Composition at the University of Manchester
INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL
- Undergraduate Courses
- MusM in Composition (instrumental and vocal)
- PhD in Composition (Music)
ELECTROACOUSTIC and FILM MUSIC (Fixed Media, Live Interactive with acoustic instruments and computers, Sound Design)
- Undergraduate Courses
- MusM in Electroacoustic Composition - For simple structure, click here
- PhD in Electroacoustic Composition (Music)
SEE NOVARS RESEARCH CENTRE
The student experience at Manchester encourages emerging composers to think professionally and artistically, researching, rethinking and challenging the latest ideas in composition alongside more traditional approaches. Each year, our students work with Psappha, our Ensemble-in-Residence and one of the most esteemed new music ensembles in the country, and Quatuor Danel, our resident string quartet. They also work with other artists renowned for their ability to workshop and publicly perform the best works of student composers: Manchester Camerata (one the North West's leading chamber orchestras), Vaganza (our cutting-edge new music ensemble) and MANTIS (performs electroacoustic music).
Students at Manchester take pride in being able to compose to the highest standards of emerging composers, developing a keen sense of professionalism, vocational practice, aesthetics, theory and contemporary perspective on what they create. We believe that the best environment for writing new music is one in which composition staff are always on hand for regular contact, the atmosphere is charged with creativity and innovation, frequent concerts of new music fill the season, and the musical vanguard of premieres sets the national standards. In the past four years, our postgraduate students' successes have earned them over £175,000 in prize money and funds awarded.
Composition at the University of Manchester holds a pre-eminent place in the United Kingdom. The Department has six full-time, permanent composers whose work is performed in dozens of countries across six continents. We compose in a wide range of styles and media which include:
- orchestral and concerto
- chamber music
- film composition and sound design
- Fixed media (electroacoustic/computer music)
- site-specific and art gallery sound installation works
- performance art and music theatre
- live interactive music with acoustic instruments with sensors technologies and computers
- dynamic scores with computer-generated music in mosaic form
- compositions for immersive environments, e.g game engine technologies and custom metadata
The staff include (alphabetic order): Dr David Berezan, Prof. John Casken (Prof. Emeritus) , Dr. Ricardo Climent, Prof. Phil Grange, Dr. Kevin Malone, Dr. Camden Reeves, Dr. Richard Whalley.
Our internationally recognised work includes performances at the BBC Proms, a series of concertos about the events of 9/11, and around-the-world MANTIS-in-Motion concerts of electro-acoustic music.
Composition and performance practice are strongly related at University of Mancheter thanks to our established festivals and ensembles; the MANTIS Festival or VAGANZA (University of Manchester's New Music Ensemble)