Composition (Instrumental & Vocal) at the NZSM

Students studying Instrumental/Vocal Composition at the NZSM join a programme unique in New Zealand. Composition majors are encouraged to develop their individual creative voices. They are given opportunities to work in a range of areas. You will graduate with considerable technical command of compositional technique as well as broad historical, theoretical and analytical knowledge of your discipline. Composition staff are some of New Zealand’s best-known creative artists, whose collective expertise covers all significant aspects of the field.

A BMus in Instrumental and Vocal Composition gives students a thorough grounding in all aspects of composition. The programme aims to give you the creative and critical tools required for a successful career as a composer. You will be encouraged to compose substantial works for a variety of musical media. Musical imagination and creativity are key concepts.

The New Zealand School of Music offers unparalleled opportunities for composers:

• The largest composition faculty in New Zealand
  • Assoc. Prof Jack Body
  • Assoc. Prof John Psathas
  • Dr. Dugal McKinnon
  • Michael Norris
  • Dr. Stephan Prock
  • Dr. Ajay Kapur
• Weekly composers workshops for national and international guests, staff seminars, and student performances
• Annual New Zealand String Quartet Workshop (open to all students)
• Annual NZSM Composers Competition, sponsored by the Lilburn Trust
• Opportunities for postgraduate composition students:
  • Two commissions from the Graduate Ensemble (awarded by the composition staff to outstanding graduate students)
  • Two commissions from the NZSM Orchestra (awarded by the composition staff to outstanding graduate students)
  • Graduate students can discuss their work with the NZSM/CNZ Composer-in-Residence
  • Graduate students can have works workshopped by the NZSM Orchestra

Please note that entry into CMPO 201 is limited. See note below.

BMus in Instrumental/Vocal Composition

Selection criteria for CMPO 201

Please note that as CMPO 201 is capped at 15 students, entry will be determined by:

1. the student having received at least a B- grade in CMPO 101; and
2. selection by composition staff based on potential demonstrated in a submitted portfolio of compositions.

Portfolios should be submitted to the Programme Leader, Composition. Deadline for receipt of portfolios is 10 December. The composition faculty will meet shortly thereafter to make the final selection. (NB: Late submissions may be considered, depending on available capacity.)

Portfolios should contain a representative sample of 2-3 scores and recordings, if available, of the student's work. These may include works that have been composed as assessment for university courses, or may include works that have been composed independently.

Postgraduate degrees in Composition

Please see the Postgraduate Degrees page

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