Courses

* Course content is subject to change

Course Descriptions

Culminating Experience - LA Option

The final semester of the master’s program in Scoring for Film, Television and Videogames is described as a “culminating experience,” and what better way to culminate a year of study than in the global epicenter of music for media: Los Angeles, California. In LA, the finest (and fastest) studio musicians in the world are supported by unparalleled technical resources, and a multinational cast of top film composers, from Michael Giacchino to Alexandre Desplat and Jan A.P. Kaczmarek find a birthing ground for their brilliant scores. Berklee scoring grads will be able to drink in the culture and practice of the craft they aspire to.

Master of Music candidates will be offered the opportunity to complete their thesis work in the heart of the profession, and to have an original score performed and recorded by the same people who work with the leaders in the field. Recording will occur in places like the legendary Capitol Studios and the Newman Scoring Stage at Fox Studios. There will also be master classes and seminars with industry leaders, including top composer agents and studio executives.

Students who choose to complete their thesis in LA will be responsible for travel and lodging, but instructional expenses and special workshops, as well as the final recording session itself, are included in tuition. Those graduates who decide to remain in Los Angeles will find many new doors open, and those who return to their home countries will bring with them an unforgettable experience.

Academic Calendar

The master´s program runs from September to August.  For a list of important dates for the upcoming intake please click here.

Outcomes of the Program

Working with a graduate advisor, all master’s students will design a program of study that best supplements and complements their existing knowledge, expertise, and long-term goals. Each student will graduate competent in multi-genre dramatic composition, narrative analysis, studio production, electronic and acoustic arrangement and orchestration, music editing, and interactive scoring.

In three semesters, students complete a minimum of four major scoring projects, including a collaborative video game score (working with video game design students at other institutions), a professional internship in the heart of the craft and a master’s thesis project that is portfolio-ready and designed to showcase your style. Core competencies include:

Musical Skills

Students will:

• Compose fora variety of forms and ensembles
• Produce convincing score mockups through knowledge of the instruments
• Orchestrate for dramatic effect, even with limited resources
• Identify and utilize an appropriate musical vocabulary for a dramatic media work (film or game)
• Master musical devices pioneered by seminal film composers
• Become adept in the use of industry-standard music sequencing and audio editing software
• Notate and prepare scores to international studio standards
• Write quickly, write under deadline, and revise without tears
• Conduct and rehearse an ensemble under studio pressure
• Research and write in a specified period or geo-cultural style
• Adapt existing thematic material
• Develop a personal sonic signature

Business and Career

• Market your skills and your personal style
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with clients
• Understand the legal and business aspects of scoring
• Make and maintain a budget
• Know your career options
• Know workflow and scheduling techniques
• Find your own musical voice and cultivate creativity
• Manage your time
• Act as a music supervisor
• Deliver to specifications

Narrative/Drama

• Understand and analyze the role of music in a dramatic medium
• Develop a concept for a score
• Learn to communicate with filmmakers in their language
• Analyze and discuss dramatic structure in a media work
• Analyze the dramatic use of music within a narrative

Technology

• Produce a scoring session
• Compose using various synchronization techniques
• Know and manage modern sample libraries
• Produce an industry-standard orchestral mockup
• Act as a music editor
• Mix your music
• Create and maintain a home studio
• Build instruments through synthesis and/or sampling

Graduates of this unique program will be prepared to begin work immediately in the film, television, or video game music industry in one or more of the following specialties: composing, orchestrating, conducting, music editing, music supervising, copying, programming, and producing mock-ups. The program has been conceived as a portal to the professions and is thoroughly networked with the professional community. The International Career Center will assist your transition to the professional sphere.

Learn more about careers in Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games.

Who Are We Looking For?

We seek focused, motivated, innovative, and above all, passionately creative candidates with excellent academic and/or professional backgrounds who can contribute skills that will nourish the program. Although the master’s degree is tailored to students who have completed an undergraduate music program such as those offered by Berklee and other colleges, or have gained equivalent knowledge in the field, admission is not limited to music majors, providing applicants can demonstrate musical competency at a level commensurate with an undergraduate degree.

Because sound compositional practice is the basis for all scoring, ideal candidates will hold degrees in composition or have equivalent professional experience. The ability to notate one’s ideas competently, follow an orchestral score, and conceive material in an orchestral context are required competencies, but extensive experience in working with live orchestras is not.

The use of technology is fundamental to the master’s program; therefore, the strongest candidates will have demonstrable skills in at least one digital audio workstation–based (DAW) music sequencing program and some familiarity with Pro Tools. Selected candidates who lack these skills will be required to take summer coursework at Berklee’s Boston campus or other approved facility to prepare them for full and comfortable participation in the master’s program.

Finally, all selected participants will enter the program with a passion for musical storytelling and a demonstrated aptitude for visual music. Because of the high degree of competitiveness in the field, the choice to study visual scoring should not be viewed as a “career option” or a “backup,” but as something you must do. For this reason, first-tier consideration will be given to those applicants whose portfolios evidence experience and skill in creating music to picture and possess an understanding of the basics of the art, craft, and business of film scoring, gained through either study or industry experience. Additional study and/or work experience in the following areas will be helpful but is not required: interactive scoring techniques, conducting to picture, basic music editing skills, and project collaboration.

Eligibility Requirements

Ideal applicants will possess a bachelor’s degree or higher in music composition, electronic music production, or performance. Applicants who have non-composition degrees but have studied privately and/or accumulated significant experience working in the film, television, or video game music industry will also be considered.

The master’s program as conceived builds upon the strong framework of Berklee’s bachelor of music degree in film scoring; therefore, applicants not possessing this degree should further consult the Berklee College of Music Bulletin to become aware of the competencies desired of individuals seeking entrance into the master’s program.

Application Process

In order for an application to be considered complete and able to be reviewed by the admissions committee, the following is required:

• Application (online only).
• Application fee of 120 Euros:This fee is not applied toward your balance and is nonrefundable. (Berklee undergraduate alumni who are successfully admitted to the master’s program will be credited the application fee towards their tuition.) Payment options include:
  • Wire transfer:

SWIFT Code/BIC: BSABESBB
IBAN: ES08 00810155880002322239
Bank Account Name/Beneficiary: Berklee Valencia
Reference: Name of the applicant

• Paypal

• Statement of purpose: The statement of purpose should be included in your online application. It should be between 400 to 500 words. This is your chance to tell us all about you, your musical journey to date, and why you would like to pursue a master’s program at Berklee College of Music. In your statement you can touch upon topics such as:
  • Are you a highly dedicated person who can work in a highly dedicated field?
  • What musical challenges have you overcome?
  • Have you been involved in marketing an event, publishing or writing reviews, organizing musicians, or networking in the music industry?
  • How does this master’s program get you closer to your professional goals?

• Résumé/curriculum vitae: The résumé/CV should be included in your online application. It should include your personal details and educational and work experience. For information on what to include in your CV, click here.
• Online Portfolio: Three examples of original compositions. If you have not had the opportunity to compose music for a film or video project, the following options are acceptable:

1) Extract clips from existing film and television projects via a number of available applications and import them to your music sequencing program for the purpose of your application portfolio only. Copyright-protected works may not be publicly exhibited.
2) Use an original or adapted story scenario and assemble pictures using an application such as iMovie (still photographs, original video footage, storyboards, etc.), which can then be exported to your sequencer and scored.

• Two letters of recommendation: The letters should be from people who have worked with or collaborated with you and can reflect your musical skills and strengths. Send to:

Admissions Department
Berklee College of Music – Valencia Campus
Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía – Anexo Sur
Avenida Autopista del Saler, 1
46013 Valencia (Spain)

• Transcripts: One official copy of transcripts from all institutions attended or attending. Send to above address. Transcripts from institutions attended outside the U.S. or Canada must be evaluated by an approved credential evaluation service, such as the Education Credential Evaluators or Education Evaluators International. Please ask for a course-by-course evaluation with grades.
• English qualifications: Applicants for whom English is a second language must have successfully completed their undergraduate studies at an English-speaking university or must submit results (from within two years of master’s program start date) of the following standardized tests:
  • TOEFL: iBT (internet-based): 100; Computer-based: 250; Paper-based: 600
  • IELTS: 7.5
  • Cambridge English Language Exams: Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Business English Certificate (BEC) or higher
  • Pearson Test of English Academic: 73

Audition and Interview

The audition and interview experience is an integral part of the selection process for our master’s programs. Designed to show your strengths while helping us assess your aptitude and ability to succeed in Berklee’s highly charged and dynamic environment. An interview is required for our scoring for film, television, and video games or global entertainment and music business master’s, whereas an audition and an interview are required for our contemporary studio performance master’s. Interviews and auditions are held on an ongoing basis at our Valencia and Boston campuses. Applicants to global entertainment and music business or scoring for film, television, and video games who cannot travel to either campus can do their interview via telephone or Skype.

Admissions Committee Final Decision

After the audition and/or interview has been completed, applicants will be reviewed by the graduate admissions committee and screened on the basis of a completed application, supporting materials, and audition/interview.

Submit Your Deposit

Berklee College of Music’s master’s programs are highly selective. Upon receiving your acceptance, it is necessary to submit your tuition deposit in order to secure your spot in the upcoming class. Although accepted to the program, you will not be guaranteed a spot until this deposit is received.

For questions about the admissions process, email admissionsvalencia@berklee.edu.

Andy Hill, Program Director

The scoring for film, television, and video games master’s program is headed by Andy Hill, a composer, educator, and Grammy Award–winning supervisor/producer of music for motion pictures. During what has become known as “the Disney Renaissance,” he served as Walt Disney Pictures vice president of music production for a decade when it earned nine Academy Awards in song and score categories for films such as The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. Over the span of a 30-year career, Hill has devoted himself to the theory and practice of creating effective and lasting music for motion pictures, working side-by-side with past legends like Elmer Bernstein and Jerry Goldsmith and current masters such as Howard Shore and Hans Zimmer. In 2006 he left Hollywood to create and direct the graduate program in music composition for the screen at Columbia College Chicago, a post he held for five years before accepting his new mission for Berklee in Valencia, where he will oversee the scoring for film, television, and video games program, which launches in September 2012.

Read an interview with Andy Hill.

*U.S. citizens must pay the tuition deposit in U.S. Dollars.
**The Comprehensive Fee covers services and facilities that augment the students’ academic experience and includes, but is not limited to, students’ required registration into the Spanish educational system, students’ compulsory health insurance, and a variety of other services and facilities to which students have access.

Important Note for U.S. Citizens

U.S. citizens must pay tuition and related costs in U.S. dollars. The amount in U.S. dollars will be the equivalent of the euro prices given above according to the dollar/euro exchange rate published in the Wall Street Journal on specific dates.

Laptop and Software Requirements for the Master in Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games

Berklee College of Music requires all entering master’s students to own an Apple Macintosh laptop computer that meets certain standards established by the academic and technology leadership of the college.

For over a half a century, Berklee College of Music has been committed to preparing our students for the musical, technological, and business necessities of the world they will be entering. We firmly believe the laptop and software requirements stated below provide students with a unique resource that will maximize the potent music education available only at Berklee and will help prepare students for successful entry into the music industry.

Minimum Laptop Requirements*

Apple Macintosh MacBook Pro computer with 15.4″ display (Model MB470LL/A), 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB RAM, 500GB hard disk, 8x SuperDrive, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics processor, Gigabit Ethernet, Firewire 800, two USB ports, AirPort card built-in.

*Master’s students should own a laptop with these specifications and bring this to the first day of orientation. Students whose laptops already meet Berklee specifications need not purchase a new computer.

Software Requirements

• Mbox Pro – Protools (Avid)
• Digital Performer
• Finale 2011
• Vienna Symphonic Library Special Edition and Special Edition Plus (VSL)
• Komplete (Native Instruments)
• iLife 11
• iWork 09
• Microsoft Office 2011
• Filemaker Pro 11
• Reason
• Hard drive space for a Windows Bootcamp installation
• SoundForge for Windows

Berklee is currently in negotiations to attain the best possible price on required software. Details regarding the student price and process for purchasing required software will be forthcoming. All students whose software already meets Berklee specifications will be exempt purchasing new software

More information on fees and payments can be found in the Admissions section of our website here.

Is the GRE or the GMAT required to apply for this program? 

The GRE or the GMAT is not required to apply for this program.

Do I need to have a degree in composition?

Ideal applicants will possess a bachelor’s degree or higher (or equivalent credentials) in either scoring or music composition with a specialization in writing for visual media. Applicants who have non-composition degrees and have studied privately and/or accumulated significant experience working in the film, television, or video game music industry will also be considered.

How many degree candidates will be accepted into the scoring program?

For the immediate future, we have set an enrollment limit of 20 students per year, all entering in September and completing degree work the following summer.

May someone with a bachelor’s degree from a classical music academy apply?

Yes, of course. Applicants with a B.A., B.F.A., B.M., or B.Mus. in composition or performance from an established conservatory, music academy, or public or private university are strongly encouraged to apply if they have a desire to write music that serves theatrical/visual purposes, or even to master this craft as an adjunct to their concert or performance activities.

How much weight will be given to the required work samples, and how important is it that I include examples of music scored to picture?

Assuming that the rest of your application package (letter of intent, transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.) is complete and that there are no “disqualifying instances” (such as substandard transcripts or incomplete undergraduate degree requirements), your work samples will carry the greatest weight in the admissions decision. All over the world, graduate schools have become engines of research, new thinking, and new applications. Our “research mission” will be to discover new and more effective ways to utilize music to enhance motion picture art and entertainment. Like all highly selective programs, Berklee in Valencia is interested in attracting men and women with strong potential for success in their field. If you have the drive to create music for motion pictures, it is likely that you also possess the initiative to find a way to do so, even if that means scoring your best friend’s inexpensively made video or using iMovie to assemble a montage of images. This initiative will certainly factor into Berklee’s admission decision.

I am a musician who wants to study film scoring, but my undergraduate degree is not in music. Can I still qualify for acceptance to the master’s program?

Conditionally, yes. Film, television, and game composers come from many different backgrounds. Until quite recently, very few of them had degrees in the field, and many were largely self-taught in music theory. Slowly but surely, this is changing. Berklee’s program is highly selective, and the admissions process will naturally favor applicants with a solid academic grounding in theory, harmony, and composition. However, talent and creativity trump all other considerations, because we are interested in producing graduates with whom filmmakers and game designers will want to work. If your work samples are excellent, your letters of recommendation are compelling, your academic record is strong, and you can demonstrate proficiency in theory and harmony, you can certainly qualify for admission.

What degrees or skills other than music might be attractive to Berklee in Valencia?

Assuming you can demonstrate musical proficiency, an undergraduate degree in film, theater, audio engineering, and/or acoustical studies might make you a good candidate.

I have heard that some top film composers don’t read music. Is this true, and how important are reading and music notation skills in the admissions process?

Most top composers do read music well, although it is certainly not essential for them to be studio-quality sight-readers. Those composers who don’t read probably entered the field based on success in pop, rock, or jazz, where “playing by ear” is the standard. At Berklee, we value ear training as highly as reading, and many of our most accomplished graduates are primarily “ear players.” However, the “gold standard” in writing for films and other visual media is composing for orchestra, and it is impossible to learn orchestral writing if you can’t follow a concert score. At a minimum, we insist that students entering the program are able to find their way through an orchestral score, identify the instruments of the orchestra, and understand basic notational conventions. If you have the talent and drive, but lack the training, there are many forms of individual training and private study available.

How long will the three semesters of the master’s degree program be, and when do they start and finish?

There are two 15-week semesters plus a condensed summer semester for completion of your thesis project and what is described in the course listing as the culminating experience. Basically, the degree program takes one calendar year.

I’m really interested in the M.M. in scoring for film, but I am studying right now for another master’s degree in another city. Is there the possibility to use some of the facilities at Berklee in Valencia?

There are currently no provisions for part-time attendance or auditing of graduate program classes. There will, however, be short courses and workshops scheduled from time to time. Keep an eye on the Berklee in Valencia website.

Who are the faculty for film scoring? Will faculty from the Boston campus teach classes?

As the program is in its first year, we are currently in the process of selecting faculty. The program director is Andy Hill, an accomplished film and television music producer, supervisor, and composer who also developed and directed the highly regarded graduate scoring program at Columbia College Chicago. Berklee in Boston instructors teaching in Valencia will include celebrated film composer Mason Daring and video game audio designer Ben Houge. A global search is underway for a full-time professor with significant screen scoring credits. Keep an eye on the site for more information as it becomes available.

Can I talk with the director of scoring for film, TV, and video games?

Yes, you can make this request through the Admissions Office, which will forward your questions and contact info to Andy Hill. A phone call or meeting can be set up from there.

What facilities do you have to teach scoring for film, television, and video games? Do you have on-site technical support?

The Berklee in Valencia facilities, including all classrooms, labs, and production facilities, are located on the grounds of the magnificent Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in the City of Arts and Sciences. The Palau itself features an opera house and three state-of-the-art concert halls and offers an unparalleled opportunity for performance of student works. The Berklee in Valencia recording and audio post-production facilities were designed by John Storyk of the Walters-Storyk Design Group, creator of the legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York. All composer workstations are designed to meet or exceed current professional standards, and because admission is selective and class sizes are small, students will have extraordinary access to equipment.

Which guest teachers do you have for scoring for film, television, and video games?

Throughout the academic year, the campus will be visited by notable composers of music for the screen, including such masters as Howard Shore, Alberto Iglesias, Javier Navarrete, Alan Silvestri, and many others. Visiting artists, master classes, and one-on-one mentoring of students are key elements of the program.

How many final compositions will be required for a degree in scoring for film, television, and video games?

You will have writing assignments of various types in many of your classes, each of which is designed to develop certain musico-dramatic and technical “muscles.” Some will involve scoring individual scenes for selected electronic and acoustic ensembles; others will be complete short form projects and games. The most ambitious projects are those that you and your graduate adviser opt to undertake as directed studies. For most students, the final thesis will be a professionally performed and recorded original score for a film, television project, or video game.

What kind of master’s degree is it, master’s of music or master’s of art?

The degree is an M.M., or master’s of music, recognized as such in both Europe and the U.S.

What shall I prepare for my scoring for film, television, and video games interview?

If you have been invited to interview, then your academic achievements, recommendations, and submitted work samples have already been positively received. The interview will be, first and foremost, an opportunity for you to get your questions answered, so bring a list! But it is also a chance for the program director and admissions officers to gauge your dedication and readiness, as well as to recommend any remedial or “bridge coursework” that is desirable.

My specialty is scoring for video games, utilizing dynamic and adaptive game composing techniques. Can there be other musicians, such as a rhythm section, in the video?

The instrumentation in your work, whether it is acoustically or digitally produced, should reflect choices that are appropriate to story and content. If a rhythm section suits the project, then by all means, use it. Same thing goes for a solo piano or a hammer dulcimer. We do strongly recommend that at least one of your work samples be orchestral (midi or live), since this is the gold standard in film music.

What courses will be taught?

There is a complete listing of both required (core) and elective courses on the program website, but you’ll see throughout the list that our focus is on developing three areas of craft: 1) your dramatic instincts and musical storytelling skills; 2) your command of both orchestral and electronic vocabulary for dramatic expression; and 3) your personal voice, or “sonic signature,” which will become your chief asset in this highly competitive field.

What will Berklee in Valencia do to help me find work in the profession?

Berklee offers an International Career Center that maintains constant outreach to all sectors of the music industry. Moreover, the master’s program itself is designed to provide a point of entry to the profession by way of its final semester in Los Angeles and/or other major media music centers, during which graduates will perform professional internships and receive intensive mentoring and career assistance.