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CVPA >> School of Music >> Degrees and Programs >> Areas of Study >> Composition and Technology

Composition and Technology

We recognize that systematic racism, misogyny, and white privilege have shaped the field of music composition in American academia and cultural life. The UNCG Music Composition program has a long-standing commitment to welcoming women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, and other under-represented groups, to study music composition. By promoting a wide range of musical thought and backgrounds in our student composers, guest artists, and musical models for study, we continue to work for change in the world of music composition.

2023 UNCG Comp Studio
2023 UNCG Comp Studio.

2018 UNCG Comp Studio
2018 UNCG Comp Studio

The UNCG composition program currently has a robust class of about 25 majors (undergraduate and graduate) who avidly support and challenge one another. We focus on helping our students to build an outstanding portfolio of composed, performed, and recorded work, all with exceptional production values. There are many performance and reading opportunities each semester, and regular collaborations with film, dance, music performance, large and small ensembles, guest artists, and other artistic areas. Every year over forty student compositions are premiered at UNCG. It’s a lively, engaging, active, dynamic, supportive, and exciting place to make new music.
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The composition area features the state-of-the-art Alice Virginia Poe Williams Electronic Music Studios: a Mac-based 8.1 surround studio and a PC-based 5.1 surround studio, with speaker configurations that can be replicated in our school’s Recital Hall. Typical software being used includes Max/MSP, Logic, ProTools, Ableton Live, Cubase, Reason, and Absynth. Studio equipment is available both for creating cutting-edge electronic music and making professional-quality studio and concert recordings.

Graduates from our programs typically go on to continue their studies at prestigious Masters and Doctoral programs, often earning generous scholarships. Recent graduates have received offers from schools such as Princeton University, Juilliard School, Curtis Institute, Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University, Florida State University, University of North Texas, University of Iowa, University of Florida, Mills College, Bowling Green University, University of Texas at Austin, University of South Carolina, Louisiana State University, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and University of Memphis.

Fall 2023 Freshman Composition Skills Class
Fall 2023 Freshman Composition Skills Class

Studio News

2016 UNCG Comp Studio
2016 UNCG Comp Studio

Degree Programs

UNCG offers the following degree programs for students interested in studying Composition:

Undergraduate Programs
Graduate Programs

2015 UNCG Comp Studio
2015 UNCG Comp Studio

Composition Faculty

Rutty Portrait

Dr. Alejandro Rutty

Mark Engebretson portrait

Dr. Mark Engebretson

Steve Landis portrait

Dr. Steve Landis (adjunct instructor)

Dr. Mark Dillon

Dr. Mark Dillon (Songwriting)

Electronic Music Studios

The composition area features the state-of-the-art Alice Virginia Poe Williams Electronic Music Studios: a Mac-based 8.1 surround studio and a PC-based 5.1 surround studio, with speaker configurations that can be replicated in our school’s Recital Hall. Typical software being used includes Max/MSP, Logic, ProTools, Ableton Live, Cubase, Reason, and Absynth. Studio equipment is available both for creating cutting-edge electronic music and making professional-quality studio and concert recordings.UNCG offers two electronic music studios including both 5.1 and 8.1 channel surround sound and numerous digital audio workstations such as Logic, Ableton, Pro Tools, and Reason.

Electronic Music Studio Gallery
2012 UNCG Comp Studio
2012 UNCG Comp Studio

2013 UNCG Comp Studio
2013 UNCG Comp Studio

Recent Guest Artists

Recent guest artists in the Composition Program at UNCG. Click on each year to view more.

  • Philip Glass, composer, website
  • Todd Reynolds, violinist and composer, Steve Reich Ensemble and Bang on a Can, website
  • Ian Clark, flutist and composer, website
  • D.J. Sparr, composer and electric guitarist, website
  • Thelema Trio, clarinet, saxophone, and piano contemporary ensemble, website
  • Three Red Crowns, instrumental seven piece, featuring sax, strings, bass and drums, website
  • Ruby Fulton, composer, website
  • Collapss—Collective for Happy Sounds, multidisciplinary art ensemble, website
  • Stacy Garrop, composer, website
  • Nicholas Omiccioli, composer, website
  • Sarah Plum, violinist, website
  • Charles Nichols, composer and violinist, website
  • Cassatt Quartet, string quartet, website
  • Lukas Ligeti, composer-percussionist, website
  • Bruno Louchouarn, composer, website
  • Eric Mandat, clarinetist and composer, website
  • NOW Ensemble, contemporary chamber ensemble, website
  • Linda Dusman, composer, website

Visiting Composers

  • Samuel Adler
  • Allen Anderson
  • Burton Beerman
  • Steven Bryant
  • David Dzubay
  • Suzanne Farrin
  • Karel Husa
  • Jakov Jakoulov
  • Libby Larsen
  • Anne LeBaron
  • Lukas Ligeti
  • Elainie Lillios
  • Scott Lindroth
  • Missy Mazzoli
  • Janice Misurell-Mitchell
  • Paul Moravec
  • Joel Pucket
  • Hilary Tann
  • Frank Ticheli and Ken Ueno

Visiting Ensembles

  • Anders Åstrand
  • Amy Dissanayake
  • Cassatt Quartet
  • Daedalus Quartet
  • Due East
  • Eight Blackbird
  • Invisible
  • L2ORK
  • Oasis Quartet
  • Sam Newsome
  • Now Ensemble
  • Red Clay Saxophone Quartet
  • Gerard Schwarz
  • Dimtry Sitkovetsky
  • Thelema Trio

Student Work

Samples of music composed by current and former students. Click on each year to view more.

Eric Paździora, MM ’14 ericpazdziora.com, Soundcloud

“Promenade en Soirée”

Wei Dai, MM ‘ 14 musicwei.com

LED for Saxophone Quartet by Trevor Bumgarner

Internships

2017 UNCG Comp Studio
2017 UNCG Comp Studio

2019 UNCG Comp Studio
2019 UNCG Comp Studio

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