The School of Music is located within the hub of musical activity in the Pacific Northwest, only three blocks from the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. It maintains close ties to the Oregon Symphony, Portland Opera, Portland Symphonic Choir, Portland Jazz Orchestra, and Portland Youth Philharmonic, among other organizations. Faculty and students alike interact with these performing organizations in various ways. Both traditional and innovative musical opportunities through the study of classical performance, jazz performance, pedagogy, music history, ethnomusicology, theory, conducting, composition and music education are available for PSU students who live in the community or in campus housing.
Faculty members in the School of Music are internationally recognized performers, conductors, composers, and scholars. From the beginning of their studies, music majors and minors study with some of the finest faculty in the nation in the string, wind, brass, percussion, piano, jazz, vocal, composition and music education areas. Standards are high as students pursue the conservatory-like Bachelor of Music degree or the more general Bachelor of Arts or Science in Music. Graduates have consistently demonstrated their excellence in the fields of performance, conducting, composition, and scholarship. Many are leaders in music around the Northwest and elsewhere.
Programs in the School of Music are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. The School also offers many courses for the non-major, including: Beginning Guitar, Beginning Piano, Beginning Voice, Introduction to Music, Survey of Music Literature, Applied Music, University Chorus, Women's Chorus, University Band, PSU Orchestra, Basic Materials of Music, Music Theory I, Music in the Western World, History of Rock, Jazz History, Guitar History, World Music, Improvisation, and American Musical Traditions.
Composition B.M.
Area Coordinator: B. Miksch
Requirements
In addition to meeting the general University degree requirements, music majors seeking the professional music degree (Bachelor of Music in Composition) must complete the following courses:
Courses
| Mup 190 | Applied Music Performance | 6 |
| Mup 290 | Applied Music Performance | 6 |
| Mup 390 | Applied Music Composition | 6 |
| Mup 490 | Applied Music Composition | 6 |
| Mus 046 | Piano Proficiency Exam | (0) |
| Mus 048 | Junior Recital | (0) |
| Mus 049 | Senior Recital | (0) |
| Mus 111 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| Mus 112 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| Mus 113 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| Mus 114 | Sight-Singing/Ear Training | 1 |
| Mus 115 | Sight-Singing/Ear Training | 1 |
| Mus 116 | Sight-Singing/Ear Training | 1 |
| Mus 188 | Performance Attendance | 0 |
| | Mus 195, 196, 197, or 198 Band, Orchestra, Choir, or Jazz Lab Band | 6 |
| Mus 205 | Listening I | 1 |
| Mus 206 | Listening II | 1 |
| Mus 211 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| Mus 212 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| Mus 213 | Music Theory II | 3 |
| Mus 214 | Sight Singing and Ear Training | 1 |
| Mus 215 | Sight Singing and Ear Training | 1 |
| Mus 216 | Sight Singing and Ear Training | 1 |
| Mus 240 | Composition I | 2 |
| Mus 241 | Composition I | 2 |
| Mus 242 | Composition I | 2 |
| Mus 291 | Advanced Class Piano | 2 |
| Mus 292 | Advanced Class Piano | 2 |
| Mus 293 | Advanced Class Piano | 2 |
| Mus 304 | Music History | 4 |
| Mus 305 | Music History | 4 |
| Mus 306 | Music History | 4 |
| Mus 311 | Formal Analysis | 3 |
| Mus 312 | Orchestration | 3 |
| Mus 313 | Counterpoint | 3 |
| Mus 320 | Fundamentals of Conducting | 2 |
| | Mus 394, 395, 396, 397, or 398 Large or Small Ensemble | 3 |
| Mus 411 | Topics in Music History | 2 |
| Mus 421 | Analysis of Contemporary Music | 3 |
| | | |
| Mus 474 | Midi Applications | 2 |
| | or | |
| Mus 475 | Midi Applications | 2 |
| | | |
| Mus 476 | Computer Music Composition | 3 |
| | Music Electives (chosen in consultation with advisor) | 15 |
One of the following:
Mup 190 & Mup 290 Applied Music: 12 credits in performance.
Mup 390 & Mup 490 Applied Music: 12 credits in composition.
Mus 114 – Mus 116: concurrent enrollment with Mus 111, 112, 113 required
Mus 214 - Mus 216: concurrent enrollment with Mus 211, 212, 213 required)
Mus 188: must be taken concurrently with Applied Music each term through the completion of Mup 390 for a total of 9 terms.
Music majors must enroll in Applied Music and the related Large Ensemble each term. The credits in Applied Music are divided 6 credits at each level. With School approval, the distribution of Applied Music credits may be altered; however, a minimum of 12 of the 24 credits must be completed at the upper-division level. A minimum of 3 of the 9 Large Ensemble credits must be completed at the upper-division level.
Music majors must enroll in the related Chamber Music Ensemble.
NOTE: Applied Music performance (instrumental or vocal) through Mus 290 with 12 accumulated credits is required. Interested students will submit a portfolio of compositions for acceptance as a Composition Major after the Mus 240, Mus 241, Mus 242 sequence. Transfer students may be admitted on the basis of their portfolio of compositions and their transcript.
Total Credit Hours: 123