Music Design (formerly Computer Music)

*The Computer Music major will become Sonology from the 2026 enrollment date.

Faculty of Music, Department of Performance & Composition, Music Design

Creating an interdisciplinary world of sound with a high aesthetic sense

Using computers and other technologies as a foundation, students will explore a wide range of musical practices. While sound and music are the primary focus, students will also incorporate video, performing arts, interactive media, and mobile devices based on their individual interests, and attempt to expand the scope of practice from art to utility. In addition, students will acquire comprehensive skills and perspectives, including the ability to build and manage an environment for presenting their creative works. Our unique curriculum, which integrates computers, sound, and creative writing, cultivates "musicians" in the broadest sense, capable of creating an interdisciplinary world of sound with a high aesthetic sense.

Learning Features

Exploring a wide range of technology-based musical practices
Acquire computer programming, recording, PA, and creative techniques in one place
Learn not only about creation but also about the process of delivering it to the recipient

Mock Lesson

Class and Activity Introduction

Music Design Seminar

Students will develop their own projects and explore a wide range of musical practices, including live electronics, media art, and installations.

Music Design Techniques Training

Students will acquire post-production techniques in the studio, such as sound adjustment, mixing, and mastering, as well as practical live PA techniques.

Music Programming

Students will acquire software development skills through the practical process of turning their ideas into reality through programming. Using JavaScript and Xcode as the primary tools, they will also attempt to develop audiovisual expressions, networks, and physical devices.

Concert-Style Exam

Many of the exams for Sonology are held in the form of concerts, where students not only present their own compositions but also support other students' performances in terms of sound, lighting, and stage technology.

in Focus - “Sonic Interaction”

This is a music event held twice a year where students not only present their works but are also involved in the planning, production, sound and management of the event. Using a variety of techniques and media, including live electronic works that combine acoustic instruments and computers, as well as video and dance performances, the event is presented in the form of an installation exhibition and concert. In recent years, the event has also taken advantage of online platforms, exploring new forms of expression with each event.

Student's Voice

A deep understanding of programming
It helps you to create a wide range of works freely.

INNAMI Tomoki

Department of Performance & Composition, Computer Music, 4th year
from Kunitachi College of Music Senior High School, Tokyo
Computer Music + Computer Music Music Data Science Course

I found "Multimedia Programming" (which will become "Music Programming" for students entering in 2026) to be very useful. Not only did I learn the basics of programming, but I also learned how to apply programming to music. My free-flowing approach to creating, without being tied to a single language or tool, broadened the scope of my subsequent work. In my current seminar, I'm creating works that combine VR and music. In "Sonic Interaction," I presented video works and installations, which received unexpected reactions from the audience, making me realize how important feedback from those around me is. The appeal of this major is that it allows me to realize that music is much more than just following the score.

*For students entering in 2026, the course will be "Music Programming."

Faculty Message

Creative lessons where people of all generations learn together

IMAI Shintaro

Music Design
Specialty: Computer music

What is creativity? D. Cope, a pioneer who has long explored computer-generated music composition, defines creativity as "the first connection between two or more multifaceted things, ideas, or phenomena that have not previously been actively considered as being connected." We aim to provide classes that are full of creativity, where faculty and students learn together across generations and interests, exploring these connections through trial and error.

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Educational Goals

This major aims to cultivate "musicians" in the broadest sense of the word, who explore new forms of artistic expression using technology such as computers and apply the results of their work to creative work, research, and ultimately the diverse world of sound.

Admissions Policy

We are looking for people who are interested in art and technology, with a particular focus on music, who have the ability to learn and the curiosity to take on unknown fields with initiative.

Curriculum Policy

In the basic course, students will learn the fundamentals of computer technology, sound technology, and creative technology, and then integrate these individual technologies through the creation of works, allowing them to acquire these skills in a practical and multifaceted way.In the specialized course, students will be able to select their own classes and attempt to expand into the creation and research of advanced computer music and media art works, application development, etc., and will also acquire comprehensive skills and perspectives related to music and technology through the construction and management of a presentation environment.

Diploma Policy

Students have broad and practical knowledge and understanding of the role of technology in artistic expression, and have acquired the ability to integrate computer technology, primarily programming, with sound technology and creative techniques.
They have a broad approach to exploring new forms of expression, centered on sound and technology, and also consider video, stage, and interactive media, and have acquired the ability to think and make decisions in both individual and collaborative work.