This year-long course invites high school students in grades 9–12 to tap into their own creativity and explore the world of music composition.

Under the guidance of award-winning composer María Eugenia León, students will develop compositional tools for artistic expression with a special focus on using their own instrumental skills (including voice) to explore ideas. 

Students will learn about the fundamentals of music composition by listening and studying scores from a wide range of composers, learning how each piece works. Then, students will use these compositional ideas to craft their own pieces. With personalized feedback from the instructor, each student will have the opportunity to develop their own compositions, notating their scores and even playing them with their own instruments! This hands-on approach allows students to develop a multi-faceted understanding of their compositional choices. At the end of the season, students have the opportunity to showcase their artistic growth through a performance.

Prior background in music theory is helpful for this course, but no music composition experience is needed to join.

Schedule & Tuition

*There is a minimum enrollment of 10 students required for this class to run.*

Classes are held on Mondays at Elemental Music’s building (1906 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica).

Tuition for the 2024/25 season is approximately $540/trimester, for a total of $1,620 for the season. Tuition averages to approximately $34/hour. Participation is a year-long commitment (24 classes).

Early Bird Discount for those who enroll by June 1: $50

Non-refundable deposit of $250 is due upon enrollment.

Tuition reduction is available on a sliding scale. Our Tuition Reduction Form is short & sweet. Please submit your form ASAP so we can help determine a family-friendly tuition rate for you and start making music!

PREREQUISITES

This course is designed for high school students who:

  • Have been playing an instrument or singing for multiple years

  • Have a basic understanding of music theory, such as major & minor scales, key signatures, time signatures, intervals, and triads

Interested in joining our Music Composition course? Fill out the form below and Emily Senchuk will contact you with more information.

If you would like to speak with our Translation Liaison to answer questions and provide information in Spanish, please email Juanita Devis. You can also visit our Spanish website for more information!

Si usted desea hablar con nuestra Traductora Intermediaria para que responda sus preguntas y reciba la información en español, por favor envíe un correo electrónico a Juanita Devis. ¡También puede visitar nuestra página de internet en español para más información!