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Music 312/412/490
Fall 2008 – Spring 2009
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Music 412
Co-Directors: Prof. Kathryn Alexander
and Prof. Michael Klingbeil


Music 412, Composition Seminar, Part II:

Music 412, Composition Seminar, Part II, 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 412, Composition Seminar, Part II, must complete Mini-Etude #4 and at least one other mini-etude project, participate in at least one of the Mini Residencies, AND complete one originally designed composition project requisite to an individual's level of experience. The mini-etude projects to choose from are:

Mini-Etude #1: writing for percussion (Fall 2008)
Mini-Etude #2: writing for soprano and piano (Fall 2008)
Mini-Etude #3: writing for mixed chamber 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 either Prof. Kathryn Alexander or Prof. Michael Klingbeil. Every student must present their work at one class 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%
Original Composition Project(s) -- 25%

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 U. 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. Alexander in order to receive a letter grade for a single semester.