Music (Performance)

Become a versatile performing musician who is ready for a varied and viable career in the wider entertainment industry.

• Develop your music performance skills while learning how to apply them to real-world opportunities.

• Whether you want to play or sing, grow as a musician through daily practical music-making under expert supervision.

• Build an impressive portfolio of evidence and experience to boost your future career.

Are you an ambitious singer or instrumentalist who is keen to develop a sustainable career in music? This performance-focused Music degree will train you as a flexible performing musician across a variety of genres and styles.

You'll get the chance to explore classical, jazz, and popular music, while also focusing on your own musical interests and identity. You’ll also receive specialist, small-group coaching from our expert staff of practising musicians.

Across the course, we provide a wide range of training and experiences, designed to ensure your success as a performer in the real world.

Course Modules

Year one
Your first year focuses on developing and refining your core practical musicianship skills. Through practical work and performance opportunities, you’ll explore the areas in which your practice can make a difference in people’s lives.

You'll also develop your ability to make recordings and videos, learning to edit these for online contexts. Across the year, you’ll undertake a series of short projects, working individually and in groups.

Year two
In your second year, you begin to specialise as a performer. Working in small, intensive classes, you’ll be coached by our specialist staff to develop your techniques and build a cross-genre repertoire. You’ll choose modules that support your unique career aspirations.

You’ll get the chance to work with communities, in educational settings, and produce events. You can also opt to develop your ability to communicate ideas about music through different media, such as podcasts, videos, and social media.

Year three
In your third year, you’ll specialise as a performer, following your own musical interests. Your intensive classes with our specialist performance staff will continue, and you’ll undertake a series of performance projects.

You can choose modules which include projects in areas such as education, community music, health and wellbeing, and arts management.

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to demonstrate both your skills as a performer and the entrepreneurial skills necessary to kick-start your performance career.

Professional Placement Year

A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in multiple placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.