Music 312, Composition Seminar, Part I:

Music 312, Composition Seminar, Part I, provides experience in original and creative musical composition, either acoustic or technological, or in combination.  All seminarians will convene throughout the year both together as a larger group with the graduate composers of the School of Music, and separately as the smaller undergraduate composers group. Guest composers will include professional composers of a wide variety of aesthetic views, style and stature, as well as faculty composers of the Department of Music and the School of Music.

Requirements:

Those students in Music 312, Composition Seminar, Part I, must complete four mini-etude projects (two a semester) as required, participate in at least one of the Mini Residencies during the year, AND complete one originally designed composition project requisite to an individual's level of experience. The mini-etude projects are:

Mini-Etude #1: writing for soprano and piano (Fall 2008)
Mini-Etude #2: writing for instrumental duos & trios (Fall 2008)
Mini-Etude #3: orchestrating for large ensemble (Winter/Spring 2009)
Mini-Etude #4: writing chamber ensemble and & dancer(s) (Winter/Spring 2009)

Students must take a total of ten or more weekly lessons per semester, scheduled on a regular basis.  Lessons will be with Mr. Ted Hearne and Ms. Yuan-Chen Li in the Fall semester and Mr. Andrew Norman and Mr. Jay Wadley in the Spring semester.  Every student must present their work at one class each semester.

"Mid-term" and "Final" Evaluations:

At the middle of each semester, 312 students will have a "mid-term" evaluation with Professor Kathryn Alexander. Students will then have a "final" evaluation with Professor Klingbeil at the end of the each semester.

Students are required to attend the Yale College Composers Concerts and encouraged to attend the New Music New Haven concerts, as well as any other concerts on which they and their peers present their works.

Grading for Each Semester:

Class, lesson and concert attendance/participation/attitude -- 2.5%
      (Three or more combined absences from classes, lessons, and/or concerts will forfeit this 2.5%)
Class presentations -- 2.5%
Mini-Etudes -- 20%
Mid-Term Appointment -- 7.5%
Final Evaluation Appointment -- 7.5%
Original Composition Project -- 10%

Grading Criteria:

Students are expected to show advancement in their compositional skills to earn the following grades:

      A = Exceptional improvement in development of compositional techniques, syntax, and form
      B = Demonstrable improvement in development of compositional techniques, syntax, and form
      C = No change in use of compositional techniques, syntax, and form
      D = Regression in use of compositional techniques, syntax, and form

Preparation and attendance/participation for course work classes and lessons, the class presentation, and individual composition work - are the responsibility of the student. The professors and teaching assistant are NOT obligated to make-up classes and lessons students miss.  The grade at the end of the first semester will be either S or NS.  The letter grade at the end of the year will apply retroactively to the first semester. Students taking only the Fall semester seminar must notify Prof. Kathryn Alexander in order to receive a letter grade for a single semester.