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Graduate Applicants > Composition: Master of Music

Master of Music

All applicants must submit a complete composition portfolio and accompanying recordings via the online application. Portfolio scores can be uploaded as PDF files and recordings may be uploaded in several file formats. Applicants to the Master of Music will be reviewed based on their portfolio only; there is no prescreening, and an interview is not required.

Portfolio Requirements:

Submit three scores of original compositions. If available, please also include recordings (live or computer-generated) of the submitted compositions. Scores and recordings must be submitted through the online application. If available, applicants should also show proof of theoretical study through transcripts or other supporting documents.

Short Video:

Submit a short video (~5-10 minutes) telling us who you are as a composer. You are free to share whatever you would like us to know, but please include answers to the following questions:

  • Why do you want to attend NEC?
  • When did you start composing, and what made you decide to be a composer?
  • ​​​Are you an instrumentalist or a vocalist? If so, what is/are your instrument(s)?
  • Which living composers are you currently listening to?
  • What is a compositional challenge that you’ve faced in the last year, and how did you solve it?

Admissions contact:

Claire Paik, Associate Director of Enrollment Management Email