Department of Music offering degree track in composition and technology

Beginning in fall 2020, the Department of Music will be offering a degree track in composition and technology. This highly innovative program welcomes students interested in instrumental and vocal composition, video game and film scoring, as well as songwriting and beat making.

The composition and technology degree includes instruction in ear training, music theory, music history, piano skills and provides the opportunity to perform in a wide array of highly celebrated Auburn ensembles.

The upper level course work features a large variety of industry related topics including audio engineering, advanced digital audio workstations, or DAW, operations, virtual instrument orchestration and electronic music history. These courses are developed to prepare students to become lifelong learners in the ever-changing world of music technology and studio production.

Lee Johnson, director of composition and technology at Auburn, is an active symphonic and crossover composer. He brings the program decades of experience in training and preparing students for their place in the modern music industry.

Johnson’s students hold a variety of positions in the music industry including scoring for network television and feature films, teaching and administrating at top universities, as well as producing for themselves and other artists throughout the music industry. Some of his students have won Grammys for their work.

According to Johnson, one of the most exciting features of the composition and technology degree is that it will attract and engage students from a wide array of musical backgrounds.

“The stylistic pursuits recognized and supported in this degree will run the gamut of the music industry. Symphonic, instrumental and choral composers will be studying alongside songwriters, electronic musicians and beat makers,” Johnson said.

Students in composition and technology will be provided with in-depth instruction and production experiences, which include virtual and high-tech audio and studio techniques. In addition, majors will have experience working with live musicians and ensembles on the concert stage and in the recording studio environment.

To learn more about this program, contact Johnson at lej0030@auburn.edu.