MA/MMus/PgDip (Composition)

MA/MMus/PgDip (Composition)

WHY MMus/MA?

The MMus/MA is a taught full-time or part-time postgraduate course that sees you continue with your specialism in either Production, Performance, Composition, or Performance and Composition, and demonstrate critical engagement with your discipline through a viva voce (MMus) or written critique (MA).

Working on a one-to-one basis with our performance staff and/or composers and engaging with Creative Practitioners, you gain a strong academic and vocational understanding of your practice, and of what it takes to be a successful music practitioner in the 21st Century.

Performance students are encouraged to develop challenging and innovative repertoire (assessed through public recitals), while Composition students are given the support to prepare portfolios of original compositions and submit realisations.

THE COURSE

The MMus/MA follows the same programme of study as the PGDip but with an additional module at the end, culminating in – for Performance students – a final performance in the presence of a panel of examiners and an invited audience or, for Composition students, a final composition portfolio that must demonstrate artistic vision and an emerging compositional identity.

In your final project, you are expected to demonstrate the skills and professionalism you have developed and be responsible for all aspects of your project's realisation; for example, as a Composition student, you take responsibility for all performers and recording engineers, and as a Performance student, you look after all aspects of the performance including planning, organisation, coordination of resources (human/physical), sound reinforcement, stage setting and rehearsal.

Further to this, MMus students undertake a viva voce to demonstrate an appropriate level of critical engagement with their specialist study and MA candidates produce an accompanying critique.

MASTERCLASSES, SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES

A year-round programme of masterclasses delivered by international names and experts helps support your creative development. Recent visitors have included Snarky Puppy, Charles McPherson, David Toop, Will Hick, Jason Rebello Trio, Donavan Hepburn, Deborah York, Emma Johnson, Enrico Rava and Ralph Salmins.

As a postgraduate student at Leeds College of Music, you can also attend seminars and special events at the University of Bradford, placing you in an even wider, collaborative postgraduate community.

You may also submit papers and pieces to our two annual conferences, the International Festival for Innovations in Music Production and Composition (iFIMPaC) and the Leeds International Jazz Education Conference – again, giving you a crucial platform to showcase yourself to potential employers and collaborators. 

YOUR TUTORS

Your tutors have extensive experience of working in the music industry and are passionate about practice-led research.

Their credits include vocal coaching for Paloma Faith, Danny McNamara and Kevin Rowland (Kim Chandler), winning numerous international competitions (Jakob Fichert), working with composers such as Trevor Wishart, Pete Stollery and Alejandro Vinao (Dale Perkins), and recording for labels including Mode, NMC, Nonclassical and Tzadik (Damien Harron).

YOUR FUTURE

Through linking you with industry and arts-based figures, we offer you tailored research support and prepare you for a robust career.

Our postgraduate alumni include Leaf Label-signed pianist and composer Matthew Bourne (BBC Radio Jazz Award for Innovation, Perrier Jazz Award), James Hamilton (two-time Jazz Yorkshire Award winner, Award for Contemporary Jazz Composition at the BASCA British Composer Awards), Gemma Wild (Lancashire Young Composer of the Year), and David Lawrie, whose MA project Liars, Charlatans, Jinxmongers (for voice and accompaniment) received an independent release.

We maintain strong relationships with our alumni, often inviting them back to perform in our concert season.