Composition
& EMDM Areas

LSU's Composition and Experimental Music & Digital Media areas push the boundaries of music-making, focus on fostering creativity and exploration through experimentation and research.


Pictured: Laptop Orchestra of Louisiana

 

Push the boundaries of creativity.

Studying Composition or Experimental Music & Digital Media (EMDM) at LSU means engaging with renowned faculty mentors who focus on nurturing creation across the spectrum of music making.

Students have opportunities to hear their music performed by a wide range of LSU ensembles and media, and even participate themselves in the top-flight Constantinides New Music Ensemble and the Laptop Orchestra of Louisiana. The Composers Forum offers a lively venue for thoughtful discussion, concerts, and guest lectures. Students explore digital technologies and new media through courses in the EMDM program as well as LSU’s Digital Media Arts & Engineering minor degree.

 

emdm students in classroom

Performance & Growth Opportunities

Our performing new music ensembles and other opportunities for exposition greatly enhance growth for composers and EMDM students alike at LSU. Highlights include:

The Really, Really New Music Marathon

A full day of back-to-back programming held each semester and featuring works "hot off the press" from both areas of study.

LATEX

An annual festival featuring new exciting electro-acoustic music being produced at universities in both Louisiana and Texas.

Cinema For The Ears

A concert series of new electronic music and sonic art performed on the 92-channel loudspeaker array at the Digital Media Center Theatre, presenting a unique and profound immersive audio experience.

...and more!

Additionally, our programs regularly host guest artists and composers, including The Bugallo/Williams Piano Duo, Homegrown New Music Ensemble, Atlantic Brass Quintet, Omar Thomas, Michael Daugherty, Megan Ihnen, Jeff Scott, Joel Puckett, Alan Theisen, Rob Paterson, Pamela Z, Eighth Blackbird, James Mobberley, Michael Hall, Adolphus Hailstork, and more.

emdm students in classroom

Abundant Student Successes

Our composers and EMDM students regularly perform and are recognized nationally and internationally.

Undergraduates go on to pursue graduate degrees at prestigious institutions, while our graduate-level students have strong track records for securing jobs in their fields and produce high-quality research and dissertations frequently cited by peers and experts.

RECENT STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN COMPOSITION

RECENT STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN EMDM