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Undergraduate 2019-2020

Music B.M. – Composition Emphasis

College of Performing and Visual Arts

Contact: Paul Elwood, Ph.D., Coordinator, Composition and Music Theory

Location: Frasier Hall 108

Telephone: 970.351.2993

Fax: 970.351.1923

Website: www.arts.unco.edu/music

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of two parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Core (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits

Program Description:

The Bachelor of Music degree is the initial professional degree in music. Its primary emphasis is on development of the skills, concepts and sensitivity essential to the professional life of a musician. It also prepares students for advanced study in graduate school.

Program Admission Requirements:

  • Students planning to major in music are required to submit an application for admission to the School of Music. An audition is required for all applicants to music degree programs; for some graduate programs, an interview may be conducted in lieu of an audition. Current School of Music admission guidelines and audition requirements are available at: http://arts.unco.edu/music/apply/.
  • Students meeting the general admission requirements of the University may be accepted as undeclared majors. However, students may only be designated as music majors upon successful completion of the School of Music application and audition process.
  • Composition applicants should upload a portfolio of their work to the application which includes PDFs of three representative scores and accompanying recordings (MIDI recordings are acceptable but live recordings are preferred. Composition students must also gain admittance to a instrumental or vocal study with a separate audition.

Program Requirements:

  • In all MUS courses, a student must receive C- or better to fulfill degree requirements.
  • Any student receiving lower than a C- in a MUS prefix class for the second time in the same class will be placed on probation. If the student receives lower than a C- a third time in the same class, the student will be removed from the major.
  • Students are required to take MUS 100 8 times, based on degree. This is not tied to lessons. MUS 100 should be taken in Composition, not in the secondary instrument.
  • After students have fulfilled the requirements for applied lessons in their degree, additional applied lessons will be at the discretion of the studio teacher and Director.
  • All students in applied lessons must enroll in a major ensemble. Students that do not have a major ensemble required for the duration of the degree program should follow their degree requirements.
  • Any student receiving a grade below a C- in applied lessons will be placed on probation. A second semester of a grade below a C- in applied lessons will result, upon consent from the area, in removal from the major.
  • A half Junior Recital and full Senior Recital are required for all emphasis.
  • The Class Piano sequence is required also for piano students, who will be placed into the appropriate semester based on an assessment with the Coordinator of Class Piano. Students who test out of a class in the Class Piano sequence will instead take an additional hour of MUS-prefix electives.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

Degree Requirements

1. Required Specified LAC — 9 credits

LAC area 3.a. — Arts

MUS 143Musical Styles and Context

3

MUS 243History of Music I

3

LAC — Electives

MUS 244History of Music II

3

Remaining LAC — 31 credits

 See “Liberal Arts Core”.

2. Required Major — 67 credits

Take all of the following courses:

MUS 100Recitals, Concerts and Productions

0

MUS 113Music Theory I

3

MUS 114Aural Skills and Sight Singing I

1

MUS 115Music Theory II

3

MUS 116Aural Skills and Sight Singing II

1

MUS 160Class Piano I

1

MUS 161Class Piano II

1

MUS 209Introduction to Music Technology

2

MUS 213Music Theory III

3

MUS 214Aural Skills and Sight Singing III

1

MUS 215Music Theory IV

3

MUS 216Aural Skills and Sight Singing IV

1

MUS 231Music Lessons

1

MUS 260Class Piano III

1

MUS 261Class Piano IV

1

MUS 277Individual Instruction in Composition

1

MUS 30118th Century Counterpoint

3

MUS 302Form and Analysis

3

MUS 303Instrumentation

2

MUS 313Digital Composition

2

MUS 319Instrumental Techniques and Conducting

1

MUS 323Choral Techniques and Conducting

2

MUS 403Acoustics of Music

2

MUS 431Music Lessons

1

MUS 477Individual Instruction in Composition

2

Major Musical Organization

8

MUS 277: Take 4 credits

MUS 477: Take 8 credits

MUS 231 and MUS 431: Take combined 8 credits on your designated instrument.

Choose one of the following music technology or music business courses:

MUS 343Recording Techniques

2

MUS 460Survey of the Music Business

2

Music Electives - 13 credits

Take 13 credits from MUS-prefix coursework.