STUDENTS
From J.S.Bach to Michael Jackson, there are elements of Western music that remain eternal. Those who are exemplary composers have mastered these elements through study or industrious experience. Today, fluency in the Western compositional techniques is a rarity, but the artistic and commercial needs for it are greater than ever. Whether you aspire to be a composer in residence with a major orchestra or composer for video game soundtracks, commissions are high pressure situations that can be either enriching or arduous experiences. Fluency in compositional technique can enable you to expediently produce a work of music that is of the highest caliber.
PHILOSOPHY
Compositional technique can be divided into two topics - counterpoint and form. Mastery in these areas prepares one for the freedom of modern music and pursuing their individual voice. The student can expect to dedicate a great deal of time to learning the methodologies of the common practice before delving into the later styles encompassing French impressionism and the contemporary scene. Composition can also be practiced as regularly and methodically as an instrument, so lessons are based on rigorous exercises and progression of assignments.