Composition and Music Theory
At Boston University, the Composition & Music Theory programs will help you gain a broad knowledge of contemporary and historical compositional practices, and a mastery of analytic techniques for tonal and post-tonal music. Studying with composers and theorists who are significant figures in the musical life of Boston, our programs prepare students for meaningful careers as composers, theorists, teachers, and academics.
The Composition program will help you work to attain a personal compositional aesthetic and the techniques to express it through sound. Through performance opportunities, comprehensive training, and collaborations with accomplished musicians and artists, you will be presented with an array of opportunities to hear and discover diverse musical styles and develop the skills necessary to navigate the professional world. Programs are offered at the undergraduate and graduate level.
The Master of Arts in Music Theory program is designed for students seeking to acquire a secure foundation in scholarly music theory prior to entering doctoral study. This foundation can be crucial to success in graduate school and beyond, bridging the gap between undergraduate curricula and advanced PhD programs. Through a series of graduate courses and seminars, students develop a close familiarity with essential approaches and techniques for the theory and analysis of tonal and post-tonal music. Emphasis is also given to secondary fields of interest such as musicology, composition, and performance. MM candidates benefit from the greater surroundings of a major school of music, its distinguished faculty, and a close connection with the wider community of students and faculty in the Composition and Musicology graduate programs.
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Degrees Offered
- Bachelor of Arts in Music
with concentration in Music Theory - Bachelor of Music in Composition & Theory
- Master of Music in Composition
- Master of Arts in Music Theory
- Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition
- Undergraduate Admissions Information
- MM & DMA Application Requirements
- Portfolio Submission Requirements
Faculty Members
Mildred P. Gilfillan Professor of Music; Chair, Composition and Theory
Composition
Mildred P. Gilfillan Professor of Music; Chair, Composition and Theory Professor of Music, Composition and Music Theory Professor of Music, Composition and Music Theory Associate Professor of Music, Composition and Music Theory Senior Lecturer in Music, Composition and Music Theory Associate Professor of Music, Composition and Music Theory Assistant Professor of Music, Composition and Music Theory Lecturer in Music, Composition and Music Theory
Music Theory
Associate Professor of Music, Composition and Music Theory Associate Professor of Music, Composition and Music Theory Associate Professor of Music, Composition and Music Theory
Unique Opportunities
Center for New Music
Electronic and Computer Music Studio
Composer's Forum
Notable Graduates
Recent graduates in composition are teaching in music schools and universities throughout the world. They are recipients of Guggenheim Fellowships, Fulbright Grants, the Prix de Rome, as well as ASCAP and NACUSA prizes.
Graduates of the theory program have gone on to enroll in some of the leading doctoral programs in music theory, including Yale University, Eastman School of Music, Florida State University, and Louisiana State University.