A comprehensive training in Composition (including Music Technology and Song-Writing) for students at all levels of study.
Broad-ranging in content, composition offers students training in many forms of musical creativity and music style.
In the first year of study, students may specialise in one area or mix different interests, such as Classical Music or Popular Music. In the following years, opportunities are made available for specialisation in writing for other media such as film, dance, television or theatre.
There are no minimum entry requirements for the first-year composition papers, although students with little or no music reading ability are strongly encouraged to up-skill in the first semester through the paper MUSI 191 Introduction to Music.
Students who complete the 36 point third-year paper MUSI 331 Composition Projects can choose to have their Bachelor of Music (MusB) degree endorsed in composition.
Qualifications
Explore your study options further. Refer to enrolment information found on the following qualification page.
- Bachelor of Music (MusB)
Papers
| Paper code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSI101 | 2020 | Materials of Music 1 | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI103 | 2020 | Popular Music | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI104 | 2020 | World Music | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI105 | 2020 | Music Matters | 18 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI131 | 2020 | Composition 1 | 18 points | Full Year |
| MUSI132 | 2020 | Music Technology 1 | 18 points | First Semester, Second Semester |
| MUSI135 | 2020 | Songwriting | 18 points | Full Year |
| MUSI140 | 2020 | Performance Studies 1 | 18 points | First Semester, Second Semester, Full Year |
| MUSI141 | 2020 | Performance 1 | 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI146 | 2020 | Contemporary Music Performance 1 | 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI191 | 2020 | Introduction to Music | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI201 | 2020 | Materials of Music 2 | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI223 | 2020 | Classical Music | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI232 | 2020 | Music Technology 2 | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI233 | 2020 | Electronic Music Production | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI234 | 2020 | Contemporary Composition | 18 points | Full Year |
| MUSI240 | 2020 | Performance Studies 2 | 18 points | First Semester, Second Semester, Full Year |
| MUSI241 | 2020 | Performance 2 | 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI246 | 2020 | Contemporary Music Performance 2 | 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI249 | 2020 | Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice | 18 points | Summer School |
| MUSI259 | 2020 | Special Topic: Practical Conducting | 18 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI260 | 2020 | Special Topic David Bowie | 18 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI261 | 2020 | Music and Visual Culture | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI265 | 2020 | Music and Theatre | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI266 | 2020 | Film Music | 18 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI267 | 2020 | Music in New Zealand | 18 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI268 | 2020 | Performance in Asia and the Pacific | 18 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI269 | 2020 | Popular Music 2 | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI301 | 2020 | Materials of Music | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI323 | 2020 | Classical Music | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI331 | 2020 | Composition Projects | 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI332 | 2020 | Music Technology 3 | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI333 | 2020 | Electronic Music Production (Advanced) | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI334 | 2020 | Studio Production Projects | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI340 | 2020 | Performance Studies 3 | 18 points | First Semester, Second Semester, Full Year |
| MUSI341 | 2020 | Performance 3 | 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI346 | 2020 | Contemporary Music Performance 3 | 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI349 | 2020 | Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice | 18 points | Summer School |
| MUSI361 | 2020 | Music and Visual Culture | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI365 | 2020 | Music and Theatre | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI366 | 2020 | Film Music | 18 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI367 | 2020 | Music in New Zealand (Advanced) | 18 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI368 | 2020 | Performance in Asia and the Pacific | 18 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI369 | 2020 | Popular Music 3 | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI371 | 2020 | Research Methods and Approaches | 18 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI375 | 2020 | Studio Teaching Pedagogy | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI386 | 2020 | Community Project | 18 points | First Semester |
| MUSI401 | 2020 | Materials of Music (Advanced) | 20 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI407 | 2020 | Seminal Works | 20 points | Not offered in 2020 |
| MUSI431 | 2020 | Composition Portfolio | 60 points | Full Year |
| MUSI432 | 2020 | Studio Production | 60 points | Full Year |
| MUSI441 | 2020 | Performance 4 | 60 points | Full Year |
| MUSI442 | 2020 | Repertoire Studies | 20 points | Full Year |
| MUSI446 | 2020 | Contemporary Music Practice 4 | 60 points | Full Year |
| MUSI471 | 2020 | Research Methods and Approaches (Advanced) | 20 points | Second Semester |
| MUSI486 | 2020 | Community Project (Advanced) | 20 points | First Semester |
| MUSI490 | 2020 | Dissertation | 40 points | Full Year |
| MUSI590 | 2020 | Research Dissertation | 60 points | 1st Non standard period, 2nd Non standard period |
Key information for future students
Contact us
Email spa@otago.ac.nz
Website otago.ac.nz/performing-arts
