Composing Music Workshop Online

This course offers personal, long distance tutorial support (usually via e-mail) to new and experienced composers who want to pursue a project of their own.

The nature of the study will be tailored to the student's individual requirements. The course is primarily aimed at students writing in a contemporary Western art music classical style in an acoustic instrumental and/or vocal idiom.

Enrolment in advance, accompanied by a statement of your interests, is essential.

The syllabus content will be specific for each individual student and tailored to their specific needs.

There will be an emphasis on expanding students' understanding and awareness of contemporary compositional practices in order to develop their own compositional abilities.

Guidance and direction is provided by an experienced, practicing composer. Students will be given advice on how to produce a finished score and performing materials to a professional standard.

The course is not suitable for students writing in a jazz or pop and rock style.

Learning and teaching

Teaching and learning are undertaken by means of Web-delivered teaching materials - via the University's Blackboard software and e-mail - in which fundamental information about the topic is presented.

This approach runs in parallel with long distance tutorial support and assessment. Such support is tailored to students' specific needs relevant to the discipline.

Coursework and assessment

To award credits we need to have evidence of the knowledge and skills you have gained or improved. Some of this has to be in a form that can be shown to external examiners so that we can be absolutely sure that standards are met across all courses and subjects.

You will not have a formal examination. Assessment on this course is achieved both through formative feedback on your project and through summative assessment, which might be one major work or a portfolio of works, the nature of which will be discussed with the course tutor.

The most important element of assessment is that it should enhance your learning.

Our methods are designed to increase your confidence and we try very hard to devise ways of assessing you that are enjoyable and suitable for adults with busy lives.

Reading suggestions

The tutor will recommend reading material, musical scores and recordings, as appropriate to the individual student.

Library and computing facilities

As a student on this course you are entitled to join and use the University’s library and computing facilities. Find out more about using these facilities.

Accessibility

Our aim is access for all. We aim to provide a confidential advice and support service for any student with a long term medical condition, disability or specific learning difficulty. We are able to offer one-to-one advice about disability, pre-enrolment visits, liaison with tutors and co-ordinating lecturers, material in alternative formats, arrangements for accessible courses, assessment arrangements, loan equipment and dyslexia screening.