Enter the Music Industry with APU’s Music Composition Major

APU’s composition major prepares students for work as a professional composer or graduate study. Courses in music theory, musicianship, music technology, counterpoint form, arranging, orchestration, applied composition, music history, literature, and conducting give the student a thorough preparation in comprehensive musicianship. Students earning their Bachelor of Music in Composition also participate in musical ensembles and attend and perform their compositions in recitals, providing extensive, diverse musical experiences. Students graduate with the musical and practical preparation they need to start a musical career.

Admission to the music composition major is by audition and submission of previous compositions. Students with minimal compositional experience may be admitted at the discretion of the composition faculty, provided they show promise and strong general musicianship in other ways.

Is This Major Right for You?

You’re a composition major (B.M.) if you:

• Already love to compose and/or creatively arrange.
• Are diligent and willing to put in extensive time and effort to hone your talent into skill.
• Enjoy the creative process, including learning new ways to compose and developing new skills.
• Plan to pursue a career as a composer/arranger or an advanced degree in music.

Program Highlights

• Small classes that facilitate greater student access to professors
• Freedom to integrate faith and musicianship
• Interaction with a variety of performance groups
• Access to the greater Los Angeles area, which provides opportunities in many different venues including musicals, operas, church concerts, recording studios, orchestras, jazz bands, etc.

School of Music Accreditation

A degree from Azusa Pacific University is respected and recognized internationally, and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The university is regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

University Reputation

U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2023 edition named Azusa Pacific to its list of top national universities and several other significant lists, including First-Year Experiences and Top Performers on Social Mobility. The Princeton Review designated APU as 1 of 126 institutions in the “Best Western Colleges” section of its 2023 Best Colleges guide. APU’s School of Nursing was named a top nursing school in California for 2023 by College Factual and Niche. APU was included as a top-100 degree producer by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Azusa Pacific is also a Military Friendly School and Yellow Ribbon University, serving more than 500 military-connected students and families, and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 Doctoral Research University.