Music - Composition & Creative Music Practice

The MA Composition and Creative Music Practice is a one-year, full-time programme, designed to develop individual artistic practice and facilitate collaborative exploration of cross-genre, cross-arts and cross-cultural creativity. Students create acoustic and/or electronic music through an inclusive range of composition, improvisation and performance practices. The programme welcomes students from all music traditions (traditional, folk, popular, world, classical) and sound art practices, working with and/or without music notation. The MA Composition and Creative Music Practice is ideal for creative musicians who wish to work within a particular tradition and/or at the intersections of music genres and artforms.

Key Facts
Students work with many of the faculty members and tutors from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and guests. Interactive workshops are regularly held with members of the Irish Chamber Orchestra, puppeteer/designer Emma Fisher, traditional musician/composer Niall Vallely, composer/performer/producer Nick Roth, sound designer Tom Lane, and many more.

Autumn Semester
Workshop in Creative Music Practice
• Professional Development for the Performing Arts
• Peer Forum 1
• Composing Traditions Seminar

Creative Pathways 1 - choose one of the following:

• Creating for the Voice
• Peformance Practice 1 (Academy Ensembles and Individual Tuition)
• Real-time Audio and Video

Spring Semester
• Inter-Arts Music Making
• Critical Contexts of Arts Management and Cultural Policy
• Peer Forum 2

Options: Creative Pathways 1.
Students can choose 1 option from the list below
• Creating for Strings
• Performance Practice 2 (Academy Ensembles and Individual Tuition)
• Improvisation

Options: Electives. Students can choose 2 options from the list below
• Independent Study
• Colloquium 2
• Choreography for Camera
• Interdisciplinary Practice
• Writing and Documentation of Arts Practice 2

Primary degree in a suitable discipline with first or second class honours or an approved equivalent qualification (Primary degree: Level 8 - National Qualifications Authority of Ireland). Or an equivalent capability based on prior professional experience.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of either prior successful completion of a degree qualification taught through the medium of English or meet one of the criteria below (no longer than two years prior to application):

Acceptable English Language qualifications include the following:

•Matriculation examinations from European countries where English is presented as a subject and an acceptable level is achieved

•Irish Leaving Certificate English –Ordinary Level Grade D or above

•TOEFL – 580 (paper based) or 90 (internet based)

•IELTS – Minimum score of 6.5 with no less than 6 in any one component.

•English Test for English and Academic Purposes (ETAPP) – Grade C1

•GCE 'O' level English Language/GCSE English Language – Grade C or above

•Cambridge Assessment English - Certificate of Proficiency in English - Grade C / Certificate in Advanced English Grade B

•GCE Examination Boards – Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations – Grade C / Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate – School Certificate Pass 1-6 / University of London Entrance and School Examinations Council – School Certificate Pass 1-6

Results in examinations other than those listed above may also be accepted as meeting our English language requirements. Contact the International Education Division for advice

What to include with your application

Qualification transcripts and certificates
If your qualifications have been obtained in a country where English is an official language this will suffice

If this is not available, the following additional documents must be provided:

• English translation of your qualification(s)/transcripts
AND
• English language competency certificate
For more information Click Here

A copy of your birth certificate or passport

All applicants can submit a portfolio of their work. Portfolios can be sent directly to the course director - Dr. Eoin Callery: Eoin.Callery@ul.ie

Note: Due to Covid-19 restrictions, any interviews or auditions (as required by the Course Director) during the application process will now take place virtually.

1 year full-time