"New" Composition - need to understand

[dinosaurtales]

I am learning about composing - still somewhat new to it, although I have been playing music all of my life.  I am having lots of fun with it doing small compositons for class assignments.  But I would like to understand what is meant when the profs refer to "new" music. They'll say "that sounds (or doesn't sound) particularly 'new'".

The only pattern I notice is that if the piece has a tonal melody or theme that is either developed or accompanied nicely, it's "not new".  If it's just downright weird or even disturbing to listen to, it's "new". 

The way I see it, atonality has been around for several decades now, so what makes it "new"?  is there something else to the definition I don't understand?

[pianistimo]

surprisingly, my teacher told me that modern music IS actually returning to tonality.  we went so far away that i think there is no other way to go but back to it.  at least some composers are returning to it.  of course, not all composers do the same thing, but composition does seem to follow trends (like fashion).  i think, like you, that tonality is more pleasant - but sometimes it's necessary to have both (atonality as well) to express whatever is being expressed.  even haydn used a sort of tonal ambiguity in the chaos section of 'the creation.'  being a film composer must be an extremely creative job - since you have to match visuals with sound.