Music Fundamentals

This introductory course provides the basic building blocks of music. Students learn about keys,
intervals, triads, basic tonal theory and rhythm. The fundamentals of melody and harmony and a
rudimentary study of musical notation are introduced. From here students are prepared for more
advanced classes in music theory and composition. Ear training practice is often introduced at
this point, including learning to recognize major and minor triads and intervals.

Music Theory I
A continuation of the music fundamentals course, this class delves deeper into the elements of
Western music, including scales, melodic principles, counterpoint, voice leading and diatonic
harmony. Some schools incorporate non-Western music at this point. Cadences and phrase
structure are introduced, along with 4-part writing for instruments and voice. Ear training
practice is often covered in this class as well.

Music Theory II
This course covers a more diverse array of music and more complicated concepts, such as
extended chords, altered chords, binary and ternary structures and modulations. Ear training
practice continues, and students learn about chromatic harmony in depth, including augmented
and Neapolitan sixth chords.

Music Composition - Various Levels

Students start out by composing melodies based on a vocal model, using what they have learned
about tonal harmony. As the student writes, he or she begins to add chromatic harmony and
counterpoint, eventually writing for larger forms, such as large instrumental ensembles and
orchestras.

Music Composition Degree Programs

Music composition degree programs are offered at the bachelor's, master's and doctorate degree
levels. Students must become grounded in a wide variety of musical areas, such as theory, music
history, music reading, ear training and playing an instrument, including voice, before they begin
to compose music. While some bachelor's degree programs require incoming freshmen to
already have composed music, there are other schools where this is not the case. At the master's
degree level, music composer courses and programs are more advanced. Ph.D. students generally
have more freedom to create and study their area of interest in more depth.