MMus Collaborative Piano

Our innovative master’s course offers specialist tuition in collaborative piano, along with many and varied opportunities to practise the art of ensemble performance.

At the heart of your study is one-to-one training with pianists who enjoy successful professional careers outside of teaching. They’ll guide you in repertoire choices that build your artistic, technical and ensemble skills – while covering as wide a range of repertoire and collaborative situations as possible to prepare you for life after graduation.

You’ll also receive regular coaching in ensemble performance, as well as language classes, vocal coaching sessions and advanced training in chamber music.

Performing solo and in a collaborative setting are also key to your training. As part of our rigorous programme of performance activities, you’ll improve your stamina, develop an awareness of professional protocols and enhance both your musical and non-musical communication skills.

Our welcoming learning environment gives you the freedom to really explore your musical interests and experiment with innovative new approaches to your work – all helping to set you up for a successful, lasting career as a collaborative musician.

• You’ll get a wide breadth of training through individual tuition and lessons with your musical partners (we call this your ‘principal study’). Your principal study and associated coaching will be supported by practical classes in sight-reading, technical skills and improvisation.
  
• Our impressive list of tutors includes renowned instrumental and vocal soloists and chamber musicians, distinguished coaches, prominent composers, conductors and creative artists in a range of genres – plus principal players in major orchestras and ensembles. They offer you not only first-rate teaching, but mentorship and networking opportunities as well.
• You have the freedom to shape your core modules to suit your skills and career goals. Some modules also have a degree of flexibility when it comes to assessment formats, allowing you to test what you’ve learned in a way that works for you.
• We’re active in local, national and international arts communities, and our close partnerships with leading arts organisations offer opportunities for networking and building your network of contacts – crucial for establishing a successful portfolio career.
• A large portion of your training involves taking part in specialist performance activities (such as chamber music sessions), where you’ll receive constructive feedback from your teachers and peers. You can also participate in larger ensemble performance projects if that’s where your interests lie.
• Although the emphasis of our course is on collaborative performance, you’ll also cover solo repertoire to guarantee the highest level of technical and musical security on the piano.
• You can also attend cross-departmental performance seminars that investigate areas such as performance resilience, maintaining an effective practice regime and memorisation techniques.
  
• You’ll be asked to join vocal students in language classes that offer tuition in the grammar and pronunciation of the key operatic languages (Italian, German and French). And you may be invited to play within these sessions too, helping you to develop your quick study skills.
  
• You’ll have the opportunity to create and curate your own performance projects, allowing you to conduct more detailed research into areas that align with your skills and career ambitions.
  
• Much of your second year will focus on creating professional projects that are linked to the real-world experiences. Areas you can focus on include research, teaching, community music, collaborative creative practice, composition and digital artistry. You’ll be guided by a mentor, who will meet with you regularly, offering specialist support and helping to broaden your network of industry contacts.
• You can attend masterclasses with leading international accompanists and chamber musicians who visit the College every year as part of our performance programme.
• Your training includes a high level of individual support, but it also encompasses numerous opportunities to work with students on your course and with those from our drama department. Aside from the chance to create exciting new work, these collaborations allow you to cultivate creative partnerships that can last long after you graduate.
• You’ll have the opportunity to take part in our employability seminars, where you’ll learn how to build and maintain a successful portfolio career. These sessions cover topics such as networking, social media, tax and finance and funding applications.