Composer-Performer Track

The Composer-Performer Track is an innovative program that pushes the boundaries of music creation by seamlessly integrating singer-songwriting, advanced technology, and abstract noise art. This track is designed for musicians eager to break free from traditional constraints, embracing the intersection of diverse genres and pioneering sonic landscapes. During semester one, students will explore dynamics between composing and performing, and sound technologies across genres – including singer-songwriter, abstract noise art, live audio-visuals and more. Semester two takes a deeper look at interactions between composing and performance, including building custom instruments and controllers, innovative approaches to sound manipulation, and approaches to combining audio with visuals for live performance, pop music, and sound installations.

The Conservatory is absolutely amazing, some of the best facilities I have ever seen.”

— RICKY KEJ, GRAMMY-winning composer

TAC's new studios in the Bowes Center, inaugurated in late 2021, are home to digital Avid S6 and analog API 1608-II consoles, as well as a Meyer Sound 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos monitoring system, making them the perfect place for audio recording, post-production, and spatial audio experimentation.

Award-winning film composer Michael Abels met one-on-one with TAC students during a campus visit.

Each semester visiting artists from Sony Interactive Entertainment work with SFCM’s TAC students to record student scores for a fictional video game.

Students work with industry professionals in Studio G, the TAC program's technology hall, to adjust the variable acoustic and truss system in preparation for recording.

50 Oak Street's Studio A, a space designed for large-scale and advanced recording projects as well as clinics and master classes with visiting artists and professionals.

Bay Area's NPR affiliate KQED said, "One could call TAC the perfect marriage of technology, classical musicianship, and experimentation."

Each January, SFCM students participate in Winter Term, a dedicated period of exploration outside one's primary focus area. During Winter Term, TAC students have participated in projects such as building hardware synthesizers, projection mapping in Hume Concert Hall, and performing with modular synths in a public concert.

TAC plays host to SFCM's "Future is Female" concert in honor of International Women's Day.

SFCM’s TAC program offers students a direct path to careers in film, television and media scoring, sound design, and audio engineering. More than 90% of alumni are employed in the field of their choice—one of the highest job placement rates anywhere.

TAC Department

Minors

Customize your degree with minors that deepen your musical interests or expand your skills across disciplines.

Academics

Explore music theory, history, humanities, and interdisciplinary coursework that broadens your perspective as both a musician and a scholar.

Ensembles

Perform in recitals, ensembles, orchestras, opera productions, chamber music, and more than 500 concerts each year.

Professional Development and Engagement Center

Develop skills in entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, contracts, and career planning.

The Bowes Center

Live, learn, rehearse, and connect in a residence designed to bring artists together in one creative community.

Life on Campus

Find community through student organizations, wellness resources, campus traditions, and life in the heart of San Francisco.

Composer-Performer Track

— RICKY KEJ, GRAMMY-winning composer

Beyond Your Major