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There are typically 10-12 undergraduate students and 10-12 graduate students. This nearly-equal mix of undergraduates to graduates gives our department a rich diversity with regard to current projects at any given time.

Our composition faculty is comprised of diverse artists who value this same quality among their students. While we primarily teach the tenets of the Western concert music tradition, our faculty guides students to be successful no matter which genre or style he/she may be working towards in any given project. We thrive on this diversity and strive to cultivate such variety!

We would like to see at least three compositions and no more than four from graduate applicants (scores should be submitted as PDFs unless you prefer to mail hardcopies). From your submitted works, we hope to get a well-rounded idea of who you are as a composer; a mix of chamber or solo and large ensemble works is best. We prefer to listen to live recordings whenever possible, however we also know that circumstances may not be favorable (timing of deadlines, etc.) for a work you are wanting to submit. We can “see through the MIDI” without any problem and treat your recording as if it was live. One of the missions of our department is to furnish all of our composers with live recordings of their works and we will try to make special accommodations whenever needed.

Yes, however this depends on the particular student’s aptitude on his/her instrument and/or desires to pursue formal study on the instrument. In the majority of cases, it becomes a matter of space in our applied instrument studios. Though it is not unheard of for an undergraduate composition major to study his/her instrument with one of our primary faculty, a majority of our composition students take applied instrument lessons with graduate studio teaching assistants or adjunct faculty (private instrument lessons are not a requirement for undergraduate composition majors).

Yes. Undergraduate composition majors are required to enroll in an ensemble for credit—our orchestra, band, choir, Japanese, Gamelan or African drumming ensembles, to name a few (when offered). Undergraduate composition majors are also required to either pass proficiency on piano or take piano lessons for two years of his/her degree.

CU Boulder SoundWorks is a concert series-meets-forum for the creation and performance of new and original works by student composers, improvisers, performers and collaborators from the College of Music, as well as a space to celebrate works by living composers beyond the CU Boulder community. SoundWorks values a broad aesthetic range of sound-based art inclusive of all genres and manners of music making—from concert music to songwriting to electroacoustic to jazz and beyond. We strive to contribute to our broader communities, both local and national, through our art and conversations.

Yes. There are a few preliminary tests we administer at the College of Music to place new graduate students properly on his/her degree track: Music History (before and after 1750), 16th- and 18th-Century Counterpoint, Tonal Analysis, Post-Tonal Analysis and Aural Skills.

There are many annual opportunities for CU Boulder composers to hear both their chamber and larger works read or performed. Explore a comprehensive list of composition major opportunities.

Many of our students are actively composing and performing electroacoustic music both in live concert situations and on the internet. Our CRuNCh studio offers a space for experimentation with eight channel surround sound as well as facilities for recording. MAX/MSP and SuperCollider are the primary compositional tools used but many other applications such as Logic Studio Pro, Reason, ProTools and Abelton Live are supported as well. The Boulder Laptop Orchestra (BLOrk) is a for credit ensemble that offers many opportunities for live performance of student compositions.

Many students have sought out collaborations with other campus arts areas and have presented numerous works in the Atlas B2 Center for Media, Arts and Performance—a state-of-the-art multimedia and interdisciplinary performance facility. .

Our Entrepreneurship Center for Music (ECM) is one of the leading professional development programs in the country. Offerings include courses for academic credit, internship opportunities, weekly workshops and more. The center is also run by Director Jeffrey Nytch, a member of the composition faculty with extensive experience as a freelance artist and arts administrator. 

Beyond the weekly private composition lessons, we offer coursework in orchestration, counterpoint, 20th-century analysis, electronic music/music technology, musicology, ethnomusicology and a weekly composition seminar.

Boulder is a marvelous place to live as a student. Aside from being a world-class research institution, the university enjoys amazing, temperate weather right at the steps of the Rocky Mountains. Because of Boulder’s unique location, there are abundant opportunities for recreation and culture. Denver—with the Colorado Symphony, opera and ballet—is only 35 minutes away.

Find information on applying to our composition program.

The University of Colorado Boulder College of Music generally offers Graduate Assistantships to help graduate students cover tuition. Theses GAs (only a few are available on any given year) give incoming graduate students the opportunity to teach in the classroom as well. Complete this if you're interested.