皇家北方音乐学院

The RNCM’s Master of Music (MMus) meets the needs of the music professional, and is ideal for those who have a strong vision of where their future is heading.

Helping you to shape your desired career through a personalised approach to study, you’ll refine your creative and technical skills through one-to-one Principal Study training, specialist classes and masterclasses, lectures and seminars, and a range of performance opportunities. You’ll also gain valuable real-world experience through an external professional placement, and benefit from performance, audition and networking opportunities with our professional industry partners.

The programme consists of 180 credits and is focused around Principal Study (composition, conducting, performance or popular music), which forms the major component in each year of study. Students also have the opportunity to pursue studies in a related Specialism preparing them for research degree-level study, specifically Artistic (practice-based) Research, Musicology, Music Education, and Music Psychology.

Direct Entry (Accreditation of Prior Learning)

In some cases, candidates who have completed relevant modules of a postgraduate (Level 7) qualification at a recognised Higher Education Institution may be considered for direct entry into year 2 of the RNCM MMus programme.

Routes Available

Composition: builds on skills such as compositional craft, technique, and creative conception, and explores areas including interpretative and reflective skills, approaches to different repertoire, and enhanced presentation and communication.

Performance: Focuses on training in advanced level techniques, styles and practices of musical performance or conducting, and the development of critical and reflective approaches to relevant repertoire. Assessment for Popular Music can include a combination of performance and original composition at the student’s choice.

All MMus students benefit from:

• Regular Principal Study tuition and a wealth of performance and professional opportunities both at the College and externally
• Vocational and academic elective modules that complement specialist tuition and performance activities
• Flexible modes of performance/composition assessment allowing for your major College-led performances (e.g. major operatic roles or concerto performances) to be counted towards your final degree
• Support from an appointed mentor who will advise you through your selection of options and in preparation for your final performance/portfolio.

Further Study and Research Modules

A number of the electives within the MMus programme also provide excellent preparation should you decide to progress to higher-level studies in performance and/or research, such as the RNCM’s MPhil/PhD programme or the Postgraduate Diploma (International Artist).

The Advanced Postgraduate Diploma: Advanced Studies in Performance/Composition is for those with Master’s-level qualification who wish to pursue a further year of study and training within a world-class conservatoire.