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.
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.
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.
Studio News
Degree Programs
Undergraduate Programs
- Bachelor of Music (BM) — Composition
- Bachelor of Music (BM) — Pop Tech
- Undergraduate Minor — Composition and Technology
Graduate Programs
Composition Faculty
Dr. Alejandro Rutty
Dr. Mark Engebretson
Dr. Steve Landis (adjunct instructor)
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
Recent Guest Artists
Recent guest artists in the Composition Program at UNCG. Click on each year to view more.
- Cecilia Arditto, https://ceciliaarditto.com/home.html
- Ciompi Quartet, https://ciompi.org/
- Andre Larget-Caplan, https://www.alcguitar.com/
- Denice Frohman, https://www.denicefrohman.com/
- Andrew Hannon, http://www.andrewhannon.com/
- Red Clay Saxophone Quartet, http://redclaysaxophonequartet.com/
- Rodney Waschka, waschka.info
- Evan Feldman, evanfeldman.com
- F-Plus, fplusmusic.com/about
- Roger Zare, rogerzare.com
- Stacy Garrop, garrop.com
- Moanin’ Frogs, themoaninfrogs.com (POSTPONED)
- Anders Åstrand, andersastrand.com/Welcome.html (POSTPONED)
- John Morrison, website
- Hypercube, www.hypercubemusic.org
- Chen Yi Residency with Red Clay Saxophone Quartet,www.presser.com/composer/chen-y, www.redclaysaxophonequartet.weebly.com
- Duo Montagnard, www.duomontagnard.com
- Domino Ensemble, dominoensemble.com
- Lisa Bielawa, www.lisabielawa.net
- Beo String Quartet, website
- Quintet Sirocco, website
- James Iman, piano, website
- Emilio Peroni, piano, website
- Garrett Schumann, guest composer
- Steven Bryant, Distinguished Visiting Composer, website
- Craig Bove, guest composer, website
- Anders Åstrand, www.andersastrand.com
- Sheila Silver, guest composer www.sheilasilver.com
- Michael Hall, viola, website
- Ben Hjertmann website
- Burton Beerman website
- Sarah Love Taylor website
- Christian Marclay website
- David Hurd, organ, website
- Kiki Keren-Huss, guest composer, website
- Red Clay Saxophone Quartet, website
- Cameron Britt, guest composer, website
- SaVaSa Trio, brass from the Ensemble Modern, website
- Jane Rigler, guest composer, website
- 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
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.
- Indiria Everett, BM ’20 https://soundcloud.com/indiria-everett http://indiriaeverett.weebly.com/
- Grace Gollmar, BM ’19 https://soundcloud.com/grace-gollmar https://www.youbelonghereproject.com/
- Sharneisha Joyner, BM ’19 https://www.sharjcomposer.com/
- Yunfei Li, MM ’19 https://soundcloud.com/user-954554566 https://www.yunfeilimusic.com/
- Chris Miller, BM ‘19 http://www.chrismillercomposer.com/
- Shawn Mulcahy, BM ’20 https://soundcloud.com/sean-mulcahy-4 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8OaOsdV0YEralcQPYBZcMw
- Treya Nash, MM ’20 https://soundcloud.com/treyanash?fbclid=IwAR1ZG6Jpw6Ao_KIZEtW9QkG3m68pF1htr2qvyHhDktEDxR4GxAcEobODJeo
- Andrew Savage, BM ’19 https://soundcloud.com/andrewsavagecomposer https://andrewsavage.net/
- Lihuen Sirvent, MM ‘20 https://soundcloud.com/lih-s https://lihuensirvent.wixsite.com/website
- Asher Sizemore, https://soundcloud.com/user-229132237
- Isaac Ward, https://soundcloud.com/user-690535681
- Julian Ward, MM ‘19 https://soundcloud.com/user-886544849 https://www.julianwardmusic.com/
- Lowell Fuchs, MM ’18 http://www.lowellgerardfuchs.com/
- Robin McLaughlin, MM ’18 https://soundcloud.com/robin-mclaughlin http://www.robinmclaughlincomposer.com/
- Am’re Ford, MM ’16 Soundcloud
- Ash Stemke, MM ’16 ashstemke.com
- Jacob Thiede, MM ’16 YouTube, Soundcloud
- Binshan Zhao, MM ’16 Soundcloud
- Kate Wagner, BM ’16 kaitlynwagnermusic.com, Soundcloud
- Anna Meadors, MM ’15 annameadors.com, Soundcloud
- Nate Goldsmith, BM ’15 Soundcloud
- Elise Seifert, BM ’16 https://soundcloud.com/eliseseifert https://eliseseifert.com/
- Frank Starobin, BM ’16 https://www.youtube.com/user/sillysallykingdog
Eric Paździora, MM ’14 ericpazdziora.com, Soundcloud
- “The Juniper Tree” performed by Nomi Marcus
- Vaughn Perveiler, BM ’14 vaughnperveiler.com/
“Promenade en Soirée”
Wei Dai, MM ‘ 14 musicwei.com
- If I’m Lost
- Steve Landis, MM ’13 slandismusic.com
- String Quintet No1. 1-Ravenswood
- Jonathan Wall, MM ’13 jonathanwallmusic.com
- Brian Koenig, MM ’13 briankoenigmusic.com
- Tyler Miller, MM ’13 – Tyler Miller(M.M. in Composition, 2013) works as a freelance composer and music teacher.
- Trevor Bumgarner, BM ’13 Soundcloud
LED for Saxophone Quartet by Trevor Bumgarner
- Joshua Marquez, MM ’12 joshuamarquez.com“Cold Star” for string quartet, performed by the JACK quartet
- Elizabeth Kowalski, MM ’12 themusicqueen.comTwo Spirits
- Eric Lacy, MM ’12Eric Lacy
- “No Way Out” for string orchestra, performed by the Gate City Camerata
- Sarah Baugher, MM ’12 sarahabaugher.com
- Nicholas Rich, BM ’12 nicholaserich.com“Always Something There to Rewind Me” for Solo Instrument and computer
- Peter Borotto, BM ’12 peterborotto.weebly.com
- Jonathan Stuart Moore MM ’11) jstuartmoore.com/There Was No Question
- Andrew Weathers, BM ’11 andrewweathers.com
- Carlos Fuentes, BM ’11 YouTube
- Nick Stubblefield, BM ’10 nickstubblefield.com
“Interstate 40” for Orchestra, performed by the UNCG Symphony Orchestra - Michael Cummings, B.M. ’08 Michael Cummings
“Approach and Appeal” - Braxton Sherouse BM ’08 Soundcloud
- Thomas Royal MM ’08 tmroyal.com
- Seth Colaner, MM ’07 sethcolaner.com
- Daniel Pappas, MM ’06 danielcpappas.com
Internships
