The Setnor School of Music at Syracuse has professional degree programs in composition at both the undergraduate and Masters degree level; furthermore, we have a very high success rate at placing our students in distinguished composition programs at the Masters and doctoral level around the country. (recent examples: Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory, Cincinnati College Conservatory, University of Illinois, University of Texas/Austin, University of Southern California, and others). Our emphasis is on contemporary art music, ranging from traditional approaches to electronic music composition and experimental directions.

The Setnor School offers a rich variety of opportunities for young composers, from concerts by the nationally acclaimed Society for New Music (based in Syracuse), to two student-focused new music series in the school itself, to readings by the orchestra, wind ensemble and renowned Cassatt String Quartet, currently in residence at Syracuse. Among the many other musical organizations based in Syracuse is the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, a major orchestra and one that often presents works by living composers. Since 2002, the Setnor School of Music has collaborated with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, with at least one student work read by the orchestra each year.

Students at both the undergraduate and masters level study privately with the Setnor School of Music's prestigious composition faculty (see the faculty biographies). Each semester students have the opportunity to have works performed on the student composers' concert. In addition to this concert, student composers often have works performed on fellow student junior, senior and graduate performance recitals. All students in the school are required to play works written in their own lifetime which results in a great deal of collaboration between student performers and composers. Finally, all composition majors (seniors and graduate students) are required to prepare one full composition recital of their own works before they graduate.

Students and faculty meet weekly in the Composer's Seminar to discuss current issues and to meet a variety of nationally established guest composers.

Recent guests have included:

• Samuel Adler
• Claude Baker
• William Bolcom
• John Corigliano
• Michael Daugherty
• Violeta Dinescu
• Luca Francesconi
• Don Freund

• Karel Husa
• Libby Larsen
• David Liptak
• Augusta Read Thomas
• Joan Tower
• Gunther Schuller
• Steve Stucky
• Dana Wilson

The program's facilities include an electronic music studio with both analog and state-of-the-art digital equipment as well as a computer lab equipped with MIDI keyboards and such music notation software as Finale and Sibelius.

The Electronic and Digital Music Studio includes a PowerMac G-4 with a variety of audio and MIDI software and hardware. Applications include Protools, Peak, Digital Performer, Kontakt, Absynth, Reaktor, Sonic Synth, MaxMSP, and Pluggo.

Each year one student from the composition department works with the Society for New Music, giving that student the opportunity to see how a professional, not-for-profit new music organization works from the inside.

Courses in composition that are offered at the Setnor School of Music include orchestration, counterpoint, analysis of contemporary music, introductory and advanced electronic and digital music, as well as advanced topics in analysis and music history. The music library has an extensive collection of scores and recordings that range from traditional western art music, contemporary music, as well as non-western music.

Undergraduate and graduate students study privately with one member of the composition faculty each academic year, rotating to a different professor each year the student is in residence.

Undergraduate composers are eligible to receive a number of opportunities in financial aid, including full scholarships from the school of music.

Graduate composers may apply for teaching assistantships, the Heaton Fellowship in Composition, or the new Billy Joel Fellowship in Composition. All of these may include full tuition plus a stipend.