Be original

piano interior
piano keyboard with hands playing
Close up of a marimba being played
Shapiro recital

The B.A. in music offers students the opportunity to study performance, composition, theory, and technology in a liberal arts setting.

Composition and Theory students learn advanced music theory and may take courses in improvisation, songwriting, and arranging. The capstone requirement is a Senior Project such as a research paper, analysis, or original composition.

Audition and Declaring the Major

Students wishing to declare the music major concentration in Composition & Theory must first pass an entrance audition on an instrument or voice. In order to complete the major, all students must attain intermediate level on a single instrument or voice; and must pass a junior standing examination, usually at the end of the sophomore year.

Schedule your music major audition

Featured Alumni

Jake Lester '15 saw several of his original works performed at UVM while he was an undergraduate. His flute duet was premiered during a department trip abroad to Inner Mongolia in 2013. In 2014, he received the Amanda Cup for excellence in composition and the Thomas L. Read Award in Composition.

Carolyn Lieberman '12 was awarded the Amanda Cup and the Lyman Rowell Award for Academic Achievement in Music. She composed a musical work based on the mathematic principles of fractals.

Major requirements

View the requirements in the UVM Catalogue

Concentrations

View another B.A. concentration:

Classical Performance | Jazz Studies | History/Literature | Technology/Business

Beyond the classroom

Composition and Theory students in Prof. David Feurzeig's composition course create and perform original works at the annual Music Factory concert. Several alumni have worked as mentors at Music-COMP, an online music mentoring project for youths interested in composing.

 

Careers

  • teacher
  • producer
  • performer
  • composer

Where alumni work

  • Music-COMP

Graduate Schools

  • SUNY New Paltz
  • Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College

Related Information

Minors

We also offer a minor in music.

Popular Courses

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the B.A. in Music degree with a Composition and Theory concentration, students will be able to:
  • Demonstrate advanced music composition skill and/or describe and apply advanced music theory knowledge and skills
  • Demonstrate intermediate skill on a single instrument or voice
  • Describe and apply intermediate music history and literature knowledge
  • Demonstrate intermediate proficiency on the piano
  • In their professional life (after graduating) alumni apply skills, knowledge, and proficiency attained

 

Senior Projects