Composition BA

About the study:  

The BA in Composition is a three-year Bachelor of Arts (BA) program divided into three elective fields with two different admission routes: 

• Composition and musicology 

• Compositions in an open area 

• Electronic media compositions 

Students apply for the program with their chosen fields of study. Compositions in an open area, Composition and musicology or Electronic media compositions in mind. The first year is common to the elective fields Compositions in an open area og Composition and musicology, and their students can therefore decide whether they want to change their field of study in end of the 1st year.  

As the program progresses, students are given increased flexibility to attend courses and acquire knowledge outside of the field of study in which they initially enrolled. 

Study structure:  

In all elective areas, the focus is on 20th and 21st century compositional methods, although with a focus on traditional music, acoustics and acoustics. It is also possible to seek collaboration with students from other departments at the Academy of the Arts, for example in diverse projects within other departments, such as the Departments of Performing Arts, Film Arts and Design. 

In the Music Composition and Theory elective, musical notation forms the basis of the program. Students study music theory, musical literature, and instrumental music, while also gaining insight into new instrumental techniques and the world of electronic music. Academic courses reflect a diverse range of musical languages, compositional techniques, and ideas and aesthetics of the 20th and 21st centuries. Students work closely with the faculty's instrumental and vocal students, and this collaboration is realized in field concerts held at the end of each semester. As the program progresses, students get to compose for, and work with, professional musicians who have specialized in performing new music.  

The Open Field Composition major offers students further scope for collaboration and research within composition. Students are also introduced to experimental music and methods across art forms. Furthermore, students are offered the opportunity to choose courses in electronic media composition or in other departments of the school depending on their area of ​​interest. Students work closely with the faculty's instrumental and vocal students, and this collaboration is realized in field concerts held at the end of each semester. As the program progresses, students get to compose for, and work with, professional musicians who have specialized in performing new music. 

In the Electronic Media Composition elective, students learn the foundations of sound design, acoustics, and music programming. In group and private composition classes, emphasis is placed on compositional methods for electronic and computer music. At the same time, different possibilities in writing, interactivity, and the communication of music are explored, in addition to an emphasis on collaboration with other students and performance skills, which are put into practice in a field concert at the end of each semester.

After completing your studies:  

The composition program is intended to provide students with the necessary foundation to pursue further studies at the master's level, both at the Iceland Academy of the Arts and at foreign universities. Students who choose to focus on teaching can also enroll in the master's program in art education at the Icelandic Academy of the Arts (MA/M.Mus.Ed(MT)).