This course enables students to develop their understanding of compositional techniques through practical application across a wide variety of musical styles. The course is structured around fundamental compositional principles, including text-setting, melodic formulas, rhythmic schemes, song forms, counterpoint, notation, instrumentation, arranging, and compound forms such as suites. In the first third of the semester, students engage in short exercises to understand basic compositional concepts and adapt them to their own personal styles. The next section of the course focuses on repurposing ideas and writing music for other people, with an emphasis on designing compositions that can be used creatively by performers. In the last third of the semester students focus on conceiving and developing large-scale composition projects. Students should have completed LMUS 2010 Contemporary Music: Theories or another basic music theory course before enrolling in this course.