- by Rita Veneziale -
The Nazareth University School of Music has multiple programs to offer. One is the composition program. This program seems small in size but is overflowing with opportunities and is always expanding according to student interest. Here are my highlights of unique things our program has to offer.
RIT Collaborations
Every semester, Rochester Institute of Technology holds an artist call for filmmakers, animators, sound designers, and composers. Naz students, along with Eastman, RIT, and Ithaca, are welcome to come and present their work and make some connections. This is an excellent opportunity to start writing music for film.
I have participated in RIT films for most of my semesters at Naz. It is absolutely one of my favorite projects to work on every year. It has taught me how to work with a filmmaker, better learn my software, and pushed me to write for genres and styles I wouldn’t have gone for before.
RPO Rehearsals
A few years ago, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra started opening rehearsals at our composition studio! Sitting in on a professional rehearsal is such an interesting experience. Considering they only have 2-3 rehearsals on a program before a concert, they have a lot to do in a short amount of time. The composition studio has specifically been invited to rehearsals preparing for a premiere where the composer will be present. It’s great to see how a composer interacts with the maestro to get the piece to sound the way it was intended to. If we’re lucky, the composer will have some time after their rehearsal to talk with us about the composition, their career, and advice they have for new composers.
Masterclasses
Dr. Vazquez always fills our composition studio classes with presentations and learning opportunities. And he’s always bringing in guest speakers and presenters. Having a professional composer is great. You can ask as many questions as you like and get to know their work (and their mind) inside and out. We’ve invited composers such as Fernando Buide, David Temperly, Mark Watters, and most recently Ricardo Zohn-Moldune.
Jack Allocco Film and Media Scoring Studio
The Jack Allocco Film and Media Scoring Studio is designed for students to complete their projects with a professional sound easily. This Mac-based studio is equipped with lots of virtual instruments and studio speakers and is a common place for students to work on films, mock-ups, and media projects. The studio is only open to composition students with training, meaning your projects are safe in a private space.
Friends
Being a composition major makes you one of the biggest music nerds in the school. You eat, sleep, and breathe music theory. It also means you get to hang out with other music nerds. You’ll make lasting friendships by bonding over silly puns and helping each other with your current projects. The Nazareth University Composition Studio meets once a week to discuss recitals, and topics in theory and history, listen to guest speakers, and attend master classes. But we also get together that one time a week to embrace the nerdiness and share in it together.
