/Institutions/Catholic-University-of-America/json/2023-2024/Undergraduate-Announcements-local.json

/Institutions/Catholic-University-of-America/json/2023-2024/Undergraduate-Announcements.json

Undergraduate Announcements > Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art > Department of Music Theory, History and Composition > Degree Programs > Bachelor of Music - Music Composition

Bachelor of Music - Music Composition

Requirements for the major can be found at Music - Bachelor of Music (B.M.)

A student who wishes to major in composition must submit original works for evaluation, which must be approved by the composition committee. In addition, the student must pass an audition in his or her principal performance area (instrument or voice) and must complete a specified number of credits in that performance area, normally during the freshman year. The student must also complete an interview with the composition faculty as part of the admissions process; this interview typically takes place when the student is on campus for the audition in his/her principal performance area. If a student is submitting a video audition, this interview can be arranged via video chat on one of the audition days.

When incoming freshmen intending to major in composition are initially admitted, they are not admitted to the composition degree program itself. Upon completion of sophomore-level composition, the composition faculty reviews the student's progress and determines whether or not the student is to be admitted formally to the degree program. At this time, the student's compositions should show evidence of original creative ability as determined by the composition committee. Grades of B- or higher are required of composition majors in all required courses offered by the department. If the student does not obtain a B- or higher in any of the required courses offered by the department, he/she will be required to repeat the course until the requisite grade is attained.

While enrolled for applied instruction in composition, composition majors are required to submit samples of their work to a jury of the composition faculty for evaluation at the end of each semester. MUS 322, MUS 323, MUS 337, MUS 434, and MUS 457 are offered on a rotational basis, and students may take these courses out of the sequence listed, if necessary.

To graduate, piano principals must complete, at a minimum, Piano Level VI. See below for requirements. In satisfying the music elective requirements listed below for the sophomore and junior years, piano principals may, with the adviser's approval, elect additional private instruction in piano.

Within this program, a minor in music performance open to any BM student may be pursued. Please contact the area in which the minor resides for requirements.

Music elective credits, when used as substitutes for music course credits, may be satisfied by either MUS or MUPI. In order for MUPI credits to count toward the degree, a jury is required.

	Major Area	Credits
MUPI 440	Composition Private Instruction (8 semesters @ 3 credit)	24
MUS 321	Form and Analysis I	3
MUS 323	Orchestration	3
MUS 434	Counterpoint	3
MUS 473	Introduction to Electronic Composition	3
MUS 404	Composition Seminar (8 semesters @ 1 credit)	8
MUS 499CM	Senior Composition Recital (30-45 minutes) Recital of original compositions. The candidate must participate in the recital as either performer or conductor. At least one work on the graduation recital must have been substantially generated through electronic media. Completed scores (or, where applicable, sound files) for the graduation recital must be submitted no later than 45 days in advance of the recital date.	0
	Major Area total credits:	44
	Supportive Courses in Music
MUPI 3XXA	Instrument or Voice Private Instruction (2 semesters @ 1 credit)	2
MUPI 320A or MUS 183	Secondary Piano (non-piano principals; MUPI 320A; 6 semesters @ 1 credit) or Music Electives (piano principals; 2 semesters @ 3 credits)	6
MUS 121, MUS 122, MUS 221, MUS 222	Ear Training and Sight Singing I, II, III, IV (2 credits each)	8
MUS 123, MUS 124, MUS 223, MUS 224	Harmony I, II, III, IV (4 semesters @ 2 credits)	8
MUS 325, MUS 326, MUS 327	History of Music I, II, III (3 credits each)	9
MUS 337, MUS 457	Basic Conducting, Intermediate Conducting (2 credits each)	4
MUS 487	Writing for Voice	3
MUS 4XX	Performing Organization (8 semesters @ 1 credit)	8
MUS 309A	Piano Principals: Level VI	0
	Supportive Courses in Music total credits:	48
	General Studies
ENG 101	Writing: Logic and Rhetoric (Freshman year)	3
____ ___	Literature Elective (English or other language)	3
PHIL 201, PHIL 202	The Classical Mind, The Modern Mind (3 credits each) (Freshman year)	6
TRS 201	Foundations in Theology I: The Scriptures and Jesus Christ (Freshman year)	3
TRS 202A / TRS 202B	Foundations in Theology II: The Church and the Human Person	3
	Academic (non-music) Electives To be determined by student in consultation with adviser, but must include:    ____ ___ One course in Math or Natural Science (3cr)    ____ ___ One course in Social Science (3cr)    ____ ___ Free (3cr)    ____ ___ Free (3cr)    ____ ___ Free (3cr)	15
	General Studies total credits:	33
	Electives
MUS (MUPI)	Music Electives 6 credits for non-piano principals: MUS only; 6 credits for piano principals, MUS or MUPI permitted	6
	Electives total credits:	6
	Total program credits:	131

 

 

Undergraduate Levels of Piano Study

Each level normally represents one year of study. Students may audition to advance at their own pace. Initial placement is designated at entrance.

Semester Jury = 20 minutes Level Jury = 20 minutes

Assignment of level is made by jury hearing audition and is not based solely on repertoire presented. Each level requires either a public performance appropriate to that level or, where no public performance is designated, 60 minutes of prepared repertoire.

To graduate, music education piano principals must complete a minimum Level of VIII; piano performance majors must complete Level X; piano pedagogy majors must complete Level VIII; collaborative piano majors must complete Level IX; composition majors whose principal instrument is piano must complete Level VI; and piano concentrators in the Bachelor of Arts (Performance emphasis) degree program must complete Level VIII.

Level	Representative Repertoire (Solo and Collaborative)
X	Bach-E Minor Partita Beethoven-Sonatas, Op. 53 or Op. 57 Chopin-Ballades Franck-Violin Sonata Brahms-Piano Trios
IX	Bach-Toccatas Chopin-Fantasy, Op. 49 Debussy-Images Beethoven-Piano Trios Brahms-Songs
VIII	Scales-144, arpeggios, plus a virtuoso etude Beethoven-Sonata, Op. 28 Debussy-Pour le piano Chopin-Scherzos Bach-The Well-Tempered Clavier Schubert-Songs, Sonata"Arpeggione" D. 821 Mozart-Piano Trios
VII	Scales-120, broken chords and arpeggios Mozart-Piano Sonatas Schumann-Papillons Debussy-Preludes Bach-English Suites Beethoven-Songs Schubert-Violin Sonatinas
VI	Scales-96 Bach-French Suites Mozart-D Minor Fantasy Debussy-Arabesques Mozart-Violin Sonata in E Minor K 300c Tosti-Songs
V	Scales-80 Bach-Three-Part Inventions Beethoven-Sonata, Op. 49 Schumann-Scenes from Childhood
IV	Method Books Level IV
III	Method Books Level III
II	Remedial Study
I	Remedial Study