MUSIC COMPOSITION
A degree in music composition includes access to internships, mentorships and hands-on experiences as you learn how to create your own original music in the company of professional musicians, expert ensembles and renowned composers.
professional outcomes
As a composer, your workplace will be uniquely yours as it depends on your preferred genre and style of music.
Some composers work in traditional studio settings while others may work on location in unconventional spaces. Many composers work independently while others may collaborate with other musicians or producers.
Careers include:
▶ Commissioned professionals composing for orchestras, bands and musical theater productions
▶ Composition or musicology instructors in schools and universities
▶ Contract work for television, film and production companies
▶ Creating works for a particular genre like choral pieces, soundtracks and commissions
This is where YOUR music comes alive.
You may enjoy this major if you:
▶ Often make up your own rhythms and songs
▶ Like to concentrate on a project until it is finished
▶ Don’t mind deadlines and feedback
▶ Enjoy sharing music with others
▶ Desire to express yourself through music
▶ Enjoy working with others to bring your vision to life
program highlights
The Bachelor of Music in Composition is designed to accommodate a wide spectrum of student interests while providing a rigorous, yet supportive program of study.
▶ Composition lessons are balanced with group seminars, masterclasses and workshops. Students also pursue intensive training in Harmony, Musicianship, Orchestration and digital music.
▶ Career development is an emphasized portion of the curriculum as all undergraduate composers are encouraged to take advantage of the many unprecedented performances and professional development opportunities available to them at Cleveland State.
▶ Graduates launch their careers with a portfolio of recordings performed by professional musicians.
▶ This immersive education experience has been created and facilitated by Dr. Rindfleisch since the mid-2000s to offer you unique opportunities to graduate with a portfolio of work to further your career.
In this composition degree program, you’ll get to explore many performance and professional-level opportunities.
The Composition Artist-in-Residence Program provides concerts, workshops, masterclasses, lectures and individual lessons with the most renowned visiting ensembles, soloists and composers in contemporary music.
Students also work regularly in the Music Composition Resource Center—a state-of-the-art professional development studio designed specifically to provide key resources and opportunities. The Center offers a large studio space with digital printing machines, binding supplies, keyboards, audio equipment and multiple computer stations with software used in the professional world of music-making. The Center will help you with professional production and recording of your music scores, application to graduate school, fellowships, grants and summer festivals, and opportunities to network within the profession. opportunities