Music Performance Foundation Degree

Advanced Instrumental Technique: Building upon the first year module, you will further develop your individual musicianship. You will again be taught by professional musicians, who will introduce you to the advanced skills of your instrument or vocal technique. Popular Musicology: In this module, you will study, analyse and critique approaches to contemporary popular music. You will explore the aesthetics of popular music and also study its social and cultural importance, with case studies ranging from rock ‘n’ roll and soul to hip-hop, chart pop, and electronica. You will also learn how advances in technology have shaped the way in which music is created and produced. Songwriting Arrangement: This module will continue to develop your songwriting skills by exploring a range of advanced compositional techniques. Studying a wide range of styles and genres, you will explore identity and authenticity in contemporary songwriting and learn collaborative techniques and approaches. Assessment will be through a portfolio of your own creative work, and a final collaborative project with student colleagues. Performance Technology: This module will develop your awareness of the way in which technology can be creatively integrated into a musical performance. It involves the study of hardware and software currently being used in performance events, as well as examining the way in which contemporary artists employ this technology. It provides an opportunity for you to combine the areas of hardware and software knowledge to stage your own performance in which technology plays a central role. Creative Entrepreneurship: In this module, you will work off-campus in negotiated industry placements to create a work-based portfolio. You will be encouraged to pursue a pathway that is relevant to both the course and your own career ambitions. Sound and Vision: As the need for music and sound alongside other media continually increases, developing the skills to work in flexible ways with different media opens many opportunities within the industry. In this module, you will be introduced to the theoretical and practical elements of producing music and sound for a variety of media applications. This module explores audio production for a website, multimedia, and synchronised visual works. Research: In the ever-changing world of music, the need for self-directive development plays an integral part in the progression of successful individuals. This module will provide you with a broad range of research skills that will be used to develop and support a variety of practical and theoretical applications. It will allow you to develop research skills in an academic context and to facilitate the completion of a piece of independent research.

Depending on availability, there may be trips that you will need to pay for costing between £5 – £50. Although the College has a stock of instruments, we expect you to own an instrument and are also advised to purchase a pair of good quality headphones in the region of £30 – £50. Access to a suitable computer for running music production applications is also desirable.