Amy Scurria
About
I'm a multi-award-winning composer with a PhD from Duke University, degrees from Rice University's Shepherd School of Music and Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins, and advanced training at the European American Musical Alliance (EAMA) in Paris. My music has been performed at Carnegie Hall, by the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Kimmel Center, and on international stages. In 1998 I became the youngest composer published by Theodore Presser Company.
I have taught music theory at Duke University, and I bring that same rigorous, empowering approach to my private and group instruction. My goal with every student is to meet them exactly where they are, whether that means guiding someone with no prior musical experience to compose their very first piece, or helping an experienced composer deepen their craft and break through creative plateaus. (I have secrets for breaking through writers block!)
I work exclusively with teenage and adult students: curious beginners ready to discover what music theory can unlock, songwriters wanting deeper harmonic vocabulary, and serious composers ready to take their work to the next level. I offer both private lessons and small group sessions so you can choose the environment that suits you best.
Teaching Style
My approach is collaborative and deeply student-centered. Before we do anything else, I want to know what music moves you, what you're trying to create, and where you feel stuck. From there we build something that genuinely serves your goals, not a generic syllabus.
Theory isn't just analysis. It's a creative tool. Harmony, voice leading, counterpoint, and form are the things that get you from "I have an idea" to "I know how to finish this." I'll challenge you to think rigorously while keeping everything grounded in music that matters to you personally.
In group sessions, expect a warm, intellectually alive classroom where every question is a good one. We move together, connect theory to real musical examples, and build a community of adult learners committed to their musicianship, whatever level they're starting from.
Curriculum
My teaching doesn't follow a single prescribed method — and that's intentional. Adult learners bring too much life experience, too many varied goals, and too much innate musical intelligence to be served well by a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, I draw on a broad toolkit developed across decades of composing, performing, and teaching at the university level, shaping each lesson around what the individual student actually needs. The throughline in everything I do is empowerment: I want you to leave every session feeling more capable, more curious, and more connected to your own musical voice.
Credentials & Affiliations
CREDENTIALS
- PhD in Music Composition, Duke University (2015)
- M.M. in Music Composition, Duke University (2010)
- M.M. in Music Composition, Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University (1998)
- B.M. in Music Composition, Shepherd School of Music, Rice University (1996)
- European American Musical Alliance (EAMA), Paris (1999)
- Aspen Music Festival (1994)
- Professor of Music, Fundamentals of Music Theory, Duke University (2013–2015)
- Youngest composer published by Theodore Presser Company (1999)
- Founder, Adamo Press
GRANTS & FELLOWSHIPS
- Thomas D. Dee, II Endowment Grant (2024)
- North Carolina Arts Council Artist Development Grant (2023)
- Evan Frankel Fellowship, Duke University (2011)
- Aleane Webb Dissertation Research Award, Duke University (2011)
- Duke University Summer Research Fellowship (2011)
AFFILIATIONS & HONORS
- National Opera Association Opera Production Award, 3rd Place (2025)
- American Prize in Opera Composition, 3rd Place (2023)
- Sigma Alpha Iota Honorary Member
- Residencies: Carnegie Hall/World Projects, University of Utah, Red River Lyric Opera Festival, Collective Euphonia, Shepherd College
- Subject of 1 PhD dissertation, 2 Master's theses, and 5 undergraduate academic papers