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Music Composition

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Compose for Instruments and Media

Create music for performers, ensembles, and concert stages! In the music composition option, students write for large and small ensembles, score film and video game scenes, and program computer music. In the classes and lessons, students explore different techniques and technologies, while expanding their style. In and out of class, students collaborate on projects with other musicians, theatre and film directors, video game developers, installation artists, and creative coders. The weekly seminar is an opportunity to share and critique work, discuss compositional and career topics, hear from guest artists, and build community.

Throughout the program, students develop a professional portfolio of their creative work, preparing them for graduate school or employment as composers. These works are performed and presented from media on their junior and senior recitals, annual composition area events, and student ensemble concerts. Their compositions are read by visiting professional ensembles, critiqued by visiting guest composers, and adjudicated for the annual Yee Prize.

Recent music composition graduates have gone on to study at leading graduate schools and work as free-lance composers.

World-class faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and opportunities to collaborate with other student and faculty musicians, visual artists, theatre and film directors, game designers, and creative coders across campus make the music composition degree option at Virginia Tech an ideal choice for composers.

Degree Program Options

Major in Music Composition
Minor in Music Production, Technology, and Composition (MPTC)

In addition to a university application, All Music Composition applicants must submit a portfolio. 

Portfolio Information

A Close Community at a Big School

Virginia Tech music students enjoy the advantages of being at a major research university while studying in a department that is a close-knit community with student-centered faculty. Students will find faculty and staff who push them to succeed, support their learning, and advocate for them throughout their careers.

Looking for Music Production?

While Composition focuses on creating original music through notation, orchestration, and individualized artistic development, some students are more interested in producing tracks, making beats, recording artists, designing sound, or creating music for contemporary media using digital audio workstations and studio technology. If that sounds like you, explore our Music Production degree, which offers specialized tracks in Recording and Composition and emphasizes music creation in today’s recording, media, and production environments.

Music Composition Faculty

Contact Charles Nichols, Professor of Composition and Creative Technologies, for more information about the degree program.