Music Performance MA
- Level(s) of Study: Postgraduate taught
- Start Date(s): September
- Duration: One year, full-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: Confetti Nottingham
- Entry Requirements:
More information
Introduction:
An MA in Music Performance will provide you with the breadth and depth of knowledge to realise a wide range of music performance projects across numerous scenarios that will serve you well in the world of work.
What you’ll study
On this masters degree you will be challenged to innovate across a range of disciplines within the industry such as creative covers, songwriting, artistic endeavours and recording. You will develop a personalised journey in specific areas of interest culminating in you leaving with a focused commercial strategy for a sustainable career. You'll explore contextual elements of the world of music and consider your place within it.
The key aim is to cultivate high quality, entrepreneurially adept graduates to work in the Music Performance industries from a portfolio career grass roots level to more structured established company environments. You will be well placed for the real world of work in this exciting field
Why study this course?
Confetti has been running its own commercial businesses for almost 30 years, which includes a live music and events venue, Metronome. Through these businesses, you’ll have access to amazing facilities and industry professionals working in the music and events industries.
At the start of your degree you’ll be paired with an industry mentor, matched to your project and/or specialism. They’ll work with you throughout your studies, acting as an external source of advice, support, contacts, and possibly employment opportunities.
Supporting your industry knowledge, we’ll provide you with regular guest lectures and the chance to experience Confetti Industry Week; the largest of its kind in the UK.
Industry exposure at Tileyard
As part of your degree you’ll get exclusive access to the UK’s best music industry insights and connections through our partnership with Tileyard – the world’s largest professional music community.
You can expect regular masterclasses, industry briefs, mentoring and a host of other opportunities to further develop your portfolio, industry knowledge and those all-important connections and contacts.
- Research for Creative Industries (20 credit points)
- Masters Dissertation (40 credit points)
- Creative Entrepreneurial Approaches (Music Performance) (60 credit points)
- Music Performance Practice (60 credit points)
You will be required to undertake postgraduate level research and investigation in all aspects of your masters study and you will be exposed to a multitude of level 7 research skills and frameworks.
You'll evaluate the most appropriate methods and apply them to a given research project. This module runs across multiple creative masters degrees, enabling cross-course collaboration and reflection.
Throughout the module you will be scaffolded to arrive at a fully formed proposal for your masters dissertation module.
Based on your experience in the Research for Creative Industries module and the resulting proposal you will now embark on your masters dissertation journey which will be an independent study into your specific chosen area of interest.
You will have paths available to you to help you personalise your level 7 experience, for example a more traditional desktop study or a more practical project based approach to prepare you for a future in industry or doctoral study.
This module is designed to reflect the entrepreneurial nature of practices in the music industry. Through appropriate negotiated research avenues, you will critically examine current ways of working most applicable to your own journey as a music industry professional, whether that's as an employee, a business owner, or a freelancer with one or more music related activities.
You'll look for your place in the sector and work towards finding a home there during and after your studies by developing your subject and employability skills along with a relevant outward facing portfolio that considers you as a brand. You’ll critically examine the work landscape to identify relevant professional opportunities during and after your studies to support your development, and, importantly, explore ways to monetise your talents.
You'll work on specific self-sourced or supplied industry facing projects and these will provide you with the opportunity to examine the skills needed in relevant key music sectors to help you thrive and survive.
In your 'Practice' module, you'll explore and experiment with multiple related skills, and the relevant results of which can be finessed here and included in your work-facing portfolio, too. To give you the best chance to have long-term success you'll have an assigned mentor from industry to give you a vital insiders perspective.
Ultimately you’ll form an output plan and will pitch for a 'Confetti Employability Grant' to help you with your next steps.
This is your Music Performance playground! We all have our specialisms, but have you ever thought how you can apply those skills in related fields? The key to your development is going through the ‘doing’ process in a number of scenarios and examining how you can use what you learned in your own practice. You'll experience performance in different settings, whether as an ensemble or solo instrumentalist live, in rehearsals, in songwriting sessions or in recording scenarios.
Through a series of workshops and projects you’ll explore and enhance your processes and skills in these related areas. You’ll experiment and see how related competencies can be developed to increase your employability across the music performance sector: You might experiment mapping your instrumental skills to session playing, or your songwriting skills as an artist to write songs for media use: you’ll work to personalise and apply these techniques to your own practice to enhance what makes you, you!
The key in this module is in the process and reflection, but assets related to your intended employability journey can be honed to completion for use in your ‘Creative Entrepreneurial Approaches’ module to show you at your very best.
How you’re taught
The three key approaches to learning and teaching for this course are:
- Active Collaborative Learning
- Learning through Research
- Online or Blended learning
You will participate in workshops, lectures, small group and one-to-one tutoring designed to help you develop the practical and thinking skills that you will need in your chosen career. There is also a collaborative project along with online practice supporting portfolio development.
How you’re assessed
You will be assessed in a number of ways, including:
- Written Assignments
- Reports
- Presentations
- Creative outputs/production
- Portfolio
Formative assessment is what we call the opportunities you have to produce and get feedback on work that will help you to prepare to complete your summative formal assessment. There are specific named activities in your assessment and feedback plan which you will be asked to complete and submit for feedback. Additionally, peer, class and individual feedback on your ongoing work is formative.
Assessment tasks are designed to challenge you over the year to increasingly demonstrate your own creativity, reflect your own interests and include independent research.
Careers and employability
Graduates will be equipped to take up roles working as a session musician, artist, instrumental related teacher, gigging performer, portfolio-based musician, MD.
Campus and facilities
You'll learn in our very own live music and events venue, Metronome.
With its unrivalled reputation for the quality of its sound and visuals, Metronome hosts a successful commercial programme of live events throughout the year – and it’s here where you’ll learn from the best and gain real work experience.
This world-class venue is home to some amazing facilities, jampacked with recording studios, rehearsal rooms, performances spaces, and a 400-capacity venue.
NTU’s City Campus
As a Confetti student, you’ll also have access to the facilities at our partner institution, Nottingham Trent University. The NTU City Campus is just a ten minute walk away, and boasts cafes, shops, a gym, a three-story Students’ Union building, and an art gallery. You’ll have full student access to the Boots Library right in the centre of the campus, fully equipped with journals, articles, books and e-resources, as well as a laptop loan service and PCs for student use. There’s also a dedicated postgraduate study room at the Boots Library; a private space for postgraduate students to work and study.
You’ll also be welcome to use the facilities at NTU’s Clifton Campus and Brackenhurst Campus, just outside Southwell.
Accommodation
Our partner institution, NTU, offers accommodation specifically for postgraduate students. You can find out more on their accommodation pages.
Entry requirements
- A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or an appropriate equivalent, i.e. a professional qualification, from a recognised British or overseas institution, in a related subject. Your degree should be in a related subject, including Music Performance, Commercial Music, Commercial Music Performance and Production, Popular Music, Contemporary popular Music, Jazz performance, Any degree mentioning Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals, Keyboards.
- Non-standard applicants with at least three years' industry experience are also welcome to apply.
- You should be of at least Grade 6 standard on your instrument or voice
Please send hyperlinks to videos of you performing 2 contrasting songs on your primary instrument or singing them. The songs must be performed from start to finish. At least one of the 2 videos must show you performing unaccompanied i.e. on your own without other musicians or a backing track. The songs can be your own compositions or covers. - Applicants who do not fully satisfy the general criteria will be considered if they are able to demonstrate that they are capable of successfully undertaking and completing the programme at the required standard. Eligibility may be determined by means of an interview for some applicants.
- Applicants who have been taught and assessed in languages other than English should have an English language equivalent to IELTS 6.5.
Personal statement:
You should include in your personal statement why you want to study this course, as well as:
- A description of what instruments you play, how long you have played them and what styles of music you like to play
- Whether you can sight-read written music or not
- A summary of how many public performances “gigs” you have done either solo, as part of a band or both
- Your experience, if any, of organising musicians, planning and putting gigs on or organising recording sessions
- A brief description of the music you listen to including your favourite styles or artists
Interview:
You'll be invited to an informal interview after you submit your application, to determine your project ideas, your fit with the course, and to discuss your aspirations.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
- A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or an appropriate equivalent, i.e. a professional qualification, from a recognised British or overseas institution, in a related subject. Your degree should be in a related subject, including Music Performance, Commercial Music, Commercial Music Performance and Production, Popular Music, Contemporary popular Music, Jazz performance, Any degree mentioning Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals, Keyboards.
- You should be of at least Grade 6 standard on your instrument or voice
Please send hyperlinks to videos of you performing 2 contrasting songs on your primary instrument or singing them. The songs must be performed from start to finish. At least one of the 2 videos must show you performing unaccompanied i.e. on your own without other musicians or a backing track. The songs can be your own compositions or covers.
Personal statement:
You should include in your personal statement why you want to study this course, as well as:
- A description of what instruments you play, how long you have played them and what styles of music you like to play
- Whether you can sight-read written music or not
- A summary of how many public performances “gigs” you have done either solo, as part of a band or both
- Your experience, if any, of organising musicians, planning and putting gigs on or organising recording sessions
- A brief description of the music you listen to including your favourite styles or artists
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
Fees and funding
Postgraduate fees and living costs
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there is no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding page will answer your questions.
We are pleased to offer a 20% alumni discount for graduates of Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies and Nottingham Trent University. Terms and conditions apply.
Postgraduate loans
The government introduced a new postgraduate loan scheme for Master degrees. The loan will be a contribution towards the costs of study and it will be at the student's discretion to use the loan towards fees, maintenance costs or other costs. Find out more on our postgraduate loans page.
Scholarships
We award scholarships to those students who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies. To find out more visit our Postgraduate Scholarships web page.
Postgraduate fees and living costs
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there is no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding page will answer your questions.
Scholarships
We offer scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.
Living costs
Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:
Paying fees
Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
How to apply
If you are interested in joining us in September 2025, this course will be open for applications through the applicant portal from September 2024. Courses starting in January 2026 will be open for applications from July 2025.
Applications for this course can be made via the NTU Applicant Portal - click on the Apply button at the top of the page to be taken straight through to the Portal.
For a step-by-step guide to making an application through our Applicant Portal, please visit our postgraduate application pages.
Writing your application
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. Make sure you include as much information as possible, including uploading evidence of results already achieved, as well as a personal statement.
Advice for non-standard applicants
We welcome applications from applicants without prior qualifications. However, in this instance, you must have proven experience in industry, which demonstrates appropriate knowledge and skills at honours degree (undergraduate) standard.
If you are applying without prior qualifications, you will need to submit comprehensive details of your achievements with evidence to substantiate your claim (any documentation can be uploaded to the My Documents section of the Applicant Portal). This type of application will be considered with respect to the University’s provision for ‘accreditation for prior experiential learning’. Decisions regarding the accreditation of prior learning are a matter of academic judgement.
Keeping up to date
After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or support, you can call our Admissions Team on +44 (0)115 848 4200, or email applications@ntu.uk.
Good luck with your application!
If you are interested in joining us in September 2025, this course will be open for applications through the applicant portal from September 2024. Courses starting in January 2026 will be open for applications from July 2025.
Apply online through our NTU applicant portal.
Application advice
Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example. After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Writing your personal statement
Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.