Berklee's music composition major is designed to prepare students to become world-class composers, as well as prepare them for entry into the nation's top graduate programs in music. With this graduate program, Berklee students have the opportunity to work as teachers, scholars and practitioners in their field. The Berklee music composition curriculum includes music composition history, conducting and producing performances, tonal harmony and composition, and the creation of a comprehensive portfolio prior to graduation.
With two renowned composers given the title of president in previous years, it is no wonder The Juilliard School has such a distinguished history in music composition. Indeed, Juilliard's current faculty is quite accomplished, with a variety of awards and honors among them. Students must audition for this prestigious program and can earn a bachelor's, master's or doctorate in composition. The weekly Composers' Forum sponsors concerts throughout each semester in which student-created works are featured.
The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts stresses the uniqueness of each student's skills and abilities in music composition. Unlike other schools that have a heavy emphasis on composition history or a particular school of composition, the composition program combines methods and curriculum from both a historical and modern perspective. Students in this program are encouraged to compose not only for their own groups, but also with other artists in the CalArts community.
The Curtis Institute of Music is a highly selective institution of higher education. Incoming composition students are assigned an "intake" teacher, with whom they work for their first two years. Over the next one to two years, they must study with other members of the composition faculty, devoting at least a semester to each instructor. Graduating students hold a Recital Series concert between 45 minutes and one hour in length, typically in the fall of their graduating year.