Course summary

Writing music for the moving image has become an increasingly attractive career option. Refine your composition, arranging and production skills and develop an entrepreneurial approach to working in the film music industry at Leeds Conservatoire Developed to meet the industry demands, this is the first course of its kind in a UK conservatoire. It uniquely combines one-to-one composition tuition, Mac lab production software sessions, and a variety of supporting topics such as harmony, orchestration and historical, cultural and professional studies. Students will have access to a unique library of notated soundtrack scores and cues, and the conservatoire’s well-equipped Apple Mac suites, not to mention established links with the film music industry. This course follows the same specifications as our three year BA (Hons) Music (Film Music) except that the extra Foundation Year allows for students who need an extra year of study to achieve the standard of our entry requirements for the 3-year BA. The Foundation Year modules include one to one tuition in film music composition, as well as skills development of group composition, music theory and aural skills. Contextual Studies focuses on the repertoire of your chosen pathway, as well as cross pathway musicology and practical and collaborative sessions focusing on creative skills. The Musicianship Skills modules allows all students who have completed their Grade 5 theory prior to the start of the course to choose an elective module to supplement the core curriculum. The list of options includes subjects like music technology, keyboard skills and creative performance techniques. On completion of the Foundation Year you will continue to Year 1 of the BA (Hons) Music (Film Music). The course also benefits from masterclasses delivered by professional film score composers, directors, industry specialists and in-house talent. There are monthly ‘Film Night’ events where students showcase their music to film in front of a live audience and a panel of professionals. Visitors have previously included Nicholas Dodd, Harry Escott, Michael Price and David Julyan and may include David Arnold and Harry Gregson Williams in the future. We are also visited regularly by notable alumni successful within film music; in the past these have included ex-students who have worked (or are still working) in Hollywood. At Level 6, students also participate in ‘Student Enhancement’ activities, where various valuable and interesting events take place, such as one-to-one sessions with directors and professional film score composers.