Composition

The Composition Program at the University of Washington offers a rigorous and adventurous environment for emerging composers to explore and refine their creative voices. Graduate students typically receive full support through teaching positions and fellowships, which provide not only financial assistance but also valuable experience in university-level teaching and research.

Support

Graduate students in the program, both MM and DMA, receive funding through fellowships, scholarships, and teaching positions (providing tuition waiver and stipends), gaining valuable teaching experience in both major and non-major classes. The School of Music awards more than $500,000 annually in merit- and need-based student support.

Recent Guest Ensembles

UW Composition students regularly have their works performed, workshopped, and recorded by internationally acclaimed artists and ensembles. Highlights from recent and upcoming seasons include collaborations and performances with:

• Yarn/Wire (2026)
• Ekmeles Vocal Ensemble (2025)
• Seattle Modern Orchestra (2023-26, ongoing)
• Mivos Quartet (2024)
• Dal Niente (2023)
• Quince Ensemble (2022)

In addition to these residencies, students have worked closely with ensembles such as the JACK Quartet, Talea Ensemble, Percussions de Strasbourg, and soloists including Margaret Leng Tan, Nicholas Isherwood, Pascal Gallois, and Garth Knox.

Performance Opportunities

Composition students at UW benefit from a variety of performance outlets, including:

• UW Modern Music Ensemble (student ensemble dedicated to contemporary repertoire)
• UW Symphony Orchestra (annual orchestral readings and performances)
• Seattle Modern Orchestra (professional ensemble-in-residence, 2024-26)
• Visiting Guest Artists and Ensembles (through workshops, readings, and residencies)

Community

The Composition Program fosters a supportive, diverse, and intellectually vibrant environment. Recent course topics include composition and analysis of microtonal music, the resistant potential of American experimentalism, the work and legacy of Éliane Radigue, AI-driven approaches to composition, and critical theories of improvisation. Students also frequently participate in a philosophy reading group with faculty (engaging literature in aesthetics, logic, political philosophy of music, psychoacoustics/cognition/philosophy of mind, etc.). 

Weekly composition seminars bring in renowned visiting composers, curators, and scholars from around the globe. Recent guests have included Wang Lu, Felipe Lara, James Diaz, Salina Fisher, Anthony Cheung, Sheila Silver, Mauricio Pauly, Reiko Füting, Sky Macklay, Mahir Cetiz, Brad Garton, Jasmine Barnes, Yotam Haber, and Hans Thomalla, among others. Students collaborate with a faculty of internationally recognized composers, performers, and researchers whose practices span concert music, electroacoustic media, improvisation, and interdisciplinary work. 

The program is enriched by close collaboration with the School of Music’s world-class performance faculty specializing in contemporary music. Faculty such as Pala Garcia, Andrew Munsey, John Popham, Steph Richards, Carrie Shaw, Cristina Valdés, Cuong Vu, Melia Watras,   and Bonnie Whiting provide a deep well of mentorship and collaboration opportunities for student composers—and embody the program’s commitment to shaping the future of contemporary music.

Together with the School of Music and the Department of Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS), the Composition Program presents numerous concerts of new music each year, making vital contributions to Seattle’s contemporary and experimental music scenes.

View a playlist of some recent live performance highlights

Apply

The School of Music welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds with strong creative portfolios and a desire to experiment, collaborate, and grow. For more information about our graduate programs and how to apply:

SoMadmit@uw.edu
How to Apply – Composition