands-on experience

UNT's College of Music is internationally recognized for artistic and academic excellence. While in the composition program, you will have the opportunity to compose a variety of music for solo performers; chamber ensembles; and band, orchestra and choral groups; as well as electroacoustic, computer and intermedia music. You will have numerous opportunities to hear your original works at such venues as SPECTRUM student composition recitals, CEMI Centerpieces, composition workshops and open reading sessions by the UNT orchestras and wind ensembles. There are more than 40 musical ensembles in which to participate.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science – economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year.

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Because success in the composition program requires a high caliber of musicianship, you are expected to have significant performance experience and some background in music theory. Familiarity with a wide variety of music is also important.

You must be admitted to the College of Music through audition on an instrument or in voice before declaring a major in composition. Auditions are held on and off campus during the spring semester for enrollment the following school year. Applicants not able to audition in person may submit a cassette recording. Once accepted into the college, you must take placement exams in music theory and piano.

In addition to completing the UNT undergraduate application and audition procedures for the College of Music, you must consult with the composition division chair during an orientation session before admission. Any music major may begin the undergraduate composition program through enrollment in Beginning Composition. Continuation is determined by success in the program during the first two years of study.

Charting your path with academic advising

Degree plan advisors in the College of Music will help you each semester to select courses that are necessary to earn your degree. Your professors also will guide you in selecting courses and will offer career advice.

The undergraduate advising office for composition is in the Music Building, Room 260. The College of Music main office is in the Music Building, Room 247.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.