Composition
If your passion lies in creating new music, mastering writing techniques and discovering your unique compositional voice, the composition program at Bradley University can prepare you to pursue these endeavors and embark on a successful career.
Preparing You For Success
Once you pass a performance audition, you’re immersed into department activities. You’ll choose a performance focus — instrumental or vocal— and take private lessons each semester. You’ll also perform (and travel!) with one of 15 ensembles who’ll read and sometimes perform your works. Composition majors benefit from weekly composition lessons, composition seminars, master classes and courses in orchestration, counterpoint, post-tonal music and music technology.
By the time you graduate, your experiences may include:
- Performances of original compositions each semester on the new music concerts
- Performance and reading sessions with university large ensembles
- Development of a dynamic video game soundtrack in collaboration with our Interactive Media program
- A senior composition recital with classmates and faculty performing your music
- An internship in the industry through our Hollywood Semester
- Study Abroad experiences
- Professional networking and development through concerts, lectures and master classes on and off campus
Making Your Mark
The composition program equips you for careers in working with acoustic and electronic media, including chamber and large ensembles, interactive performance and video/film scoring.
Our composition graduates have fulfilling careers in the field. Chicago native Evan Beigel ’95 is now a Los Angeles based composer, producer and recording engineer who learned his craft through traditional music education. Dr. Tim Crowley ‘90 has received a standard award from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers annually since 1995.
Major Requirements
Required Courses - 35 hrs.
- Applied Music - 20 hrs.
- APL 180: Composition - 4 hrs.
- APL 380: Composition - 4 hrs.
- MUS 305: Counterpoint - 2 hrs. or MUS 319: Composition (one taken in core) - 2 hrs.
- MUS 401: Orchestration - 2 hrs.
- MUS 405: Theories of Atonal Music - 3 hrs.
Total Hours Required for Concentration: 35
Total Hours Required for Major: 79
Course Sequence
Sample program plan information is provided for sample purposes only. Students should consult with their academic advisor about their individual plan for course registration and completion of program requirements.
Music Courses (45 hours)
- MUS 001 Recital Lab (each semester) — 0
- MUS 002 Senior Recital — 0
- MUS ensemble (each semester) — 8
- MUS 161 Music Theory I — 2
- MUS 162 Music Theory II — 2
- MUS 163 Elementary Ear-Training and Sight-singing — 1
- MUS 164 Elementary Ear-Training and Sight-singing — 1
- MUS 165 Keyboard Skills-Class Piano — 2
- MUS 166 Keyboard Skills-Class Piano — 2
- MUS 235 Music in Its Historical Perspective I — 3
- MUS 236 Music in Its Historical Perspective II — 3
- MUS 261 Music Theory III — 2
- MUS 262 Music Theory IV — 2
- MUS 263 Ear-Training and Sight-singing — 1
- MUS 264 Ear-Training and Sight-singing — 1
- MUS 265 Advanced Keyboard Skills-Class Piano — 2
- MUS 266 Advanced Keyboard Skills-Class Piano — 2
- MUS 305 Counterpoint or MUS 319 Composition or MUS 405 Theories of Atonal Music — 2-3
- MED 321 Conducting I — 2
- MUS 335 Music in Its Historical Perspective III — 3
- MUS 336 Music in Its Historical Perspective IV — 3
Composition Courses (35 hours)
- Applied Music — 20
- APL 180/380 Applied Music Composition — 8
- MUS 305 Counterpoint or MUS 319 Composition — 2
- MUS 401 Orchestration — 2
- MUS 405 Theories of Atonal Music — 3