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Academics

COMPOSITION

 

The Music Composition Degree & Songwriting program at McNally Smith College of Music offers three unique paths of study to composers of all styles.

Songwriting & Performance Poetry
Songwriting fuses the art of poetry with the art of music, emphasizing literature, the importance of narrative, and the elements of spoken language that influence lyric writing.  Spoken word composers and songwriters collaborate with various types of musical ensembles and experience regular public exposure.

Sound Composition for Moving Image
In this music composition program you’ll study visual analysis, the history of visual storytelling, and the latest technologies for applying audio to digital cinema, gaming, motion graphics, web design, dance performance, and theater.  This music composition degree path includes using artificial intelligence and laptop computers as music composing, music production, and virtual collaboration tools.  You’ll learn both timeline-based tools, such as Logic Pro music composition and production software, and non-linear tools, such as Ableton Live, for real-time music composition and sound design.

Instrumental Music Composition & Production
At McNally Smith College of Music you explore the many specific techniques for ensemble writing: from string quartet to blues band to full orchestra to ensembles of your own design.  The music composition curriculum includes the production and mixing expertise you need to be a successful and self-sufficient music professional.  By using the most realistic symphonic sample instruments available, along with the most progressive composer oriented software (such as Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and Finale), you can hone, experiment with, tweak, and remix your music compositions. Under the guidance of our experienced faculty you’ll try them out with live ensembles or finish them as master quality recordings.

 

Find out more about our Composition Degree in our information packet.

Download the Composition Demo Requirements here (pdf).

 

Course Catalog: (PDF)
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Accredited by The National Association of Schools of Music.

Recent Master Classes

 
Inside the Classroom

Film & Video Scoring

The field of film and video scoring has been going through an exciting revolution in the last decade.  The composer’s role has widened in its scope since the ability to compose the score, edit the story, design the sound, and even tweak the color balance can be available almost simultaneously on one laptop. The importance of knowing how music, sound, and image work together to shape a story has remained constant.  Our approach at McNally Smith College of Music is rooted in the fundamentals of good music composition and design, and empowered by the thrill of originality.

Music Theory & Analysis

Music composition draws from the realms of musical vocabularies, time, space, and tone color.  By analyzing the interplay of these elements in significant compositions from western and global musical genres and traditions, you learn how to apply these concepts to your own music compositions.
 

Commonly Searched Phrases: Music Composition College  | Film Scoring School | Sound Design | Songwriting College | Spoken Word | Performance Poetry | Music Composition Degree

DEGREES

CAREERS

  • Composer/Sound Designer for Digital Cinema, TV, Dance, Theater, Multimedia Performance, Animation, Gaming, Motion Graphics, Web Design, Advertising, or Instrumental Ensembles/Bands
  • Music Supervisor for Digital Cinema or TV
  • Arranger/Orchestrator for Digital Cinema or for other composers
  • Lyricist
  • Performing Songwriter
  • Songwriter for other artists
  • Performing Poet/Spoken Word Artist
  • Composer/Remixer

    Joseph Adams
    Joseph Adam’s music has been described as “lyrically dissonant, with an unusual but refreshing harmonic language.”
  • Joseph Adams
    • J. Anthony Allen
    J. Anthony Allen is an award winning composer of both acoustic and electronic music. Performed throughout the world, his work with interactive media includes audio, video, installation, and dance.
  • J. Anthony Allen
    • Mary Ellen Childs
    Mary Ellen Childs has been acclaimed for creating both rhythmic, exuberant instrumental works and bold, kinetic compositions that integrate music, dance and theater in fresh and unexpected ways
  • Mary Ellen Childs
    • Chris Cunningham
    Department Head, Music Composition
    Chris Cunningham has collaborated on stages and in studios with the likes of Marianne Faithfull, The Lounge Lizards, Gavin Friday, and many more.
  • Chris Cunningham
    • Dessa Darling
    Dessa is a published writer, an award-winning musician, a vibrant teacher, and a proud member of the Doomtree crew.
  • Dessa Darling
    • Joseph Horton
  • Joseph Horton
    • Peter Johnson
    Peter Johnson has written hundreds of jingles, songs and underscores for commercials, including composing and producing all the music for two Sesame Street Live shows.
  • Peter Johnson
    • Sean McMahon
    After earning a Bachelors Degree in Film Scoring from Berklee College, Sean McMahon worked as an orchestrator, score coordinator, or composer on film scores for major motion pictures, including The Uninvited, Ghost Rider, Beauty Shop, Spider-Man 3, Dreamgirls, to name a few.
  • Sean McMahon
    • Sean McPherson
    Sean McPherson is the co-founder and bassist of the Twin Cities hip-hop group Heiruspecs.
  • Sean McPherson
    • Jeremy Messersmith
    Jeremy Messersmith is a songwriter based out of Minneapolis, MN.
  • Jeremy Messersmith
    • Ron Peluso
  • Ron Peluso
    • Gary Rue
    Gary Rue is a composer/sound designer/producer for radio, television, and film.
  • Gary Rue
    • David Singley
    David Singley is a professional guitarist who has shared the stage with such jazz luminaries as Bob Brookmeyer, George Shearing, James Moody, Bob Mintzer, Phil Woods, Ernestine Anderson, Paquito d'Rivera, Bob Florence, Tal Farlow, and Buddy DeFranco.
  • David Singley
    • Andy Thompson
  • Andy Thompson
    • Brian Tighe
  • Brian Tighe
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