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This is a degree programme with a unique integration of theory and practice at its core, offering the opportunity in your second and final years to specialise in studies in musicology and analysis, and creative music technology. The mix of theoretical and practical work, coupled with the vocational experience of LICA’s placement module, equips you with the skills you need for your future career in music or beyond.
Music belongs to the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts, ranked top 3 in the UK for its research in Art and Design, which at Lancaster includes Music, Theatre, Film and New Media. As a student in LICA you will benefit from an interdisciplinary environment, within which you will learn about music’s relation to the other arts and acquire skills in digital media.
In the first year you will study Music Theory and Practice and the LICA-wide module Modernism in the Arts. You will also choose another subject, which could be a subject within LICA, such as film, or one of a wide range of options across the University.
Music Theory and Practice offers a way of re-thinking music, a foundational course that combines elements of classical, popular and experimental music. The intellectual underpinning of the subject is set out in lectures; thinking and writing about music, creative practice and associated skills, such as recording and audio editing, are developed in seminars and workshops. History and the contextualization of art works are the subject of the LICA-wide module Modernism in the Arts, which looks at the arts from 1850 to the 1970s (from Wagner to punk) and includes case studies drawn from art, design, film, music and theatre. This module, unique in its scope at this level in British higher education, will provide you with an interdisciplinary approach to the contemporary arts. LICA offers training in digital editing, including video, to give you the basis for creative work across the arts.
In the second-year you will study Contemporary Arts Theory and Creative Music Practice, as well as choosing from a range of options, and in the third you will write a dissertation (which may alternatively take the form of a software project).
Creative Music Practice includes various compositional disciplines (such as writing music to picture, real-time audio processing, studio composition), and other practical ones such as orchestration and improvisation. There will be opportunities for you to develop performances for some assessed work, but instrumental tuition is not part of the course. A number of optional Music modules — advanced modules that are closely linked to the research subjects of staff — are available each year (the list is reviewed annually). You will typically choose between two to four of these; optional modules are also available in other LICA subject areas. Examples include:
The LICA-wide arts theory module aims to provide all students within the department with a common language that enables and promotes interdisciplinary work. As a student in LICA, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students taking degrees in Art, Design, Film and Theatre Studies.
Two vocationally oriented modules are available in second and final years: work placement and creative entrepreneurship. These provide valuable experience and understanding of the arts sector that are important for future employability. Placements are currently available in music education or in arts organizations.
Composition is taught in the Creative Music Practice and Creative Music Technology modules. Composition is supported by several practitioners who are engaged in a variety of work such as studio/fixed media composition, computer music, live performance with electronics, music for theatre and video productions, works for the concert hall, installations and other site-specific work.
The university has a thriving musical environment, both on campus and in the wider community. The student-run music society runs a range of ensembles including a symphony orchestra, choir, wind band and big band, and weekly lunchtime concerts during term give you the opportunity to perform as a soloist or in chamber groups.
The university is also host to the Lancaster International Concert Series, allowing students to hear renowned professional artists and orchestras on the campus each week. Recent performers have included Psappha, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, The Brodsky Quartet, and Red Priest. The newly appointed orchestra-in-Residence is the Lancashire Sinfonietta. Next season features concerts by guest artists Amanda Roocroft, Martin Roscoe and the Schubert Ensemble.
Music has a number of dedicated resources with 24-hour access to support teaching and learning: a music lab, recording studio, composition studios and practice rooms. A technician is available to students for advice on relevant issues.
Currently, most workstations and studios have a mix of Pro Tools, Logic, Max/MSP Jitter and Sibelius. Some of the studios are equipped with additional software, including Final Cut Studio and Adobe Creative Suite; two of the studios have surround monitoring. The Recording Studio comprises a control room and sound-proof live room with lines to a recital room and concert hall. A set of professional microphones is available for live sound reinforcement and field recordings.
Our Music graduates possess an unusually wide range of both subject-specific and transferable skills. We have a consistently high graduate employment record: last year at Lancaster, 72% of graduates were in graduate employment or further study within six months of leaving us. Our graduates benefit from a grounding in contemporary arts theory and practice, which is an advantage to anyone seeking a career in the creative industries, broadcasting, marketing, publishing, music teaching, music production, arts management and other arts-related areas. Many go on to undertake postgraduate study in music-related subjects, or pursue one of the postgraduate MA degrees offered at Lancaster.
We seek applicants with an aptitude and passion for creative and theoretical work in music. Whatever you have done previously, these qualities will help sustain an ongoing commitment to hard work and the delivery of successful projects. We are also looking for applicants seeking to expand their creative ideas, possibly across discipline boundaries. You need to have a willingness to learn and an interest in working in a variety of creative environments using a number of different tools, methods and processes.
All applications to undergraduate courses are made through UCAS, the UK central organisation through which applications are processed for entry to higher education.
We place high importance upon the application process and invite all suitable applicants to visit Lancaster for an interview at one of our UCAS open day. During the UCAS open days there are opportunities to learn more about the course, student life at Lancaster, graduate career options, and a chance meet with course staff. There are also a guided tour of our facilities and an opportunity to meet with current students. If you are shortlisted for a place upon BA (Hons) Music or a combined honours degree with Music, you will be invited to one of the following UCAS open days:
BMus, 2007
"The staff are enthusiastic about what they teach, and this comes across through the way they lecture. The department is stimulating, not just because of the lecturers but also the other student’s enthusiasm."
"All societies and sports clubs will have their own socials that are a great way to ‘get away from the subject’ and mix with people of different interests, and year group."
"The music department is like anything in that you get out of it what you put in. You’ve got to be willing to work hard to get the rewards of satisfaction. "
BA (Hons) Music, 2006
"The module options are diverse and suit the topics I am interested in. The contemporary emphasis is fantastic!"
"I enjoy how everything is based in one area, as a campus but also as a music community. The facilities are really useful and well equipped for module needs."
Yes, you can: modules in composition and technology are available as specializations within the Music programme. Previously, we offered separate programmes in Music and Music Technology. These were integrated into the new BA Music, which is open for admissions in 2012. As before, the modules we offer in composition and technology, emphasize creativity and the application of technology for creative purposes.
There have been some changes to the structure of the BA in Music for entry in 2012 since the publication of the printed prospectus. For a full overview of this scheme, please see the departmental web pages: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/lica/undergraduate/Music/
No, instrumental tuition is no longer offered. However, we very much encourage performance—some assessed work may include elements of performance—and there is a thriving music scene in Lancaster, both on campus and in the local community. Do have a look at the web pages of our contemporary arts organization live@LICA and the University of Lancaster Music Society. https://www.liveatlica.org/
http://ulms.org.uk
