The Foundation Programme in Musical Theatre is designed for aspiring musical theatre artists who wish to develop their skills and techniques through a dedicated programme of practical and contextual study. It is an opportunity for students to access high-quality conservatoire training and may provide an entry route to further specialist/vocational training (e.g. undergraduate degree programmes within the conservatoire or wider higher education sectors, particularly within the UK) or a platform for a dedicated period of personal study.
Key Features:
- Individual singing lessons and group classes in acting, dance (ballet, tap and jazz), singing, voice and acting through song.
- Regular performance workshops and auditions preparation training, including the opportunity to have mock auditions.
- There will also be the chance to work with Music and Dance students during CoLab, our two-week festival of creativity and innovation.
After completing the programme, many students successfully move on to undergraduate study.
The BA (Hons) Musical Theatre Performance programme is designed to enable you to develop the skills, attributes and knowledge necessary for a career as a creative entrepreneur and artist (singer-actor-dancer) in the Musical Theatre industry.
Key Features:
- Support and guide your development in preparation for a career in the professional musical theatre industry
- Empower students to operate as creative entrepreneurs
- Foster the development of graduates able to make and perform musical theatre works that reflect, interrogate and/or enrich society
- Enable you to value, have confidence in, articulate and execute your own artistic choices
- Support your development as an independent learner able to recognise and realise your own intellectual, creative and practical potential
- Facilitate your learning from professional musical theatre practitioners
- Enable you to understand the range of creative roles within musical theatre and how these might inform future employability
- Nurture your collaborative and leadership skills.
Our Graduate Diploma Programme is ideal for instrumentalists, vocalists and composers who have gained a degree and want to deepen their skills before undertaking postgraduate study.
During the programme you will hone your skills as an artist through one‑to-one Principal Study lessons, group tuition and experience playing as a soloist and in ensembles. We will encourage you to develop skills for lifelong learning by building working relationships with other students.
This is a graduate programme aimed at students considering entry to postgraduate study at a conservatoire or university who do not currently meet the required standard. The programme enhances musicianship skills to bring students to the level needed to enter a postgraduate music degree.
We also offer an International Graduate Diploma in Music and English for international students who wish to improve their English language skills alongside their musicianship skills. You can find out more on the International Graduate Diploma: Music and English course page.
The MA in Music Education and Performance is designed for any student wishing to pursue an active career as both a professional musician and a teacher or educator. It aims to equip you with the necessary musical skills, insight and experience required by the contemporary profession in its widest sense, with a focus on the artist in educational settings, from instrumental and/or vocal teaching to workshop leading.
This programme can be taken on a full-time intensive basis for four terms (15 months, Sept 2021 – Dec 2022) or on a part-time basis over seven terms (27 months, Sept 2021 – Dec 2023). The programme is auditioned and accepts students in composition and classical or jazz performance. Teacher-artists in other genres will be more suited to the Teaching Musician Programme, which shares some modules with the MA MEP.
The Master of Music (MMus) programme is designed for students wishing to be professional musicians: performers and composers. It aims to equip students with the necessary musical skills, insight and and experience required by the contemporary profession in its widest sense but with a focus on the Western Classical and Jazz traditions.
Our named Awards: Collaborative Piano, Composition, Ensemble Artistry, Jazz, Performance and Performer-Composer each offer comprehensive specialist training pathways. (Find out more in Course Details).
Key Features
- Provides advanced musical training at postgraduate level which encourages the demonstration of individual musical talent and scholarship.
- Enables musicians of proven ability, and with the potential for further training, to advance and refine their skills and specialism/s and deepen their professional expertise.
- Acknowledges the significance of musical context, highlighting the relationship of music to wider artistic, historical, philosophical, cultural and/or social practices, issues and/or phenomena.
- Cultivates musicians who have the ability to work in a variety of complex musical groupings and to exercise leadership in professional practice.
- Creates an environment which encourages risk and nurtures creativity and innovation, reflecting cutting-edge thinking within the profession.
- Produces enterprising, entrepreneurial musicians equipped both for today’s diverse, internationalised and ever-changing music profession.
- Explores the application of artistic research within a clearly defined are of music.
The BA (Hons) Professional Dance and Musical Theatre is a high-calibre vocational programme which will equip you for a career in the professional entertainment industry.
The BA (Hons) Professional Dance and Musical Theatre is a high-calibre vocational programme which will equip you for a career in the professional entertainment industry. The three-year programme offers intensive specialist training in dance, singing and acting, aiming to provide you with excellent employment skills. Upon graduation, employment may include musicals (West End and touring), dance companies, television, theatre and education.
After the first year you undertake your studies within a more focused specialist track: triple threat training, singer/acting focus or a more dance-based track. This allows you to choose a direction of study in the second and third year that is in line with your skills, abilities and likely destination.
This BA (Hons) Professional Dance and Musical Theatre is validated by the University of Birmingham.
The Course:
- Full-time, delivered over three years
- High contact hours
- Vocational and academic studies
- Practical skills including dance, singing and acting
- Variety of performance opportunities including musicals and showcase
- Small class sizes to ensure effective individual learning
- Greater understanding of cultural and historical developments through academic study and research projects
- Offers opportunities to be creative through guided choreography projects
- Career guidance and industry advice opportunities
- Opportunity to be seen by a range of industry professionals prior to graduation
Our one-year Foundation Course prepares students aged 17 years and over for auditions and study in further vocational training.
Performance technique and ability make up a large component of this course with tailored, actionable feedback which is an important part of each individual’s development. The course also includes the Urdang Dance & Theatre Syllabus Level 4 Diploma in Musical Theatre (Performance) [subject to validation] which enables the students to develop their academic skills within the subject in preparation for higher education study.
This course is for talented students who are keen to enhance their technical proficiency so they can successfully audition for further studies in musical theatre and dance, whilst also continuing their full time education to gain a qualification to aid in their application to study. Since its introduction in 2009, our one year Foundation Course has proved to be highly successful as a stepping stone for students into further training at a vocational college or university.
