
Music Composition Master's Program at Fredonia
Fredonia’s Master of Music in Music Theory–Composition degree provides emerging composers with opportunities to grow both as creative artists and academic scholars. Our composers write music for ensembles and media and in a wide array of musical styles. More than half of our master's students continue on for graduate study at prestigious graduate schools like the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, University of Louisville, University of California at Santa Barbara, and the University of Kansas.
At Fredonia, your courses will be divided between composition lessons, theory, history, and research coursework and a graduate thesis and recital. A National Association of Schools of Music-accredited university, Fredonia has been educating musicians for over a century. Our nurturing, inclusive environment supports individual passion and paths, allowing you to develop your vision and career path with the assistance of our successful music faculty.
The Fredonia Difference
- Four esteemed faculty with experiences in many different musical fields
- You will have the chance to work with a large number of talented performers, with five to eight composition concerts every year
- Collaborative experiences with choreographers, filmmakers, illustrators, and poets
- Opportunities to interact with world-renowned composers and performers from across the United States in conjunction with our student-run presenting organization, Ethos New Music Society
Career Opportunities for Music Composition
- Springboard to advanced graduate programs in composition and music theory
- Several alumni have achieved successful careers in film music and arts administration
- Other alumni have pursued careers in music performance and music education while incorporating the skills they gained through their composition studies
It's Different Here
Student Success
Why Music Composition at Fredonia?
Sample Courses
MUS 521 Music Bibliography
An exploration of the resources and techniques needed for graduate studies in all areas of music. Students will learn to examine and critically evaluate music resources in both traditional and electronic forms, and will develop research strategies that can be adapted to many different areas of study.
MUS 653 Post-Tonal Analysis
The course introduces students to a variety of post-tonal music and analytic approaches. Repertoires covered include free-atonality, twelve-tone music, integral serialism, early electronic music, aleatoric music and indeterminacy.
MUS 609 Composition
Advanced free composition for graduate study, concentrating on individual creative musical inclinations of each student. Seminar and private study of 20th century creative concepts.
Program Additional Links
What does a Graduate Degree in Music Composition look like?
More questions about Fredonia's graduate programs?