Popular Music Performance & Songwriting

UCAS code: 3C48

Here's what BIMM University says about its Popular Music Performance & Songwriting course.

About the course Perform and compose music with our BMus Popular Music Performance and Songwriting degree. Throughout the course, you’ll learn the necessary skills to have a sustainable and successful career in the music industry of today – and tomorrow.

You’ll gain invaluable stage experience as well as build expertise around performing music, creating parts and interpreting songs. You’ll focus on core topics of performance, technique, musicianship, theory and technology. These topics will ensure that you have all the necessary tools to be articulate and expressive in your chosen musical and compositional output.

Once you have this foundational knowledge under your belt, you can tailor your course according to your own goals and aspirations via our range of optional modules. Our optional modules allow you to specialise in certain areas that interest you the most. These include creative performance, complementary instrument skills, global music styles, technology, writing for media, recording, teaching, and research. By the time you graduate, you’ll have a broad portfolio of skills to succeed in whichever career you choose.

Day to day learning will take place in large live rooms, smaller studio settings and in lecture-based classrooms. You’ll also have the chance to collaborate with other aspiring industry professionals. These collaborations are possible because of our flourishing BIMM University community that brings together talented students from all areas of the music industry.

Our lecturers – all of whom are still active in the music industry – will guide you through your studies. No matter which route you choose, you’ll always be supported to reach your goals, both personally and professionally.

The BIMM University Graduate We make sure that when you graduate, your attributes and skills mirror the employment and creative needs of the music industry – both today and in the future.

We aim to equip graduates with the following qualities, so they have a long lasting career.

• Employable and Entrepreneurial

• Creative, Collaborative and Connected

• Resilient and adaptable

• Globally Aware

• Professional

• Intellectually Curious

• Self-aware

Students can expect to study the following core modules:

YEAR 1: - The Creative Industries and you 1: Finding your path - Context and culture of the creative industries - Digital Music - Core instrument skills - Applied instrument skills - Songwriting techniques - Styles and genres - Creative technology

YEAR 2: - The Creative Industries and you 2: Creative Collaboration) - Creativity, identity and agency - Interpretive instrument skills - Digital performance portfolio - Music creation with technology - Songwriting and arrangement

YEAR 3 - The Creative Industries and you 3: Professional Portfolio - Final Project - Performance showcase - Showcase and showreel.

Optional module/s can be selected in year 3, subject to availability and student demand. Please visit the course information page on the BIMM Music Institute website for a full break down.

Assessment methods are varied and balanced to suit a wide range of students and may take practical, written, portfolio or other form. Students are given the opportunity to work collaboratively with those studying other music related disciplines, representative of the way in which the Music and wider Creative Industries also require collaboration. All written and portfolio assessments are submitted electronically by way of a Virtual Learning Environment and where possible, feedback is delivered in audio and/or video form, as well as written.

Examples of methods used:

• Practical Exams
• Written exams
• Practical coursework
• Multimedia coursework
• Written coursework
• Presentations