MA Music (Performance Pathway)

Overview

Theoretical and practical grounding in the discipline of ethnomusicology, the opportunity to develop performance and ethnographic skills, in-depth study of global musical styles, and a practical understanding of how music can work in the sphere of social development – just some of what you can expect to develop on the MA Music. The programme has three pathways in Ethnomusicology, Development and Performance, tailored for musicians and musicologists, anthropologists and development practitioners, teachers and composers, as well as those dedicated to developing an in-depth knowledge of a specific music tradition.

You will study with a world-leading group of ethnomusicologists who are all experts in the musical traditions of Africa and Asia. You will be part of a thriving culture of performance, research and active engagement with music around the globe.

The programme will suit those looking for a springboard into further research or employment in a range of music-related fields including journalism, industry, NGOs and education, and often serves as a conversion route for those trained predominantly in western music traditions.

This programme replaces MMus Performance.

What does the course involve?

This is a unique Masters programme that enables you to put your performance practice at the heart of your learning and research. The programme provides a balance between performance and essay-based courses, on topics such as ethnomusicology and regional music studies that focus on musics of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and diasporas. The final Performance as Research module is a performance-based dissertation equivalent in which you explore your chosen research topic through your musical practice.

What kind of students will the course appeal to?

Performers, both professional and amateur who wish to deepen and broaden their specific and theoretical knowledge of world music traditions, and also those who wish to combine an academic with a practical component to their programme in the field of ethnomusicology.

Employment

A postgraduate degree in Music Performance from SOAS gives students improved competency in performance and a better understanding of global music which will enable them to continue in the field of research or engage in related work. Equally, they develop a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and creative capacities including interpersonal skills, communication skills, focus, team work, passion and dedication. A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.