First-year courses in technique

COMP 201, 3 hrs, first module, first semester, normally a course in melody composition, dealing with a wide variety of pitch materials, including tonal, modal, ethnic, and non-tonal models; aspects of instrumental idiom are addressed, particularly strings; course involves listening, composition of a large number of melodies, flowing smoothly into a second half on counterpoint focusing on 16th century models (species counterpoint) and contemporary application of the conceptual models from species work in 2 parts; course involves listening to 16th century and contemporary works in 2 parts, 2-part composition in all species and a final project involving non-tonal materials, concert attendance with required reports.

COMP 202, 3 sem hrs, first module, second semester, variable in content, has involved courses in texture, rhythm, and the like, with listening, concert and composition assignments appropriate to the material covered, flowing smoothly into a second half focusing on the development of music in terms of individual parameters as well as form; also has concert attendance with required reports.

Supporting Courses from TIMARA:

TECH 200, 3 sem hrs, taught Fall semester, basic course in computer notation and editing software, and MIDI..

TECH 201, 3 sem hrs, taught Spring semester, follow-up course in computer editing software, and MAX/MSP

Composition courses normally taken during the second year:

Second-year Private Study, 4 sem hrs taken in both semesters, study with composition teacher of students choice, depending upon available faculty load time.. Students participate in the studio class of the teacher to whom they are assigned but also have a special studio class for second year students only, involving in-depth examination of technical issues generally and that arise in their works.

COMP 203, Orchestration, 3 sem hrs, taught Fall semester, course in composition and arranging for large resources, including projects for wind ensemble/band and orchestra read by Oberlin large ensembles, with additional assignments focusing on compositional issues involving large forces. The emphasis is on commonly used orchestral instruments using conventional practices.

COMP 204, New Music Workshop, 3 sem hrs, taught Spring semester, course involves topics, content, and assignments chosen by individual instructor, depending upon student interest and faculty member area of expertise; topics have included advanced and unconventional performing techniques on conventional instruments, intensive analysis and performance of a masterwork from contemporary literature, experimental music; possible areas may also include interactive conventional/electronic composition and the like.

Composition courses taken during the third year:

Private Study, 4 sem hrs, taken in both semesters, study with composition teacher of students choice, depending upon available faculty load time.

COMP 350, Composition Seminar, 3 sem hrs, taught Fall and Spring semesters. Course involves topics, content, and assignments chosen by individual instructor, depending upon student interest and faculty member area of expertise; topics have included Spectral music, the music of specific composers, Fin de siecle Vienna, Serial Music after the death of Schoenberg, etc.; assignments can involve papers, compositions, and other appropriate work. TWO SEMINARS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE COMPOSITION MAJOR.

Composition courses taken during the fourth year:

Private Study, 4 sem hrs, taken in both semesters, study with composition teacher of students choice, depending upon available faculty load time.

Support Courses from other departments taken during the third or fourth year:

Two Music Theory courses in counterpoint and/or topics in contemporary music. 3 sem hrs each.

Two Music History courses, one of which should involve contemporary music, 3 sem hrs each.

Composition Department Graduation Requirements:

Three works (total) performed on one of the regularly scheduled Contemporary Music Division Student Recitals during the Sophomore and Junior years of study.

All students entering in or after Fall, 2008 will present a 30 minute Junior and a 60 minute Senior recital as degree requirements. This is in addition to the long and tall pieces, either or both of which may appear on the Senior recital. This will involve a process for which students will submit a proposal for each program to the faculty that will contain the scores to the works to be performed; in other words, each of these recitals will need to be approved by the Composition faculty prior to being given final approval to take place. Unfinished scores or rough drafts will be acceptable. Students may, with the instructor's approval, schedule Fall recital dates or participate in the Spring recital lottery (normally involving submission of date requests on the day before Fall break). But scheduling the recital with Concert Productions does not constitute approval of a recital program; the faculty must approve the recital before it may take place. Recital content proposals are to be submitted to the Composition faculty for approval four weeks prior to the scheduled event and, in the case of recitals projected for the second module of Spring semester, at the beginning of the first week of Spring semester classes.

Additional non-course requirements are:

A long work (minimum 10 minutes duration of unspecified instrumentation and a work for large ensemble (usually orchestra) of unspecified duration (though usually around 5 minutes in length or more), both to be written during the senior year and submitted to the faculty prior to graduation.