COMPOSITION

Located in the fourth largest American city and the home of Texas’ most active contemporary music scene, the University of Houston Moores School of Music is an ideal place to pursue undergraduate and graduate studies in composition. Our aim is to maximize our resources to produce alumni who are at the forefront of the ever-changing contemporary music scene.

Under the guidance of our award-winning faculty, composition students develop a diverse portfolio of original concert music, establish important career relationships, gain fluency in contemporary repertoire and techniques, and engage with the diverse and vibrant Houston arts community. Composers interested in pursuing collaborative work with artists from other disciplines may seek opportunities through the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, a unique resource dedicated to the support and creation of interdisciplinary arts. 

Annually, the composition division awards the best undergraduate and graduate student works through the Louisa Stude Sarofim Composition Competition, which is adjudicated by a panel of professional composers outside the school. Winners receive a cash prize and are commissioned to compose a new work for AURA, the Moores School of Music contemporary chamber ensemble. Additionally, graduate compositions majors are consistently tapped for teaching assistantships in Music Theory.

Our composition graduates have consistently garnered admission to high-level graduate programs, enjoy flourishing careers in academia and the arts, and have been awarded national and international awards and commissions. 

For more information, please contact Dr. Rob Smith, Composition Area Head, at robsmith@uh.edu