Music - MMus - MA / PgCert / PgDip

Program Overview

The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's Master of Music (MMus) program empowers students with the skills and knowledge to excel in various music professions. Offering a wide range of Principal Study areas including performance, composition, and music technology, the program emphasizes career-focused learning and provides tailored support for personal development. Through individual tuition from renowned experts, performance opportunities, and networking connections, students gain the confidence and preparation needed to succeed in the competitive music industry.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Master of Music (MMus) program at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in their chosen music profession. It is designed for recent graduates and qualified mature students, offering support to prepare them for a musical career. The program emphasizes career-focused learning, allowing students to tailor their studies to their future aspirations. It includes a core Career Development module, a range of optional Professional Development modules, and a core module for developing research or informed practice skills.

Outline:

The MMus program offers several Principal Study areas, most of which are also available at PgDip or PgCert levels:

• Instrumental Performance (MMus, PgDip, PgCert): This specialism prepares students for solo, chamber, or orchestral careers.
It caters to students pursuing orchestral instruments, keyboard instruments, and other solo instruments like recorder, guitar, and saxophone. It also includes a route for bowed string and guitar ensembles. The program welcomes instrumentalists and singers exploring folk music fusions, songwriting, and woodwind players seeking multi-instrumentalist careers in musical theatre.
• Vocal Performance (MMus, PgDip, PgCert): This route provides advanced-level training in singing, encouraging performers to broaden their repertoire and specialize if desired.
Students enjoy regular performance opportunities, both solo and in ensembles.
• Orchestral Performance (Strings) (MMus, PgDip): Developed in partnership with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), this route is for advanced string players preparing for professional orchestral auditions.
Students spend significant rehearsal time with the CBSO, mentored by host players. The program focuses on technical facility, musicianship, interpretative skills, stylistic awareness, orchestral repertoire, rehearsal preparation, section integration, and audition preparation.
• Conducting (MMus, PgDip): The program offers pathways in Brass Band Conducting, Choral Conducting, and Orchestral Conducting.
All pathways provide technical training, collaborative opportunities, and podium time to prepare students for professional conducting careers. Students develop directing techniques in rehearsals and have performance opportunities. They are encouraged to explore other conducting opportunities and attend classes/workshops with peers studying other conducting specialisms.
• Jazz (MMus, PgDip, PgCert): These programs provide advanced-level tuition for recent graduates and qualified mature students, allowing them to specialize as Jazz performers or instigators.
Students benefit from individual specialist tuition from professional jazz musicians and focus on improvisation. They have regular opportunities to rehearse and perform with small and large jazz ensembles.
• Experimental Performance (MMus, PgDip, PgCert): This route is for emerging arts practitioners, offering a unique opportunity to undertake independent artistic projects in a supportive environment.
Practitioners from various disciplines, including instrumental/vocal performance, composition, dance, choreography, theatre, visual and performance art, and creative writing, collaborate on artistic projects. The core of the study is formed by students' artistic ideas, developed through research and dialogue into professional practical projects.
• Composition (MMus, PgDip, PgCert): This route celebrates the diversity of contemporary musical genres and fosters artists who challenge, innovate, and transform artistic practice.
Students spend most of their time writing music for professional and student ensembles, responding to set briefs or working on their own projects. They are encouraged to express themselves in multiple musical and artistic genres and have opportunities to collaborate with performers and have their works performed.
• Music Technology (MMus, PgDip, PgCert): This pathway offers composers and composer-performers the chance to experiment with and develop expertise in the creative application of music technologies.
Students are based in the Conservatoire's £57-million building, which features a Concert Hall, Recital Hall, practice rooms, ensemble rooms, workshops, recording studios, editing and mastering suites, and a black-box performance space called The Lab.

Teaching:

The program features:

• Regular individual tuition in the Principal Study area from leading UK and internationally renowned performers, practitioners, teachers, and researchers.
• Bespoke support classes in musicianship and repertoire.
• Opportunities to participate in creative projects, including interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Frequent performance opportunities within Departmental activities and concerts.
• Access to forums, seminars, and masterclasses with distinguished visiting artists, composers, and performers.
• Access to the Conservatoire's ensemble activities, including chamber music, operatic productions, Brass Band, Wind Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, 'Repertoire' and 'Pops' Orchestras, Thallein (Contemporary Music) Ensemble, and the Folk Ensemble.
• Networking opportunities with leading professionals from around the world.

Careers:

The program aims to prepare students for a variety of careers in the music industry, including:

• Solo performer
• Chamber musician
• Orchestral musician
• Conductor
• Jazz performer
• Jazz instigator
• Composer
• Music technologist
• Experimental performer

Other:

The program emphasizes the importance of professional development and provides students with the tools and resources to succeed in their chosen careers. It also offers a supportive and collaborative learning environment, with opportunities to work with leading professionals and to network with peers from around the world.