Music Performance degree – MA – Bath Spa University Skip to main content

Award
MA Music Performance
School/s
Bath School of Music and Performing Arts
Campus or location
Newton Park
Course length
One year full-time or two years part-time.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for our postgraduate courses vary. We're generally looking for a good honours degree or equivalent.

Some courses also require an interview or the submission of a portfolio of work.

Please contact our admissions team for more information: admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.

A course for performers interested in live or recorded performance within classical or jazz styles.

  • One-to-one tuition with expert tutors, plus weekly performance classes and workshops.
  • Wide range of ensemble opportunities, working and performing with other students.
  • Excellent facilities at Newton Park Campus – Michael Tippett Centre, library and IT resources.

You’ll receive one-to-one instrumental or vocal tuition from our team of experienced tutors as part of a series of performance modules. The course culminates with a final project, where you’ll prepare a performance, normally a high-profile public recital. Alongside your solo work, you’ll develop your research, collaborative, ensemble, and publicity skills.

The course runs full-time for one year (three trimesters).

What you'll learn

Overview

This course gives you, as an instrumental/vocal performer, the skills and opportunities to develop your individual and ensemble skills to a high level. You’ll undertake four modules over two trimesters and a double module in your third trimester (final recital).

You may explore areas of your own interest, which may relate to staff specialisms, such as opera, early music and music of the Georgian period, and romantic and early twentieth-century music, or piano skills and improvisation.

Course structure

Trimester one
In Performance One, you’ll develop your performance skills and technique, and extend your repertoire. Alongside this, the Research Methodologies and Context module gives you a thorough grounding in research methodology. Your development as a performer is supported by regular one-to-one lessons with a specialist teacher.

Trimester two
The second trimester extends your development as a performer. The Performance Two module develops performance skills and repertoire while furthering your understanding of performance history and practice. You’ll also explore strategies for marketing yourself.

You’ll have a choice of modules at this stage and the opportunity to work with peers and across subject boundaries in the Professional Collaboration module. Alternatively, you could study an Intercultural Musicology module that allows you to study genres across different cultures, or to join an Opera Studies module that culminates in a public performance of an opera or opera excerpts.

Trimester three
The third trimester involves a Major Project, for which you’ll prepare a programme for a substantial public performance. The content and structure of this project is to be negotiated with course tutors.

Course modules

This course includes or offers the following modules. Please check the programme document for more information on which modules are core, required or optional.

  • Research Methodologies and Context
  • Performance 1
  • Performance 2
  • Opera Studies
  • Professional Collaboration
  • Major Project
How will I be assessed?

You’ll complete individual assignments for each module. Performance-based modules (Performance One, Opera Studies and Major Project) are assessed through performance on your instrument or voice, reflective commentaries on your process, or a lecture recital in the case of Performance Two. Intercultural Musicology, along with Research Methodologies and Context modules, will be be assessed on written submissions.

How will I be taught?

Modules are usually taught through one-to-one lessons, seminars and practical workshops. These are supported by individual tutorials and online activity within the Virtual Learning Environment.

The Major Project involves student-directed work, with supporting tutorials and instrumental/vocal lessons. We encourage you to make full use of library and IT resources, and time will be scheduled in studios and workstations labs for independent study, as appropriate.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

Opportunities

Careers

Previous graduate destinations include:

  • Doctoral studies at Durham University
  • Freelance repetiteur and keyboard/continuo specialist
  • Choir Director and Piano/Vocal Tutor
  • Marines Conductor
  • Opera Studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
  • Freelance classical and early music singer.

Our graduates work in a wide range of performance-related areas such as:

  • Orchestral performance
  • Opera
  • Conducting
  • Choral direction
  • Chamber music
  • Accompaniment
  • Session work
  • Music promotion
  • Record labels
  • Broadcast media
  • Instrumental teaching
  • Group teaching
  • Community music projects
  • University lecturing.
Competitions and awards

There are a number of competitive awards available only to our students.

Masterclass programme

There is a well-established masterclass programme at Bath Spa University. Previous visitors have included:

  • Dame Emma Kirkby (voice)
  • Isobel Buchanan (voice)
  • Stefano Parrino (flute)
  • Badke Quartet (strings)
  • Florian Uhlig (piano)
  • Professor Colin Lawson (clarinet)
  • Andy Sheppard (saxophone)
  • Ensemble Bash (percussion)
  • Madeleine Mitchell (violin).
Ensemble activities

You’ll be part of a vibrant Department of Music, with a wide range of ensemble activities. These include opera, concerto and concerto performances in important venues in and around Bath – such as Bath Abbey.

Adobe Creative Campus

Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.   

Facilities and resources

Where the subject is taught

You'll be taught at Newton Park campus, with access to facilities such as the Michael Tippett Centre. We encourage you to make full use of library and IT resources, and time will be scheduled in studios, workstations, and labs for independent study, as appropriate.

Resources

You’ll have access to a fully-equipped concert hall, full range of studio/rehearsal and teaching spaces, a range of instruments including western and non-western instruments (gamelan), music labs and state-of-the-art IT facilities.

Fees

Please note: Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland are not generally eligible for the UK (Home) fee status. Please refer to the international student rate. Irish citizens and those granted Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are eligible for UK (Home) fee status. There are also other circumstances where this may apply: See UKCISA for more information.

UK students full time
Course fees
2023/24 entry £8,430
2024/25 entry Published Jan 2024
2026/27 entry Published Jan 2025
UK students part time

Fees shown below are for part time study over two years, although some courses may be available over longer periods.

2023/24 Entry

Course fees
Year 1 £4,215
Year 2 £4,215

2024/25 Entry

Course fees
Year 1 Published Jan 2024
Year 2 Published Jan 2025

2026/27 Entry

Course fees
Year 1 Published Jan 2025
Year 2 Published Jan 2026
International students full time
Course fees
2023/24 entry £16,305
2024/25 entry Published Jan 2024
2026/27 entry Published Jan 2025

Interested in applying?

What we look for in potential students

We offer places based on your quality, commitment, and ability to benefit from the course. Usually, but not invariably, you’ll have a first degree. We invite individuals with a range of academic disciplines to apply.

There are a number of open days and events each year that enable you to meet staff and view the facilities. There are no formal interviews; places are based on the submissions of the relevant forms and recordings.

How do I apply?

Ready to apply? Click the "apply now" button in the centre of this page. 

Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply webpages.

Want to apply for this year? 

Many of our postgraduate courses have a limited number of student spaces. To avoid the disappointment of the course being full, we recommend that you apply now.

Late applications (generally those made after 31 July) will only be considered if places remain on the course.

Need more information or still have questions? Contact us to discuss your situation.

Course leader: Matt Dicken
Email m.dicken@bathspa.ac.uk

Credit: Nick Spratling @nick_theofficialphotographer

Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk