MMus/MComp in Composition

at Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Part One (MMus)

Part One of the programme is centred around weekly one-to-one Principal Study lessons and participation in five creative projects. A range of elective choices complement compositional study and development.

While compositional activity will take up most of your study time, you can also take classes in electronic music and writing for film and television. You can pursue these areas further within the elective programme, which also offers elective modules in areas including performance, jazz and improvisation, aesthetics and analytical or historical research.

The programme is built around a central strand of weekly seminars, in which both staff and visiting composers lead discussion and score analysis of recent contemporary music. An eclectic mix of composers, musicologists, performers and music administrators cover a range of practical and theoretical topics.

Recent visiting composers include John Adams, Steve Reich, Louis Andriessen, Michael Finnissy, Rozalie Hirs, Michel van der Aa, Claudia Molitor, James MacMillan, Howard Skempton, Jennifer Walshe and Alwynne Pritchard. Prominent publishers, copyists and administrators also offer practical insights into the music business.

Part Two (MComp)

After successful completion of Part One and on achieving the required grades, students may opt to progress to Part Two (MComp). 

During this year, you will be supported to develop three projects across the year including the Creative Platform, an opportunity to curate and produce your own event. There is also the option to write for chamber orchestra, with players drawn from the LSO working alongside instrumentalists from Guildhall’s Orchestral Artistry programme. 

During Part Two, creative projects are developed and designed by students themselves, with a greater degree of curatorial freedom; in Part One, projects are set, designed and provided by the Department. 

Standard Requirements

At the entry audition/colloquium, candidates are assessed on their potential to achieve the minimum standard of Master’s level in PS, according to the audition report evaluation criteria for the relevant pathway. As entry is competitive within each
pathway, in practice candidates would normally need to demonstrate a higher grading than the minimum.

The minimum academic qualification for entry is an Undergraduate degree with Honours in Music, or an international equivalent. Undergraduate degrees with Honours in any other subject may be considered if accompanied by evidence of adequate musical activities and achievements.

English Language requirements

Non-native English speakers are required to have achieved the stated score in one of the following examinations:

• IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) - a minimum overall score of 5.5 with no component falling below 5.5 (reading, writing, speaking and listening)

Home: £15,415

International Students: £15,415