Composition (Audio Technologies)

Our innovative MA in Composition covers areas of instrumental, vocal, electronic, digital and multimedia composition. The course offers opportunities for students to work across these areas, or to specialise as appropriate. We support work in a wide range of styles and genres, whilst maintaining an experimental and exploratory approach. Delivery is tailored to students' needs, centred around small-group seminars and tutorials. The course runs within a vibrant music department with a lively community of undergraduates, postgraduates and staff and excellent facilities.

We focus on a creative and experimental approach, whilst remaining non genre-specific. The course spans a wide variety of styles and approaches, and will be of interest to those involved in such areas as electro-acoustic/acousmatic music, soundscape, acoustic ecology, computer music, sound/sonic art, microsound and electronica.

The emphasis of this pathway is largely practical, giving students the
opportunity to produce a substantial body of composition work over the
duration of the course. Students engage with a wide variety of technical
and creative skills - these range from classic techniques derived from areas
such as musique concrete to more contemporary practice, and will include
advanced skills such as software development using Max/MSP/Jitter and
similar tools. The course will also include a grounding in
postgraduate-level research methodology, and opportunities to collaborate
with instrumentalists, performers and media practitioners.

Course Structure

In full-time mode, the course runs over three trimesters, September to September. The first trimester gives a thorough grounding in research methodology and core compositional techniques, and offers a toolkit of optional skills-based projects designed to allow students to improve on specific technical and creative skills as required. The second trimester offers modules specific to the three pathways. Students on the Composition pathway take the Commission Project, which explores the challenges of writing to a brief and the opportunities of ensemble performance. Students on the Audio Technologies pathway take Sound Processing Techniques, which takes an in-depth, hands-on look at technology-based composition, exploring everything from classic techniques developed in the 1950s to cutting-edge digital techniques. Students on the Sound and Image pathway take Visual Music, which explores the history of sound-led multimedia and corresponding practical techniques. Alongside these modules, all students take Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Practice, which gives an opportunity to work with peers and across subject boundaries, with the possibility of working with other creative disciplines (film- and theatre-makers, dancers and choreographers etc.) as well as musicians. The third trimester is research-based, with students undertaking an individual Major Project which allows them to explore a chosen area in depth.

Teaching methods and resources

Modules are normally taught via lectures, seminars and practical workshops. A particular feature of the course is regular tutorial support. The Major Project is research-based and student-led, with supporting tutorials. Visiting speakers and other activities are arranged as appropriate. You are encouraged to make full use of library and IT resources within the University, and ample time will be scheduled in studios and workstation labs for independent study.

Assessment

Assessment takes the form of individual assignments for each module. These generally consist of a portfolio of practical work with supporting written documentation. Context and Methodology and the Major Project also involve small-scale dissertations.