You are expected to complete at least four projects per semester. Manage your time so you complete a project roughly every three to four weeks.

• First Quarter: Learn how to use a CAS (Computer Aided Scoring or Sequencing program). Spend about three weeks at this activity. You can replace "canned" music with your own musical sketches when working on tutorials
• Second Quarter: Complete a composition or a collection of sketches.
• Third Quarter: Complete a composition.
• Fourth Quarter: Complete a composition. Organize your semester portfolio.

You will playback your work from time to time for a class critique.

The final exam is to present your completed semester porfolio to the class.

Composing involves hands-on work at a keyboard as well as thinking and planning away from the keyboard. Your work will not advance if you base it all on keyboard improvising. You need to do some significant imagining without the distraction of operating musical machinery. You need to build a composer's toolkit by studying specific musical patterns and devices (see the shopping list under Composer's Tools)

Once you have created a collection of sketches, think if any of them belong together. Think about a form that might work for your sketches. This kind of strategic thinking gives you a place to hang your ideas as well as a sense of direction for your work. Don't worry about using every sketch. If you find a home for 25% of your sketches, you are doing well.

You and I will have goal setting sessions from time to time. The purpose of these sessions is to help you see where your work is going. We will start where you are and go from there.