The Music Composition Program is a hybrid of group lessons interspersed with private lessons. This hybrid will provide advantages from both the creative insight gained through collaborative learning as well as individualized attention to help students work through specific challenges in creating their pieces.
All group composition lessons are online only. Private lessons may be in-person or online. We will use an amazing online platform built for music, Muzie.live, for group lessons. Each student will have a private portal where they will be able to easily share documents with me for editing and feedback during the week, and they will also be able to re-watch lessons. Music Composition students are invited to participate in Monthly Works-in-Progress (WiP) Shares and the end-of-year recitals.
All Music Composition students are required to be enrolled in an Ultimate Music Theory class.
Composition Levels 1-4
Level-appropriate projects will give students an opportunity to expand upon the information and skills presented in the UMT class. Students will see their compositions through, from the faintest idea in their head to fully notated and “published.” Classes are held for 1hr, weekly. Private lessons are 1/2hr, interspersed throughout the year. The number of lessons is dependent on the level, and thus the length and complexity of projects. Interested students will have opportunity to participate in age/level-appropriate competitions. Completion of all 4 levels of Composition will prepare students for music composition study at the college level. Maximum 6 students per class.
- Composition 1: Open to students enrolled in UMT Prep 1 & 2
- Composition 2: Open to students enrolled in UMT Basic
- Composition 3: Open to students enrolled in UMT Intermediate
- Composition 4: Open to students enrolled in UMT Advanced
Special Composition Projects
Open to students who have complete all the levels of UMT or the UMT Complete Course. Like the other Composition Classes, this class involves weekly classes interspersed with private lessons. Some of the weekly group lessons will involve workshopping pieces with high-level performers. The end-of-year recital will include a performance of their piece by the ensemble. The instrumentation and size of the ensemble will depend on the number of students enrolled in the course. The instrumentation will vary year to year, so this course can be repeated as many times as one wishes. Maximum 6 students per class.
About WiP Shares
Monthly Works-in-Progress Shares are designed to give an opportunity for students to present pieces they are currently working to their peers in a non-competitive, encouraging environment that supports collaborative learning. By listening to others present their work, students gain insight into different techniques and ways of approaching a piece of music. Students learn to listen intently and give comments on what they hear (only positive comments allowed!) By presenting, students practice performing, which aids in developing confidence. Students also gain public speaking skills as they talk about the piece they are presenting. The focus on “Works-in-Progress” rather than a completely finished piece, like one presented at a recital, allows students to become comfortable with not being “perfect.”
Piano, Theory, Composition and More! 