So, I'd love to hear your top 5 (or more) descriptors/performance criteria of a "successful" composition.
What is a successful composition? Is that what you are asking? As a teacher I would have thought that you would know that music is all about having different definitions per person. It fitting your personal taste is what makes a successful composition.
But to state 5, as per the question, regarding that they are probably just MY descriptors.
1) It should be overly repetitive (Oops Sorry Kev, but I couldn't resist, its true though, for me...)
2) It should move you, make your heart beat faster, give you goosebumps, hairs stand on back of neck.
3) It should sound slightly unlike something else... As in, it CAN be of a genre, or relate to a genre, but not completely fitting in that genre.
4) Dynamics, dynamics, dynamics. Loud only works when compared to soft.
5) No Saxaphones!
Mark