High School Composition Intensive (HSCI)

How to Enroll

Submit your registration by June 1.* Begin by submitting your registration online. If applicable, you may need to submit additional supporting materials.
Make your tuition payment by June 1.* All programs have limited capacity, so be sure to complete your full tuition payment to reserve your space in the program.
Request housing by June 1. Students who are 15 years of age or older by the start of their Boston-based program are eligible to stay in on-campus housing. If you meet the eligibility requirements and have indicated that you would like to request on-campus housing, please revisit your registration portal and submit a Residence Hall Agreement.

*Please note: This program has limited capacity. Submission of registration materials alone does not guarantee participation in the program. You will secure your spot by paying in full.

Curriculum

Over the course of the two-week program, you'll compose three pieces which will be workshopped and recorded by professional musicians and ensembles. You'll leave the program with a strong portfolio of new works which you can share with friends and family, and use for college applications if you wish. We're very proud to maintain a 5 to 1 student to faculty ratio, meaning you'll receive ample support and individual attention during the composition and rehearsal process.

We'll assist you in working efficiently by giving you prompts for inspiration. We'll also have daily studio lessons where you'll get feedback on your work, have your questions answered, and receive encouragement. It's good training as a composer to be able to write quickly when you don't have the luxury of waiting for inspiration to strike; we'll help you build proactive ways of expressing your musical ideas.

Young composers will receive individualized lessons and coachings from acclaimed faculty and guest artists who will help them build a toolbox of techniques essential to developing a compositional voice. This includes:

Learning how to write quickly and effectively
Acquiring rehearsal techniques
Developing communication skills for collaborating with professional musicians and colleagues
Receiving feedback on revising scores

Schedule

Below is a sample schedule.

Monday	Activities
8 AM–10 AM	Student Orientation
10 AM–11 AM	Welcome Meeting
1 PM–2 PM	Studio Lessons
4 PM–5 PM	Piano Reading
6:30 PM–7:30 PM	Piano Reading
8 PM–9 PM	Broadcast: Piano
Tuesday	Activities
9 AM–10 AM	Studio Lessons
10 AM–11 AM	Museum Trip
4 PM–5 PM	Piano Recording
6PM–7:30 PM	Piano Recording
8 PM–9 PM	Writing for woodwinds/percussion
Wednesday	Activities
9 AM - 10 AM	Studio Lessons
10 AM–11 AM	Faculty Presentation
4 PM–5:00 PM	Duo Reading
6:30 PM–7:30 PM	Duo Reading
8 PM–9 PM	Concert: Transient Canvas
Thursday	Activities
9 AM - 10 AM	Studio Lessons
10 AM–11 AM	Faculty Presentation
4 PM–5 PM	Duo Reading
6:30 PM–7:30 PM	Duo Reading
8 PM–9 PM	Concert: Transient Canvas
Friday	Activities
9 AM–10 AM	Studio Lessons
10 AM–11 AM	Faculty Presentation
4 PM–5 PM	Group Improvisation
6:30 PM–7:30 PM	Group Improvisation
8 PM–9 PM	Concert: Transient Canvas
Saturday	Activities
10 AM–11 AM	Duo Recording
1 PM–2 PM	Duo Recording
4 PM–5 PM	String Quartet Presentation

Schedule is subject to change.

Performance Opportunities

A final concert will also be broadcasted online so friends and family can tune in from anywhere.

Requirements

General Requirements

Students ages 15 to 18 with some foundation in music composition.

Participants must possess a proficient level of English to enroll in this program. We do not require proof of English language proficiency (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo) as part of the enrollment or application process; however, you are expected to have a sufficient command of the English language to understand class material and assignments.

Required Materials

Laptop with notation software or manuscript paper
Pencil
Notebook
Two to three objects from home that you can use to make noise with. Bring things that are lightweight, easy to carry in one hand, and on which you can make a few different sounds at different volumes. For instance, you might bring a bowl, a shoebox, a wooden cup, etc.

Program-Specific Details

Students interested in registering for this program should prepare the following materials:

PDF scores of two original compositions
Two links to audio recordings of your compositions. MIDI-based performances are acceptable if a live recording is not available. Your submissions should be three to five minutes in length.

Instructions on how to submit your materials are available in the online registration portal.

Program Director

Mischa Salkind-Pearl

Chair of Composition, Contemporary Music, and Core Studies

Once You've Enrolled

The Berklee Summer Programs Team is excited that you've taken the first step! Now that you've enrolled, here's what to know, to be sure you're prepared before and after you check in for the experience of a lifetime.

What to do first?

Important: continually check the email you used to enroll

Please regularly check the email you used to enroll in your program for important updates. A detailed check-in email, containing information about your assigned arrival location, housing assignment (if applicable), and program schedule, will be sent one to two weeks before your program's start date.

Request on-campus housing

On-campus housing is limited, and spaces will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis based on the completion of the following steps:

Read, sign, and submit the residence hall agreement on the registration portal.
The Summer Programs team will review your signed residence hall agreement within 3-5 business days. After review, we will send you an email inviting you to return to the registration portal to view your on-campus housing decision letter.
If your request has been approved, secure your spot by accepting your offer and paying the housing fee in full.

Important Considerations

For students enrolled in multiple programs, please complete a separate residence hall agreement (along with the accompanying housing fee payment) for each program.
To be eligible to request on-campus housing, a student must be 15 years of age before the start of their program.
If a student is under the age of 18, the request for on-campus housing must be filled out by a parent/guardian, and both the student and parent/guardian must agree to all the terms and conditions.
Applicants for Musical Theater Acting Intensive (MTAI) and Vocal/Choral Intensive (VCI) must first be offered admission and accept their offer before their residence hall agreement submission will be considered.
Since space in our residence halls is limited, a spot in our residence halls will only be guaranteed once a student has fully registered for their chosen program and paid the program tuition in full. Any housing requests or payments made before the completion of both these steps do not ensure a guaranteed place in on-campus housing.

Learn more about housing and campus life by exploring the Help Center.

Request accessibility accommodations (if needed)

Accommodations are provided for students with documented medical needs, offering services such as academic accommodations, academic coaching, special housing arrangements, dietary adjustments, and referrals to on-campus support, including adaptive technology and tutoring.

Accommodations are determined through an interactive process involving the student, faculty, the Office of Housing and Residential Education, a dietitian, and Accessibility Resources for Students staff. Requests for academic, housing, and dietary accommodations can be made by following the steps outlined in this Help Center article.

Complete These Tasks by June

Complete the items in your Magnus Health account by June 1

We require up-to-date health information, documentation for the required immunizations mandated by Massachusetts law, as well as conduct and consent forms for all students. Instructions on accessing your Magnus Health account will be sent via email to all registered students in mid-spring.

If you have more questions you can review our help center. Here are some articles that might be helpful:

Submit a photo for your ID by June 1

Students participating in a Boston-based Summer Program will receive an ID card upon arrival at Berklee. This card provides access to campus facilities and, if you have chosen to reside in our residence halls, it also allows entry to the dining hall. Please submit a photo for your ID by June 1. If you do not upload a photo, one will be taken upon your arrival on campus.

Prepare to Arrive and Check In

What to pack if you’re staying on campus

All of our on-campus residence halls follow a standard college-style layout, with each room equipped with a closet, bed, and desk for each resident.

Students staying in a Berklee residence hall should bring the following items:

Bedding (sheets, pillow, pillowcase, blanket) for an extra-long twin bed (36 inches by 80 inches)
Towels (bath towels, washcloths, hand towels, etc.)
Toiletries

We also recommend bringing the following:

Alarm clock
Clothes hangers
Earplugs
Extra spending money for snacks, drinks, or public transportation (costs for Berklee-coordinated events will be covered by the school; students are responsible for additional expenses during events)
Headphones
Laptop computer, tablet device, cell phone, etc., including chargers
Laundry detergent and quarters (coin-based laundry facilities available in every residence hall, although we recommend bringing quarters)
Plastic bin for storing snacks or food
Prescription/first-aid needs
Small refrigerator
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Umbrella
Water bottle
A fan

Items available upon request from the resident advisor's office:

Basic cleaning supplies
Games
Movies
Toilet paper (for private bathrooms)
Vacuum cleaners

The following items are not allowed in a student’s residence hall room:

Candles/incense
Weapons
Cooking appliances (hot pots, toaster ovens, grills, popcorn makers, or anything with a visible heating element, etc.)
Air conditioners
Bicycles
Futons, chairs, couches, or any other non-Berklee-issued furniture
Wall hangings
Pets (including fish)
Halogen lamps and holiday lights

Download the Guidebook app

A few days before your program starts, you will receive instructions to download the Guidebook app. This app enables you to access your program schedule and connect with fellow Summer Programs students.

Getting to campus, parking, and hotels nearby

Access the Summer Programs Help Center

Explore some of these top articles from the Summer Programs Help Center.