Editing Composer (section)

==Modern training==
Professional classical composers often have a background in performing classical music during their childhood and teens, either as a [[singer]] in a [[choir]], as a player in a [[youth orchestra]], or as a performer on a solo instrument (e.g., [[piano]], [[pipe organ]], or [[violin]]). Teens aspiring to be composers can continue their [[postsecondary]] studies in a variety of formal training settings, including colleges, conservatories, and universities. [[Music school|Conservatories]], which are the standard musical training system in countries such as France and Canada, provide lessons and amateur orchestral and choral singing experience for composition students. Universities offer a range of composition programs, including bachelor's degrees, Master of Music degrees, and [[Doctor of Musical Arts]] degrees. As well, there are a variety of other training programs such as classical summer camps and festivals, which give students the opportunity to get coaching from composers.

===Undergraduate===
Bachelor's degrees in composition (referred to as [[B.Mus.]] or B.M) are four-year programs that include individual composition lessons, amateur orchestra/choral experience, and a sequence of courses in music history, music theory, and liberal arts courses (e.g., English literature), which give the student a more well-rounded education. Usually, composition students must complete significant pieces or songs before graduating. Not all composers hold a B.Mus. in composition; composers may also hold a B.Mus. in music performance or music theory.

===Masters===
Master of Music degrees (M.mus.) in composition consists of private lessons with a composition [[professor]], ensemble experience, and graduate courses in music history and music theory, along with one or two concerts featuring the composition student's pieces. A master's degree in music (referred to as an M.Mus. or M.M.) is often a required minimum credential for people who wish to teach composition at a university or conservatory. A composer with an M.Mus. could be an adjunct professor or instructor at a university, but it would be difficult in the 2010s to obtain a [[tenure track]] professor position with this degree.

===Doctoral===
To become a tenure track professor, many universities require a [[doctoral degree]]. In composition, the key doctoral degree is the [[Doctor of Musical Arts]], rather than the [[PhD]]; the PhD is awarded in music, but typically for subjects such as [[musicology]] and [[music theory]].

Doctor of Musical Arts (referred to as D.M.A., DMA, D.Mus.A. or A.Mus.D) degrees in composition provide an opportunity for advanced study at the highest artistic and pedagogical level, requiring usually an additional 54+ credit hours beyond a master's degree (which is about 30+ credits beyond a bachelor's degree). For this reason, admission is highly selective. Students must submit examples of their compositions. If available, some schools will also accept video or audio recordings of performances of the student's pieces. Examinations in music history, music theory, ear training/dictation, and an entrance examination are required.

Students must prepare significant compositions under the guidance of faculty composition professors. Some schools require DMA composition students to present concerts of their works, which are typically performed by singers or musicians from the school. The completion of advanced coursework and a minimum B average are other typical requirements of a D.M.A program. During a D.M.A. program, a composition student may get experience teaching undergraduate music students.

===Other routes===
Some composers did not complete composition programs, but focused their studies on the performance of voice or an instrument or on [[music theory]], and developed their compositional skills over the course of a career in another musical occupation.