Overview

The composition project is an opportunity for students to spend a sustained period engaged in compositional activity, working towards the production of a work, or works, of significant scale and duration. Students complete a composition or portfolio of compositions for any combination of instruments, voices, electroacoustic and studio resources, with the guidance of a supervisor. Project composers meet regularly as a group to consider broad issues and to share ideas and approaches. Compositions should demonstrate a thorough understanding of their genre, facility in the relevant technical skills, clarity of creative intent, and contemporary cultural relevance in their aesthetic approach. Compositions should be submitted in the form of a notated score, recording or a combination. If the work involves music for moving image, a DVD of music synchronised to picture must also be submitted.

The piece or portfolio should normally be about 22 minutes in duration, by agreement with the supervisor, and depending on the tempo, the complexity of the music and the nature of the instrumental/vocal/electroacoustic resources used. Portfolios may contain a mix of different genres. 
This module is not appropriate for students wishing to compose in historical or pastiche styles.

Assessment Strategy

-threshold (-D) The composition displays some limited creative imagination, with restricted control of musical materials, and minimal understanding of the capabilities of resources (instrumental and vocal). There is scant evidence of a generally intellectual approach.

-good (-B) The composition displays a good level of creative imagination, with good control and elaboration of musical materials, based on technical competence in use of resources (instrumental and vocal). There is also evidence of intellectual acumen.

-excellent (-A) The composition displays a high level of creative imagination, with emergent individuality of compositional voice, skilful control and elaboration of musical materials, and technical mastery of resources (instrumental and vocal). There is also evidence of high level of ability at conceptual thought, penetration of issues, originality of approach and/or insight.

Learning Outcomes

• Upon successful completion of the module, students will have a good level of confidence in working with the tools and materials of composition

• Upon successful completion of the module, students will have proficiency in a range of relevant compositional techniques

• Upon successful completion of the module, students will have substantial originality of thought and a good degree of creative independence.

• Upon successful completion of the module, students will have the ability to compose music which offers an engaging and rewarding listening experience

• Upon successful completion of the module, students will have the ability to compose music which takes full account of contemporary creative practice

• Upon successful completion of the module, students will have the ability to use balanced self-criticism as part of the creative process