It provides both the advantages of a large university's facilities and, unfortunately, some of the disadvantages of a conservatory's unprogressive character. The composition faculty includes Claude Baker , David Dzubay , Don Freund , Jeffrey Hass and Eugene O'Brien . All students in the department, from freshmen to doctoral students, receive private instruction. As the department is quite large, with approximately sixty composition students, professors have to juggle between ten and eighteen students each. The entire department, including majors and minors, meets each week on Monday nights for a seminar.
Renowned composers visit frequently.
Approximately ten department-wide student composition recitals are given each year, with generally excellent performances. However, it is important for students to think ahead while composing because willing performers can be a challenge to find. Students must consider practicality as they compose. When I spoke to composer and faculty member Don Freund he told me that the school feels it is important for student composers to practice their recruiting skills. Composers sometimes perform or conduct their own work.