Community Music

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The term `community music´ covers a wide range of activities. It covers musicians working outside formal settings like the concert-hall in, for example, schools, prisons or hospitals; it covers the development of music in under-resourced areas and with disadvantaged people, and it covers the development of creative partnerships between people of different skills and cultures.

It is now a growing career option. Many orchestras and arts organisations are seeking to extend their audience base into the community. Many young musicians, in response to changing employment patterns, are developing multi-skilled `portfolio´ careers or are simply expressing a personal preference for more participatory forms of work

York was the first university to introduce a community music module to its undergraduate course and is now the first to establish a programme at master's level. This MA is intended for students who wish to develop their skills and interests in a range of community settings and it draws upon many department specialisms including developments in education and disability arts, world music, theatre and technology.

The MA is based on short course modules, a seminar series and a placement and related dissertation.

The short course modules are offered as a five-day block, two per term, starting on a Wednesday or Thursday and finishing the following week. This five-day structure has proved ideal for mature students and those wishing to fit the course around work commitments. All students are expected to have attended all six short course modules by the end of their course.

Weekly 1 ½ hour seminars on `Issues of Professional Development´ are held during the Autumn and Spring Terms. These seminars carry credits but no marks. Two of these per term will be included in the short course modules, to accommodate part time students. The seminar in week 7, Spring Term will take the form of a course review.

The placement comprises ten days contact with an outside agency by arrangement. The dissertation is 10,000 - 12,000 words (or an equivalent package including recordings and video). Together they form a research project.

Autumn term

Community Music in Principle

An introduction to the course including basic workshop skills and project planning; listening, performing, improvising, composing and a survey of current issues.

Applications

Music education and the national curriculum; planning and running projects in school, special education and health. An introduction to music therapy.

Weekly seminars weeks 2-5 & 7-10

Spring term

Workshop skills

Running and evaluating workshops. Classwork, groupwork, play and recreation. An introduction to communication and presentation skills, group dynamics and behaviour management.

Art forms

Music and the other arts; dance, drama, film and the visual arts. World music; gamelan, world percussion, Bhangra and Bollywood.

Weekly seminars weeks 2-5 & 7-10

Summer term

History and practice of community arts

The development of community art in the UK and internationally; its ideologies and ethics.

Basic skills

Arts administration, fundraising, business planning and the law. Technology; music software, digital arts, enabling technology for people with disabilities.

Assessment

Two portfolios containing two pieces of work with a combined total of 7000 words (or equivalent, see below). The first portfolio relates to the Autumn Term modules; the second portfolio relates to two of the four modules taught in the Spring and Summer Terms. The second portfolio, if comprised of modules from both the Spring and Summer Terms, may therefore be submitted in two halves; the deadline for each half being that of the module in question.

Each portfolio must contain one essay (minimum 3000 words). The other piece of work may be a performance, a practical workshop, a composition, a lesson plan or a business plan, depending on the course module to which it relates.

Assessment of the placement will be based on criteria normally accepted in education and similar work training placements.

Normally a first or upper second class degree in music although related disciplines will be considered.English Language Requirements The University's absolute minimum English language requirements are: * IELTS: 6.0 (in the 'Academic' test) * TOEFL: paper-based 550/ computer-based (CBT): 213/ internet-based (iBT): 79 * Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English: A, B, C * Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English: A English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6 CAE score: (read more) Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) is part of the Cambridge English suite and is targeted at a high level (IETLS 6.5-8.0). It is an international English language exam set at the right level for academic and professional success. Developed by Cambridge English Language Assessment - part of the University of Cambridge - it helps you stand out from the crowd as a high achiever. 80 (Grade A) TOEFL paper-based test score : 550 TOEFL iBT® test: 79 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.