Undergraduate study
Music
2019/20
Our trophy cabinet The awards we’ve won don’t just make us feel proud. They give you an idea of what the University is like.
Teaching Excellence Framework Gold Award Huddersfield is a TEF gold-rated institution delivering consistently outstanding teaching and learning of the highest quality found in the UK (Teaching Excellence Framework, 2017).
Global Teaching Excellence Award We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award. It recognised the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (HEA, 2017).
University of the Year The Times Higher Education named us as University of the Year in November 2013. They liked our “bold, imaginative and innovative initiatives.”
Queen’s Anniversary Prize The Queen’s Anniversary Prize is a big thing in UK Higher Education. We were delighted to earn one for our role in expanding global boundaries of new music.
A Four Star University QS Stars has given us four stars. That means we are “highly international, demonstrating excellence in both teaching and research with an excellent environment for students and staff.”
Athena Swan We’re serious about gender equality. We want an equal number of men and women on our science and engineering courses, for instance. Our commitment was recognised in 2015 with the Athena SWAN Bronze Award.
Find out more about our awards at hud.ac.uk/about/our-awards
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What’s inside Study with us
4–5 Our courses
Meet us
Apply to us
Chloë Fenech’s student journey so far
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10–11
Open Days
Hear from Dr Bryn Harrison on composing experimental music
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12–13
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Welcome to Music Becoming a student at Huddersfield places you at the heart of one of the country’s most dynamic, creative and diverse university music communities. Not only will you benefit from outstanding facilities for your performance, composition and academic study, but you will also be part of a vibrant and supportive environment that offers an inspiring place to learn.
conducting, early music, world musics, analysis, improvisation, film music, computer composition, music education, and personalised options in later years of study. This flexibility, along with the chance of year-long and shorter placement opportunities, will help you discover new talents and prepare you for your future career and musical life.
Our courses include a wealth of specialist options: solo performance, brass band arrangement, popular music, orchestral
Stewart Worthy Subject Leader
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What skills does a twenty-first century musician need to be successful? Study Music at Huddersfield and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to prepare yourself for today’s job market and develop your skills and creativity to their full potential.
Study with us The course has opened my mind to new ideas and allowed me to experiment and find strengths in areas I never knew I had. Chloë Fenech, Music BMus(Hons)
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Check this out! 100% The UK’s only University where all our permanent teaching staff are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.*
Placements All our courses include an optional short-term or year-long work placement.
You’ll be taught by leading researchers and musicians covering everything from classical to pop to experimental and beyond. Whether you’re interested in creative, historical, analytical or technical approaches – in performance, composition or musicology – we have a course for you. So if you want to make your own music, study a great work, or gain a thorough understanding of musical history, you can do it all here. You’ll be based in the Creative Arts Building, with its excellent purpose-built facilities. Take your pick from 26 practice rooms, two large piano practice rooms, an early music studio, four pop performance rooms and two superb concert venues. We also have a fine collection of instruments including percussion, organs and historical keyboards, and a range of stateof-the-art studios. So there’s lots of space for you to rehearse, experiment and perform.
Real-World The University is host to the worldrenowned Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.
The Music Department is an exciting, vibrant and supportive place to be. You could play in the University’s regular concert series, take part in classical and popular ensembles – Brass Band, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Choir and Big Band, to name just a few – and even attend the world famous Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival or the label-defying Electric Spring festival. While you’re here, we’ll encourage you to take a short-term or year-long placement. Previous students have enjoyed placements with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Kirklees Music School, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Phoenix Radio and Buxton Opera House. You can also benefit from our close relationships with the likes of Opera North. All of these opportunities to experience and explore music in new ways will help you to develop your skills, broaden your horizons and make lifelong contacts. *Permanent staff, after probation: some recently appointed colleagues will only obtain recognition in the months after their arrival in Huddersfield, once they have started teaching.
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Graduates employed from this course
Music
BMus(Hons)
95%* Key information: UCAS code: W300 Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 years inc. placement year Entry requirements: BBB at A Level including a minimum grade B in Music or Music Technology DDM at BTEC 120 UCAS points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications including a minimum grade B at A Level or Distinction in BTEC Music or Music Technology Additional criteria: Practical and theory music grades are accepted in the total points (see UCAS tariff). Applicants intending to study solo instrumental or vocal performance should have reached Grade 8 standard of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), Rockschool or equivalent at entry and attend an audition. Applicants with other relevant experience outside of formal music and music technology A Levels or BTECs are welcome to apply and will be considered on a case by case basis. For international students please visit courses.hud.ac.uk.
Music is all about collaboration and experimentation, so you’ll have opportunities to get involved in large and small ensembles, choirs and bands, composing for your fellow students, studying and playing with others. We’ll also encourage you to carry out your own creative projects and research, and you’ll have the opportunity to develop a wide range of transferable skills. You will be based in the purpose-built Creative Arts Building, with its many practice rooms, rehearsal spaces and recording studios. Our two concert halls provide you with contrasting acoustics and environments in which to perform and hear others, and we have a large instrument collection including historical keyboards, organs, early music resources, percussion and electronic instruments. You’ll be taught by leading composers, performers and researchers, and our team of part-time instrumental and vocal teachers includes internationally recognised professional performers from across the region.
During your studies you’ll be able to specialise in composition, performance or musicology, or mix it up and explore the connections between all three. We want to hear your work too, in recitals, concerts, masterclasses and workshops. As a composer, you’ll also have the chance to hear your work performed by professionals and you may also have the opportunity to spend a day playing in the Orchestra of Opera North. In musicology, you’ll be able to study the development of music across history and in different historical and cultural contexts. You could choose to specialise in subjects like baroque music, experimental music, opera and musical theatre, or film music, guided by staff who are experts and enthusiasts in their field. In your third year, you could choose to take a year-long placement with an employer. Previous students have taken placements with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Kirklees Music School, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Phoenix Radio, Stagecoach Theatre Arts, Buxton Opera House and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.
Ben Roberts graduated from Music BMus(Hons) in 2013 and is now a Musician in the Band of the Household Cavalry *Percentage of graduates from this course who go on to work and/or further study within six months of graduating (Destinations of Leavers Survey 2015/16).
“This was the perfect course to help me prepare for a job as a professional musician. My module choices of the final year alone now transfer directly into my daily work and the tuition I received was second to none. The flexibility and selection of modules Huddersfield offers gives you the chance to get experience in any area of music you can imagine.”
For detailed course and employability information, including full entry requirements, please visit courses.hud.ac.uk
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Graduates employed from this subject
Music Performance BMus(Hons)
93%* Key information: UCAS code: W3W3 Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 years inc. placement year Entry requirements: BBB at A Level including a minimum grade B in Music or Music Technology DDM at BTEC 120 UCAS points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications including a minimum grade B at A Level or Distinction in BTEC Music or Music Technology Additional criteria: Practical and theory music grades are accepted in the total points (see UCAS tariff). Admission to this course is strictly by audition. Applicants must have reached Grade 8 standard of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), Rockschool or equivalent at entry. Applicants with other relevant experience outside of formal music and music technology A Levels or BTECs are welcome to apply and will be considered on a case by case basis. For international students please visit courses.hud.ac.uk.
*Percentage of graduates from this subject area at Huddersfield who go on to work and/or further study within six months of graduating (Destinations of Leavers Survey 2015/16).
If you are excited about our BMus Music course but wish to focus especially on Performance – solo performance, band or ensemble playing, other modes of performance, and the historical and cultural aspects of performance – then this course is for you. It is designed for expert performers with a passion for performing across a variety of styles and contexts. Students are already at Grade 8 standard or equivalent and have a wide range of performance experiences from which to develop their skills. You’ll be taught by expert academic staff, many of whom are also professional performers with active international careers as soloists and ensemble members. You’ll have up to 20 hours of individual tuition provided by our team of instrumental and vocal tutors, who are also experienced professional musicians, performing regularly with orchestras such as the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Orchestra of Opera North. Visiting masterclasses and workshops are a regular feature of the course, given by distinguished performers
such as Emma Kirkby (voice), David Childs (euphonium), Martin Roscoe (piano) and Wissam Boustany (flute). We also regularly host concerts and workshops with leading chamber groups, including Ensemble 360. Staff and students give frequent concerts, forming new ensembles and exploring unfamiliar repertoire, whether that be music from over 400 years ago or composed in the last 4 weeks. We have strong links with local, national and international music organisations, so you could have the opportunity to work alongside bands, ensembles and orchestras such as the Orchestra of Opera North and Huddersfield Choral Society. You’ll also have opportunities to study composition and musicology. In your musicology modules you’ll be able to explore how music and performance have developed through history. You could choose to specialise in subjects like baroque music, experimental music or film music, world musics, and opera and musical theatre, helping you to develop your critical abilities and to understand how performance approaches and styles are influenced by changing historical and cultural contexts.
Alex Crick, Music BMus(Hons), placement at Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment “My placement taught me things about working in the music industry that I would never have learnt in a university lecture. Helping a high profile orchestra put on concerts around the UK meant I got to travel around London (and other places) seeing lots of different kinds of performances and meeting new and interesting people.”
For detailed course and employability information, including full entry requirements, please visit courses.hud.ac.uk
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Graduates employed from this subject
Popular Music BMus(Hons)
93%* Key information: UCAS code: W3W8 Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 years inc. placement year Entry requirements: BBB at A Level including a minimum grade B in Music or Music Technology DDM at BTEC 120 UCAS points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications including a minimum grade B at A Level or Distinction in BTEC Music or Music Technology Additional criteria: Practical and theory music grades are accepted in the total points (see UCAS tariff). Applicants intending to study solo instrumental or vocal performance should have reached Grade 8 standard of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), Rockschool or equivalent at entry and attend an audition. Applicants with other relevant experience outside of formal music and music technology A Levels or BTECs are welcome to apply and will be considered on a case by case basis. For international students please visit courses.hud.ac.uk.
*Percentage of graduates from this subject area at Huddersfield who go on to work and/or further study within six months of graduating (Destinations of Leavers Survey 2015/16).
If you love popular music and want to develop your songwriting or performing skills, or want to understand more about how popular music is supported by technology, our Popular Music BMus (Hons) course is ideal. Popular music is a highly competitive industry, but it can be extremely rewarding too, so we’ll do all we can to help you on your way to a career. We’ll give you the opportunity to develop industry-standard practices and techniques that will help you unleash your creativity. You could also find yourself performing as a soloist or part of a group to gain experience and demonstrate your talents. During your studies we’ll look at a wide range of topics in the popular music field, from production and performance through to songwriting and composition. We’ll also look at popular music in its historical, global and cultural contexts. And you’ll be able to try ideas out in our state-ofthe-art studios, which are equipped with the latest hardware and software.
You’ll be studying in a hive of creativity, working alongside aspiring classical and pop musicians, recording engineers, audio electronic experts and interface designers. We’ll also give you the chance to learn from some leading musicians and practitioners – recent workshops have been led by the likes of electronic musician and DJ Richie Hawtin, producer Colin Elliot, drummers Mike Heaton, Bill Bruford and Craig Blundell, bassist Jah Wobble, guitarist Alex Hutchins. Plus you could take part in advice sessions by video conference with leading international figures such as David Sonnenschein, LA-based sound designer and author. Huddersfield really is a great place to study music, not least because of our label-defying festival of electronic music – Electric Spring – and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. HCMF takes place every November, and is the largest event of its kind in the UK. The University is the main partner of the festival, so you’ll be able to get up-close and experience contemporary music in action.
Eleanor Sandbrook graduated from Music BMus(Hons) in 2008 and is now a self-employed musician and music tutor “This is a really exciting course which allows you to develop all aspects of musicianship turning you into a well-rounded and knowledgeable musician with a wealth of experience on completion. It provides ample opportunities for composers, arrangers, music-historians and performers to discover different ways to use your skills. The lectures were always of the highest quality, not only informing but inspiring, and of course, challenging us to achieve and learn. If I had my chance again I would still pick it and go back in a flash.”
For detailed course and employability information, including full entry requirements, please visit courses.hud.ac.uk
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Graduates employed from this subject
90%* Key information: UCAS code: A459 Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 years inc. placement year Entry requirements: BBB at A Level including a minimum grade B in Music or Music Technology DDM at BTEC in Music Technology or Music 120 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications including a minimum grade B at A Level or Distinction in BTEC in Music or Music Technology Additional criteria: Applicants with other relevant experience outside of formal music and music technology A Levels or BTECs are welcome to apply and will be considered on a case by case basis. Practical and theory music grades are accepted in the total points (see UCAS tariff).
*Percentage of graduates from this subject area at Huddersfield who go on to work and/or further study within six months of graduating (Destinations of Leavers Survey 2015/16).
Sonic Arts and Composition BMus(Hons)
We’ll give you the chance to develop your skills in acoustic and computer-based composition, as well as production and orchestration. We take a broad view, studying everything from using the studio as a creative tool and computer to manipulate sound to writing for specific instruments. It could give you a great grounding to go onto a career in composition, sound, sonic arts or many other exciting creative routes. You’ll be able to use our professionally equipped studios, and take your pick from lots of recording and composition studio space. Rest assured, we update our equipment regularly too, so you’re kept up to date with the industry. You’ll be joining a large community of music and music technology students. There’s always lots of creativity and experimentation going on, and you’ll be studying alongside aspiring classical and pop musicians, recording engineers, programmers, audio electronic experts and interface designers.
Every year we also get involved with the world-famous annual Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and label-defying Electric Spring Festival, so you can experience contemporary music in action. During your studies you’ll be able to meet and work with leading performers to help realise your compositions. In previous years we have hosted the Bozzini String Quartet (Canada), Juliet Frazer (soprano, UK), the Quasar Saxophone Quartet (Canada) Garth Knox (Viola, UK), Mieko Kanno (Violin, UK), and Distractfold (Ensemble, UK). This course offers you the opportunity to take an optional one-year (48 week) work placement after your second year, in the UK or abroad. Our teaching staff have developed excellent links with local employers and will help you to find a suitable placement if necessary. Previous placement providers have included Warner Music, Pinewood Studios (Avid), WigWam, Angel Studios, Shoot Productions, and the Institute for Music/Acoustic Research and Co-ordination (IRCAM) in Paris.
James Hedgecock, Music BMus(Hons), placement at Philarmonia Orchestra in London “Having Philarmonia on my CV and the wide variety of skills I have developed will be invaluable when looking for employment. I’ve now had a vast amount of work experience and I am returning to my studies with even more focus and drive to do as well as I can.”
For detailed course and employability information, including full entry requirements, please visit courses.hud.ac.uk
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My student journey so far
Chloë Fenech Music BMus(Hons)
Chloë decided to follow her heart and study music for a career. “Having sung from a young age, I knew I would flourish if I studied something I really enjoyed,” she explains. “I love the number of opportunities to perform at Huddersfield”, says Chloë. “My most memorable moment was my solo performance in Phipps Hall in front of my peers and our families.” “Here you make your own opportunities”, says Chloë. “As well as numerous open mic nights in town, the University has many directed ensembles you can be part of and if none of these take your fancy you can do your own thing. I joined an a capella choir where I got to meet and work with a group of new people.”
The course has opened my mind to new ideas and allowed me to experiment and find strengths in areas I never knew I had.
“The lecturers are extremely approachable and open to anything you want to try”, adds Chloë. “They seem to know everything there is to know about music.” Chloë spent a one-year work placement at a school, teaching pupils to sing. “It was stressful at times but amazing and very rewarding.” Having made a real impression and some great contacts, Chloë still goes back to sing at their concerts. “I really appreciate my time here”, says Chloë. “The course has opened my mind to new ideas and allowed me to experiment and find strengths in areas I never knew I had. From always being a very classical singer, I now love performing blues.” We asked Chloë what advice she would give future students and she replied, “Stay passionate about what you do – things are really moving forward at Huddersfield and you can move forward with it.”
To hear Chloë talk about her student journey visit hud.ac/profiles
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Meet our staff
Bryn Harrison Reader in Composition
“I grew up in Bolton, and from the age of eleven up to the age of sixteen I was only interested in becoming a rock guitarist, mainly from listening to the music of Led Zeppelin!” explains Bryn Harrison, Reader in Composition. “My interest in composing came later.” Bryn’s expertise is in areas including repetition in music and time perception, and he developed an interest in experimental music whilst studying at Leeds College of Music. “I became particularly interested in the music of John Cage and Morton Feldman, and still feel very close to their way of thinking.”
We’ve got the best composition staff and one of the most challenging and interesting composition programmes on the planet.
He went on to study for a Master’s degree at De Montfort University. “I studied with Gavin Bryars who has developed an international reputation as a composer. He was very encouraging and supportive of me following my own path. Through my twenties and early thirties I built up a body of compositions that have been performed internationally, broadcast on Radio 3 and, in some cases, commercially recorded.” “My appointment to the University of Huddersfield came mainly through my reputation as a practitioner,” he explains. “I enjoy teaching, particularly expanding the ways in which a first-year student might think about music. In my opinion we’ve got the best composition staff and one of the most challenging and interesting composition programmes on the planet.”
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We hope you’ve found all the information you need to inspire you to become a student here at Huddersfield. Now all you need to do is apply.
Apply to us UCAS If this is your first (undergraduate) degree and you want to study a full-time course, then you’ll apply via UCAS at ucas.com If you’re at a college or school right now, it’s probably already registered with UCAS. The best thing to do is ask your teacher or careers adviser to help with your application. Once you’ve applied we’ll keep in touch with you throughout the application process, so you’re up to speed with what’s going on. When to apply If you want to start your course in September 2019, you can apply to UCAS any time from 1 September 2018 onwards. Please make sure UCAS receives your application by 15 January 2019.
Our course codes You have to enter the code for the course you want to study on your application form. You can find our course codes on each of the course pages in this brochure, or on the UCAS website. By the way, the institution code for Huddersfield is HUDDS H60. Auditions If you want to study solo performance on any of our music courses you will be asked to attend an audition. You will be asked to perform two contrasting pieces and talk about your musical interest and experiences.
Contact us Got a question? Get in touch with us. Music Tel. +44 (0)1484 472007 Email. musicadmissions@hud.ac.uk @huddsunimusic HuddsUniMusic
Important Information This brochure is provided for information only and will not form part of your student contract. For full, up to date details on our courses, including when and how that information may change, visit our website at www.courses.hud.ac.uk
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Open Days Everything starts now
2018
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University of Huddersfield Queensgate Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD1 3DH UK Tel. +44 (0)1484 422288 Email. askhud@hud.ac.uk www.hud.ac.uk
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