Course summary

This programme seeks curious, open-minded, adaptable and highly creative individuals who are keen to acquire new skills and consolidate their existing knowledge across all areas of new music creation. You may have been making music in your bedroom with experimental sound software or have three string quartets under your belt. You could be a trained performer looking to develop a new musical voice by creating new sounds, systems and music for your instrument, or you could be hoping to skill up so that you are attractive to the film and game music industries. Whatever your compositional background and whatever your compositional ambitions, if you have been composing and creating music at university level or producing work and sharing it with your community, this programme will help you learn a great deal more about your craft and to expand your potential as a creative musician. This Composition Masters Programme offers its students broad skills training aiming to prepare the most imaginative and versatile musical minds for a future in music-making across the creative industries. This is a strongly interdisciplinary programme of study during which you will have the opportunity to create:

• acoustic and instrumental music

• screen/film/animation music

• interactive game audio

• sound installations and sonic art.

• You will receive broad skills training with access to supervision from a range of leading figures in composition and sound design.

• Unparalleled flexibility: the programme provides exciting opportunities for exploration across a range of creative practices and wider afield with the Schools of Art, Architecture, Design, and History of Art.

• Professional prospects: the practical experience you will gain will stand you in good stead for a career in music. Several of our alumni have gone on to have highly successful careers as composers.

• A world-class research environment: be part of an outstanding University with a world-class international reputation.

• A vibrant capital city: study in Edinburgh, one of the world’s great capital cities, with a vibrant music and arts scene. The beautiful highlands of Scotland are also only a short journey away.