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Composition at MSU

The composition program at Michigan State University lies at the intersection of the creation, research, and performance of music and sound with other art forms. Faculty and students engage in work in acoustic and electronic media, including chamber and large ensembles, real-time interactive performance, video/film, installation, instrument design, and improvisation.

Composition students take advantage of frequent performance opportunities with professional performers and ensembles and the College of Music top-tier ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Musique 21 (contemporary music ensemble), and University Chorale. Student composers also organize performances of their works in Premieres concerts and other venues on and off campus.
Additional opportunities include the Honors Composition Competition, the Jere Hutcheson Large Ensemble Composition Competition, the student-run Electronic Music Workshop, and a series of student showcase performances at the beautiful Broad Art Museum on campus.

Students study composition in individual lessons with faculty composers and in small, focused courses on specific topics relevant to creating music and art in the 21st-century. The weekly studio class is led by the composition faculty and features frequent distinguished guest composers and performers who foster lively and engaging discourse that complements the composition curriculum.

Scholarships are available to undergraduate students, and graduate assistantships and fellowships are available to students in the fields of music theory, composition, and electronic music. More information on funding.
Students playing in an orchestra

Michigan State University and the College of Music have all of the resources and opportunities afforded to students and faculty at a top-tier research institution and a leading music school/conservatory. There are hundreds of student and faculty performers and ensembles with whom composers collaborate, and a plethora of interesting and unique opportunities to connect with artists and researchers across campus.

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