Bachelor of Arts and Sciences - Music Technology and Performance (Honours) (with placement year)

This unique course is aimed at musicians experienced in performance and music technology, who are interested in how technology can enable innovative ways of performing and interacting with other musicians and artists and how it can give rise to new forms of musical expression.

Music, Technology and Performance is not a conventional music-performance course. Students will not have lessons on an instrument or perform traditional repertoire. Instead, they will combine their music-performance skills and passion with technology to create their own original music and new ways of performing that may have never existed before.

Students will explore topics such as improvisation, electronic-instrument building, human-computer interaction, the role of the human body in performance, site-specific and installation work, appropriated technology, live performance with film, interacting with artists in other art forms and the relationship between the recording and performing musician.

Students will also study digital and post-digital history and aesthetics to inspire their creative vision and link their music meaningfully to the world. Based on their goals, students will choose specific compositional, technical and theoretical topics to research more deeply, particularly as you enter the highly flexible third year of study.

Reasons to study Music, Technology and Performance at De Montfort University:

• DMU has achieved Gold, the highest ranking possible under the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF): Indicating the outstanding learning and teaching on offer at DMU. [ Office for Students, 2017]
• 100% of Music Technology and Performance graduates from summer 2017 are in work or further study after graduating: According to the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) 2016-17 report.
• Be part of ground-breaking international research
• Students have the unique opportunity to take part in events, undertake creative research, work with professional artists and lead workshops as part of an international research project about audience development focused on sound-based creativity including DIY approaches funded by the EU’S Creative Europe Programme
• Multi-million pound specialist facilities: Our Creative Technology Studios feature a host of audio and radio production suites, and two fully equipped recording studios; allowing students to explore spatialisation, musical computing, sound recording and video
• Flexible, broad-ranging curriculum: Focused on students developing a unique and powerful artistic vision, independence and technical mastery that will set you apart in the music industry
• Academic Expertise: Highly skilled and committed academic staff are at the forefront of music technology innovation, artistic practice, and research nationally and internationally, from Britain, the USA, Canada, Holland, France, Germany and beyond
• Guest lectures with music industry specialists: Previous guest speakers include Merzbow, Mira Calix, Tim Exile, DJ Sniff, Scanner, Pauline Oliveros, Brian Duffy, GRM, Leafcutter John, Chris Carter (Throbbing Gristle), Keith Rowe and Evan Parker
• A dynamic musical community: With frequent concerts and workshops, the Dirty Electronics Ensemble and university ensembles and student groups; many music-technology students also participate – or even launch careers – in the thriving music scene in Leicester
• Enhance global employability with international exchanges: DMU offers students the opportunity for an extraordinary experience studying abroad; partners include Université de Paris (Sorbonne), Université de Montreal, the Royal College of Music, Stockholm, and Ionian University, Corfu
• Award winning student group, Demon Media: Gain valuable, industry-relevant experience by contributing to the Demon Media group, including; The Demon magazine, Demon FM radio station, Demon TV and The Demon website
• Enjoy an international experience with #DMUGlobal: Students offer all students the opportunity to take part in a #DMUglobal experience, which can enrich their studies and expand their cultural horizons. Previous #DMUglobal trips have included New York, Berlin, Hong Kong, China, Canada, Japan, South Africa, Russia and Italy to name a few.

• Minimum Level of Education Required: 1-Year Post-Secondary Certificate
• Min GPA: 60.0%
• English Proficiency Requirements:
  For direct admission, applicant must be from an English speaking country or meet either of the following English test scores:
  • Min TOEFL iBT: 60 (Min Listening: 7.0, Min Reading: 8.0, Min Speaking: 16.0, Min Writing: 18.0)
  • Min IELTS overall: 6 (Min Listening: 5.5, Min Reading: 5.5, Min Speaking: 5.5, Min Writing: 5.5)
  • Min PTE overall: 50
  Applicants interested in applying for direct admission, but are yet to complete an acceptable language test, can do so, but must provide valid results before receiving a final offer letter.
  For conditional admission, you are required to provide English proficiency scores:
  • Min TOEFL iBT: 32 (Min Listening: 2, Min Reading: 2, Min Speaking: 11, Min Writing: 11)
  • Min IELTS overall: 4.5 (Min Listening: 4, Min Reading: 4, Min Speaking: 4, Min Writing: 4)
  • Min PTE overall: 29