Music Scoring & Composition MFA

Build your foundation in the language of music. You'll gain a solid skill set in music composition, note identification, intervals, key signatures, and chord construction by studying diatonic chord progressions, major and minor mode harmony, and rhythmic meter principles.

As an incoming graduate student, you'll get an industry overview of soundtrack production for media, learn foundational concepts, and learn strategies for success in the MUS curriculum and in your midpoint and final review.

Learn how to communicate your musical ideas effectively using musical notation. This course teaches you how to notate music accurately and create effective scores and lead sheets using industry-standard notation software. (This course is cross-listed with MUS 140.)

Begin an advanced exploration of music production within the sophisticated framework of Apple's Logic Pro X software. Enhance your proficiency in MIDI composition, master dynamic rhythmic frameworks, enhance song arrangement, and seamlessly integrate audio with video components.

Master techniques in voice leading, harmonic rhythm, voice doubling, and connecting musical phrases into longer forms. By analyzing musical examples, you'll learn the advanced concepts of music harmony necessary for successful composition.

Orchestration is the art of deciding which instruments play which notes. Building on your knowledge of harmony structures, you'll study the characteristics and sound ranges for various instruments and learn to combine instruments for dramatic effect. You'll create material into a larger, more complex orchestrations for a fully realized composition. (This course is cross-listed with MUS 265.)

Extend your orchestration skills to the realm of virtual instruments in this exciting course. Create realistic orchestral mockups using virtual instrument samples. You'll develop vital skills for creating music scores and create mockups of classical and modern film scores. (This course is cross-listed with MUS 355.)

Learn advanced techniques in music production using music production software. Increase your ability to compose original music for media and improve your editing skills. You'll learn to integrate MIDI with audio tracks, use plug-ins to create compelling mixes, and to sync music and audio with video.

Acquire the skills to compose music scores for motion pictures to enhance your portfolio. You'll use practical, technical, and aesthetic techniques to create an effective music score that reinforces the emotional content of films. (This course is cross-listed with MUS 375.)

Develop your demo reel and portfolio materials in preparation to enter the soundtrack for media industry. You'll build a professional demo reel that demonstrates your abilities as a music creator or sound designer that effectively supports the narrative and emotional content of visual media. Professional practices in the entertainment media industry are also emphasized.