UNDERGRADUATE
MUSI3023 Composing for the Concert World
Course Type: disciplinary elective for music majors/minors, free elective for others
Prerequisite: MUSI2026 Fundamentals of Music Composition
For exchange students: equivalent to MUSI2026 at the home institution required.
Prerequisite: MUSI2026 Fundamentals of Music Composition
For exchange students: equivalent to MUSI2026 at the home institution required.
Instructor: Dr. Daniel LO
Semester: Second Semester 2026/27
Time: 11:00am – 12:50pm, Monday
Venue: RRT-11.01 Seminar Room
Semester: Second Semester 2026/27
Time: 11:00am – 12:50pm, Monday
Venue: RRT-11.01 Seminar Room
This course encourages students to compose music using techniques from the 20th century. It introduces methods for organizing and manipulating various musical parameters, including pitch, rhythm, meter, texture, color, and form. Students will also experiment with incorporating extra-musical inspiration and exploring alternative aesthetics. This course serves as a continuation of MUSI2026: Fundamentals of Music Composition. Students enrolling in this course are expected to have a foundational understanding of music theory and composition. The course structure includes two types of classes: group lectures and individual consultations. In group lectures, advanced compositional concepts are introduced, tailored to different instrument groups. Individual consultations provide students with one-on-one meetings with the lecturer to discuss their compositions in detail.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- demonstrate a mastery of compositional techniques for a range of ensembles and performing contexts;
- demonstrate a thorough knowledge of compositional techniques through analysis, critique, and formulation of opinions.
Composition 1: 40%
· Score: 30%
· Written Note: 10%
Composition 2: 50%
· Score: 40%
· Written Note: 10%
Attendance and participation (lectures and tutorials): 10%
· Score: 30%
· Written Note: 10%
Composition 2: 50%
· Score: 40%
· Written Note: 10%
Attendance and participation (lectures and tutorials): 10%
- Non-tonal Pitch Organization
- Serialism and Pitch-class Set Theory
- Advanced Phrase Structures and Forms
- Rhythm and Temporality
- Extended Performing Techniques
Modern Music and After / Paul Griffiths
George Crumb & the Alchemy of Sound: Essays on His Music / edited by Steven Bruns & Ofer Ben-Amots; Michael D. Grace, general editor
The Technique of My Musical Language / by Olivier Messiaen ; Translated by John Satterfield
The Music of Tōru Takemitsu / Peter Burt
Confronting Silence: Selected Writings / Toru Takemitsu ; translated and edited by Yoshiko Kakudo and Glenn Glasow ; with a foreword by Seiji Ozawa