Since its founding in 1921, the Eastman School of Music has been a leading center for the composition and performance of new and recent music. Faculty and students have achieved international recognition since Howard Hanson’s early advocacy of American composition in the 1930s. Today, the Composition Department carries forward this legacy by fostering a welcoming, intellectually vibrant community where students develop their artistic voices, expand their understanding of contemporary musical idioms, and explore a broad spectrum of compositional approaches.

At Eastman, composition is deeply connected to practice and performance. Students collaborate closely with world-class musicians—both peers and professionals—through workshops, readings, and concerts. New music is regularly featured across Eastman’s many ensembles, reflecting the School’s unwavering commitment to creative collaboration and to the music of today.

The Department is supported by five full-time faculty members and is home to EMuSE (Electroacoustic Music Studios @ Eastman), which affords creative exploration in electroacoustic media in newly designed state-of-the-art facilities. Across all degree programs, students benefit from individualized mentorship through a rotating studio structure, enabling them to work with different faculty members each year and ensuring exposure to diverse aesthetic perspectives.