I know virtually nothing about college except looking at it online makes me think it will be really fun to major in music and get to learn all that stuff and do that stuff but hey, I'm kind of a music geek so music theory interests me alot. ^^ I'd kind of like to know what to expect
when I go after graduating in two years. Most require Algebra 3 but that's not so bad if that's all the non music-oriented thing you have to take. I'm not too great at math but as long as it's in an understandable way It'll be fine. Anyway, I heard you have to already before
college be able to play melodies by ear and play classical pieces. That's fine and all but then, some of them require you to have already
composed your own compositions with a score and recording! In two years, I hopefully would have composed things but although I love to
compose music, and the score would be pretty easy to make on the computer but recording? Do they expect you to go to a recording
studio or what? Why can't you just play the piece? Or would a midi be fine? Also please explain what you will be learning in some of these courses:

Music History and Literature - I assume it's a musically oriented history class where you learn about different composers and pieces

Music of the world's people - This sounds pretty fun getting to learn about foreign styles and such


I just want to know, it seems to me like it would be very fun and interesting experience. Especially having so many nice pianos to play
\O__O/ I'm sure it's alot of work but most of it's fun to people who enjoy music theory and composition right?
Personally I think it's kind of strange needing to know how to do alot of things prior to even going to college :p

I'm only in high school, but I think you've got it all wrong. I'm planning to go to college to become a music instructor, but the only the my instructors have told me about requirements for getting in is that you have to play an audition piece. Of course, I'm in America. It might be different for your country.

When you think of college you have to think more of what will happen with you after you are done with it.

The requirements variate between universities and your degree. Someone that want to become a performer won't need to submit compositions for example. And there is not university that require you to submit a piece/song done in a studio for an undergraduate degree. The recording can be from a concert or a homemade. A simply mock-up with a well notated score can be fine. Some universities may require you to perform one of your compositions or a test in your instrument.

The conservatory where I studied for some years require you for a composition degree to take a theory and Solfège test and to submit 3 notated original compositions (only completed compositions), one live or digital recording, and a performance of one piece in your main instrument. You are interviewed also.

Of course, but people always say college is fun in alot of ways. Although very challenging, I love music and music theory.
I probably want to do something along the lines of being a composer for Movie and Video Games.

The thing about being as composer is that time is money. The more money you have, the more time you have to write your compositions. Hoonestly, it's more of a side job. Yes, you can be just a composer, but you have to be good and possibly well known. I suggest getting another job in the music field, like perhaps a music therapist or music teacher or something and just write your compositions on the side. That sounds more safe. That way you won't have to worry as much about the bills :P

Concentrate on getting better at an instrument. You'd be surprised -- people don't go to music school to be a composer, it's something that is pursued much later in college, sometimes even when you're getting a Masters degree.

Very few people go for a composition degree/major for undergrad. Like I said, just concentrate on being a performer and studying music.

I agree with Milchh- composition is more of a Masters thing. No one can teach you to compose they can only help you to improve the skills you already possess. I think at Masters level, there's a lot more that can be built on than people generally have at undergrad level?

I was lucky in that my degree had real flexibility in choice of modules. My degree was piano performance, but I also chose all of the core modules for undergrad composition- so although my degree title is performance it was equal weighting. The stuff I was writing before my degree, most of which can still be found on here is, in a word, pathetic (with the exception of one piano piece I entered into one of the contests here which I'm still quite proud of and may go back and rework).

The development I have gone through from then to now comes from having personal growth space and I think I would greatly benefit from a Masters in composition should I decide I want to do one. Another stroke of luck was that although I did all performance and composition modules, my degree was piano performance so all personal tutor time I received was on the piano- I only saw the composition staff in the context of lecture-seminars. So they literally just gave me pointers and gentle nudges- they didn't have much input as I didn't have allocated one to one time with them. I think at the level I was, that was the best possible thing for me.

Finally, forget what happens when you get a degree. You'll most likely go into an halfway job that has nothing to do with your degree and be stuck there whilst you collect the funds and investigate the means of getting any further towards your life goal. It happens to 99% of us graduates don't worry about it. That borne in mind, I think people who do a degree thinking they'll walk out of it directly into the dream job are bigger laughing stocks than those who do a degree because of raw interest.

The university that I attend does require an instrumental audition (however, the audition committee will be more lenient on you than, say, a performance major). Music, as a major, is unusual with the fact that it does require so much from the student before one enters the program.

I'm going through something similar to Thorn's situation - I'm technically a "Liberal Arts" major in music; however, I'm doing extra theory courses (i.e. Schenkerian Analysis, Renaissance Counterpoint, Baroque Counterpoint) that are usually required of the theory and composition students. I'm also doing piano and clarinet lessons with a math major behind it also. The reason why I'm not a composition major is because I feel that I just want to be educated and to gain a background on everything music: composition, performance, theory, and a little education (if I can find the time to fit it in).

I agree with Mazeppa - concentrate on learning an instrument. Especially when you get farther into the music major, professors (even Theory/History professors) state that one's abilities to do well in a musical field depends on the skill that one possesses to play an instrument.

Many people who write music actually think very much similar to you in that they want to write for video games or film, at least on this forum anyways. However, I can honestly tell you that your undergrad degree will never be able to help you get a contract with a gaming company. The skills and knowledge you learn from it that inevidably helps you improve your writing skills is the only thing that you will gain that will increase your chances at getting a contract.

If you want to become a professional video game or film composer, start by learning the industry standards: Learn copy write laws, expectations from project managers, forms of compensation, major figures in the industries and how you can get them to notice you to referre you to potential projects. If you know people who are currently working with a gaming company, regardless of their position, never hesitate to ask them for a referral. Learn to market yourself and your career grow.

Well, I don't know, I don't want to be a therapist or a teacher, I'm very impatient and either of those jobs seem like something I'm just not interested in :\ Yes, mastering piano and guitar is the most important thing for me, but I don't know what kind of music career I would
want. Anyone else had similar situations? I really just want to land a music career that I would enjoy alot and pays decent.

One thing to note: do not go into the music profession expecting a certain amount of pay. It's extraordinarily competitive - and there are few who ever do get the job that they want in the music field. (Even current professionals struggle - an audition for an orchestral position last year, of some of the best clarinetists in the world took place and none of them got the job.) Most people go into music because it's something that they can actually do in which they have some talent - pay is a hard expectation to make in the industry nowadays. Hence I made the choice to double major. Best of luck!