My name is Jennifer and I am a second-year BMus Music student at the University of Birmingham. Here's what I studied in my first year!
These are the main academic modules for first year on my course. We had lectures about Western classical music, Asian classical music, contemporary music, jazz and more. It surprised me that the lectures were so broad! My favourite topics ended up being Music in the Renaissance, Chinese Opera, Modernism and Ballet, and Women in Punk.
The next modules you'll take are Instrumental Composition and Composing with Technology – one in each term.
In Instrumental Composition I learnt how to compose for small ensembles. I found it very helpful that my pieces were played by my peers who could give me feedback on how possible it was to play what I wrote for their instrument. I also got feedback from my tutor, allowing me to refinement the piece for my final submission.
Composing with Technology focuses on electro-acoustic compositions. I found it especially exciting that the professors teaching this course are linked to the BEAST (Birmingham Electroacoustic Sound Theatre), which explores avant-garde musical repertoire. Birmingham’s connection to electronic music was actually part of the reason why I decided to study here! I've decided to take this module in my second year too, as it was interesting to explore new music, especially multi-channel pieces!
In between lectures I had Solo Performance lessons. Students get the opportunity of having instrumental lessons on one or two instruments. I play piano and viola, but decided not to split my lessons so I could focus more on the piano, my main instrument. It's amazing to have this opportunity, as my teacher was a professional musician with experience in performing and could give me valuable insight on performance practices, like personal musical interpretation. The weekly platform sessions also helped me practice performing in front of my peers.
Finally, Techniques of Tonal Music teaches you the basics of tonal harmony. What I liked most is that it was very accessible to students who were not practiced in music theory. Generally, teachers at the university are enthusiastic about helping students reach their full potential – you can always book extra tutoring hours if you need help!
Apart from modules, I went to free weekly midday concerts at the Bramall on Fridays, took part in ensembles, an orchestra and a choir, and integrated into a vibrant community of musicians. All in all, my first year of studying music at the University of Birmingham was absolutely amazing!
Hello! My name is Jennifer and I am a second-year BMus Music student from Vienna, Austria.
