Composition

Student composingDVC's Music Composition area is devoted to teaching students who wish to pursue a professional and/or academic career in concert and computer music composition. We have no stylistic or partisan agendas; our goal is to help students learn to write the music that inspires and interests them.

Our courses equip students with a thorough knowledge of all contemporary forms of musical expression and the ability to present their personal style in each of them. A crucial component in the education of a composer is to hear his/her work performed. Composition students at DVC have many opportunities to hear their works presented in a variety of performance settings.

MUSIC-100 Applied Music Composition
MUSIC-121 Introduction to Music Composition
MUSIC-129 Counterpoint
MUSIC-221 Advanced Music Composition
MUSX-172 Introduction to Electronic Music and MIDI
MUSX-221 Orchestration and Arranging for Digital Instruments 

Dr. Nick Vasallo

Director, Music Composition

Vasallo directing orchestraDr. Nick Vasallo is an award-winning composer and professor of music. He teaches music composition at all levels, from beginners to post-graduate students. Dr. Vasallo created the music composition programs at Diablo Valley College and Cal Poly Pomona. He has taught music theory and composition at UC Santa Cruz, CSU East Bay, Cal Poly Pomona, Gavilan College, and DVC. His students have went on to have successful careers as media composers, concert music composers, and graduate students at prestigious composition programs throughout the Unites States. Dr. Vasallo is the recipient of the San Francisco Classical Voice Music Educator Award 2013. His music has been performed worldwide and can be seen/heard on his website: http://nickvasallo.com

Fall 2020 Student Composers Solo Piano Recital:

Spring 2020 Student Composers Recital:

Spring 2019 Student Composers Recital:

Fall 2018 Student Composers Recital:

Spring 2018 Student Composers Recital:

Spring 2017 Student Composers Recital:

Fall 2016 Student Composers Recital:

Fall 2016 Student Composers Recital: