Duration:
3 years full-time | Direct entry available

Location:
Confetti Nottingham Campus, NTU

UCAS course code:
P322

Institution code:
N91

This BA Music Performance degree in Nottingham allows you to experiment with collaborative projects in performance, develop exciting material for your own catalogue and for industry client briefs. 

You will cultivate your curiosity in practice, performance and studying music that inspires you. You’ll also study theory, giving your work historical and cultural perspective with a grounding in professional practice. And you’ll use accessible, successful tools used by many musicians and songwriters before you.

Our staff are working professionals who are experts in the music and creative industries. Their extensive experience will guide and inspire you, ensuring you receive an education that is unparalleled in its depth and relevance.

Take advantage of our in-house record label, Denizen, where you can gain access to industry mentors and grants, to help you progress in your music career.

This course is for you if:

  • you are good at playing your instrument on your own and within groups and ensemble situations
  • you enjoy all and any genres of popular music, writing, composing  and recording music
  • you are excited by performing to any size or type of audience

Industry exposure at Tileyard

As part of your degree you’ll get exclusive access to the UK’s best music industry insights and connections through our partnership with Tileyard – the world’s largest professional music community.

You can expect regular masterclasses, industry briefs, mentoring and a host of other opportunities to further develop your portfolio, industry knowledge and those all-important connections and contacts.

Progression route

MA in Music Performance at our Nottingham or London campuses

2025 entry

  • Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
  • Contextual offer (UK only): 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
  • A related music qualification such as BTEC Music Performance or similar (eg RSL or A Level Music)
  • A Voice or Instrument Grade 5 (ABRSM, RSL, Trinity or equivalent)

To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator..

We very much welcome self-taught applicants who do not have the formal entry requirements, but we need to know you’re at the right level to support your ambition.

If that’s you, we’ll request a video of you playing 2 songs from start to finish in contrasting styles. This can be performing along to a backing track, or solo. Once we get that, and we make sure this is the perfect fit for you, we’ll send you an offer!

Contextual offers for UK applicants

A lower offer may be made based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer and we get data from UCAS to make these decisions. NTU and Confetti offer a student experience like no other and this approach helps us to find students who have the potential to succeed here but who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

Find out how we assess your application.

Fees & funding

We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:

English language entry requirements

You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors. Find out more about advisors in your country.

This degree is validated by Nottingham Trent University. You can apply through UCAS.

Apply now

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there’s no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.

Fees & funding

DAW Skills (20 Credit Points)

Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) are the digital canvases you will need to navigate to put down, cultivate, and develop musical ideas throughout your career. In this module, you will learn and apply different DAW techniques to create and arrange music through a series of set tasks, thereby developing a skills portfolio that you can apply throughout your course and career. You will build upon these skills to support your song writing module, generate ideas, and understand their role in a wide range of applications.

Performance Skills (40 Credit Points)

This is what it’s all about: the skill and the art of performance! This module will help develop your core instrumental and performance skills, focusing on the deployment of key areas of instrumental/vocal technique, use and application of rhythm, groove, communication and creativity.

You’ll develop as a performer by learning techniques to effectively engage, enthuse and captivate an audience. You will analyse classic and contemporary material and discover the key elements that makes it work so well.

Ultimately, you’ll employ your findings by performing sets of covers and collectively created compositions using the elements explored throughout this module.

Your Industry (20 Credit Points)

You will explore contexts of working in the international world of sound and music and how you might establish a career by exploring the flow of money through the industry and relevant current and emerging trends.

You’ll assess your current skill set and discover what you need to do to improve your chances of success on your employable journey. You’ll choose work like briefs lasting at least 80 hours to enable you to experience working opportunities in a field of interest, then reflect on your learning to set you up for the rest of your course in an employable mind set. Your future starts now!

Songwriting (20 Credit Points)

This module aims to build an understanding of the theory and context of songwriting. You will explore classic songs from the history of popular music and, through deconstructing them, discover the component parts and common techniques used to create great material!

By embracing this process, your aural perception skills, music theory, instrument, and arrangement skills will naturally develop. You will then apply these skills to recreate classic tracks and collaborate with others to write songs based on these techniques and genre-specific elements.

Throughout the module, you will study different approaches to the craft, working both individually and collaboratively on assigned briefs. This will enable you to create a body of work that demonstrates a growing understanding of music genres through your songwriting skills.

Popular Music in Context (20 Credit Points)

In this module, you’ll explore key events, songs and artists that helped shape the history of popular music as we know it. You’ll gain an understanding of the social and cultural contexts that have guided its development, whilst you are supported in developing your research skills to explore case studies.

Songs and artists you investigate will be analysed, and material rehearsed and performed in your song writing and performance sessions. This means you’re fully immersed in a whole host of material and styles to help you be an informed, well-rounded musician.

Performance Skills 2 (20 Credit Points)

Progressing from Year 1, you will engage in playing more complex material, conducting deeper analysis of the component parts, and exploring the most effective ways of communicating them to your peers and ultimately, an audience! You will perform original material and rework classic songs, adapting them to the sound and style of specified genres.

Technical proficiency on your instrument will be further advanced and developed throughout this process. You will receive guidance in stagecraft and setlist design techniques, aiming to build performer confidence and learn how to professionally entertain and engage a live audience with a powerful performance.

Songwriting 2 (20 Credit Points)

You’ll develop your songwriting skills further by dissecting more complex songs from a wide array of genres to understand what makes them successful. You’ll participate in a series of workshops where you’ll practice various working methodologies to write material, both in solo and collaborative scenarios.

You’ll explore top line, rhythmic, melodic, and lyrical methods, equipping you with the tools you need to hold your own in any songwriting session. Effective communication of ideas is essential for any collaborative process including working with other musicians who bring your ideas to life.

You’ll learn how to communicate arrangements and ideas effectively using rhythmic and harmonic notation, chord symbols, and lyric/chord guides, and apply them to real-world scenarios.

Music for Modern Media (20 Credit Points)

This module focuses on exploring the exciting world of composing for media. Building on your compositional and DAW skills from year one, you will utilise them in a variety of real-world scenarios to create music for media use. These may include jingles, genre-based library music, and music for film and other media.

You will examine and research these areas, gaining insight into how best to apply your current DAW knowledge with other tools and techniques and expand on that skillset by successfully completing example scenarios. Composing for media is a substantial part of today’s industry and an area in which you should be well prepared to engage.

Industry Practice (20 Credit Points)

This is where the reality of being a freelance practitioner really comes into focus. During this module, you will source and manage appropriate self-directed projects of at least 20 hours in an area that aligns to your career aspiration, working individually and collaboratively, applying the research, knowledge, and skills learnt throughout the course in common real-world scenarios.

You will also be given a further 80 hours of relevant industry briefs over the year to complete and reflect on. The aim is to develop your overall professionalism and provide you with the knowledge and resources to begin a career in the creative industries which are increasingly defined by freelance and self-employed models of work.

Projects can cover a wide range of scenarios, and you must be able to adapt quickly, spinning a number of plates at once. You will need to work under pressure to strict deadlines and learn how to manage your time and resources effectively whilst looking after the wellbeing of yourself and your collaborators.

You’ll explore relevant legal frameworks such as copyright and intellectual property and examine how money flows in your particular area of interest so you’re best placed to exploit your talents for financial sustainable gain.

Contextual Studies (20 Credit Points)

Music plays an integral part in everyday life across cultures and societies. It can transcend language and cultural barriers and influence individual and social identity, politics, fashion and technology.
This module offers a deeper understanding of the contexts in which music is created, performed, received and how it has evolved or influenced social change.

You will delve into various musical genres, styles, and traditions across different time periods and cultures. The module aims to enhance critical thinking and analytical skills by examining the social, political, and artistic influences that shape musical practices.

You will also develop your research and communication abilities as you explore and present your findings on significant musical works, composers, and movements. The skills you develop in this module will help you as a working musician: broadening your musical horizons and giving you the skills to argue your ideas, understanding the role of music in the wider world.

Studio Production for Musicians (20 Credit Points)

This module serves as the recording musician’s toolkit. The landscape for a recording musician is no longer limited to the traditional bigger studio ‘Session’ setup. Home studio setups have now become a significant part of the instrument recording business, catering to clients and session briefs that include songwriters, producers, library companies, film/TV soundtracks, content creators, as well as your own projects.

The module covers both larger studio ensemble recording and remote recording. You will learn the fundamental processes of recording and producing your own instrument or voice. This includes how to communicate properly with a client, audio file management, and selecting the appropriate gear and processes that meet the needs of any given recording scenario you may encounter as a jobbing musician.

You will also develop skills in critically comparing recording equipment across different budget points, audio engineering skills, understanding group recording etiquette, maintaining session structure and energy, effectively communicating with producers, and fostering repeat business.

Creative Investigation (40 Credit Points)

What aspects of music or performance fascinate you? What would you like to know more about? How could it influence and broaden your own playing, writing and performing skills? This module is an opportunity to research something you’re interested in or passionate about. Examples might include: exploring how different cultures utilise rhythm; delving into the concept of creativity; researching DIY release culture, or investigating audience response.

It offers the chance to conduct in-depth research on your chosen topic that can enhance your own skill set. You will create a proposal and gather evidence from secondary sources to support your area of focus which will then be discussed and agreed upon with your supervisor.

Subsequently, you will undertake a substantial and sustained research project based on your proposal. This will involve generating your own materials and findings which you will analyse and draw conclusions from. These could be presented in the format of a traditional written dissertation, or you could use other mediums such as film or audio by negotiation.

This module not only enhances your independent research skills but also improves your knowledge and abilities in music and performance and other employable fields.

Industry Brief (40 Credit Points)

This is where it becomes very real. This module is the exciting link to the next steps towards an employable future. You will choose a live brief/briefs set by industry from a range of employers/scenarios and receive tailored guidance to ensure you have the skills and research capability to deliver exactly what that industry brief demands. This is it!

You might be booked for a studio session, required to be part of a band for a pop artist working under a musical director’s instruction, play in an individually tailored function band for an event, or reinterpret songs to a different genre for a library album. It could be any real-world scenario!

You will reflect on the skills you’ve developed over the year and form a viable next steps career plan to explore how you can make a living from what you’ve learned on your journey.

Personal Project (40 Credit Points)

Ignite your Creative Journey, bring your ideas to life and set your career goals in motion. This module offers a unique opportunity to propose and negotiate a project of your choice, taking it from concept to completion. Throughout this module, you will develop essential skills in project planning and effective implementation.

You’ll develop your collaboration skills and create a realistic timeline for your project’s success. The possibilities for your project are diverse, ranging from creating a collection of original songs, recording a single or an EP, to establishing a creative business or perhaps designing an immersive music-based art installation: the world is your oyster!

In addition to honing your creative talents, you’ll also explore key aspects of business and marketing, discovering how to market your work effectively and gaining entrepreneurial skills that will contribute to your success as an industry professional. By the end of the module, you’ll be equipped with a practical next steps plan, ensuring you have a clear understanding of how your creative endeavours can support your future career aspirations.

You’ll also be assigned a mentor from industry to help you on your journey. This is the opportunity to unlock your creative potential and take your first steps towards a rewarding career. Now is your chance to create and produce something tangible and begin to focus on your career goals.

Do It For Real

At Confetti you have access to an unrivalled network of industry connections. Add in an industry mentor of your very own in year 3, and it’s easy to see why Confetti is the perfect platform to start building your professional network and shaping your future career.

Industry Week

Studying at Confetti you’ll take part in Industry Week where you’ll be able to meet a range of professionals within your field of interest as well as other areas of the creative industries. 

Past guests include Sister Bliss (Faithless), Chase & Status, Michael Eavis CBE (Glastonbury) and Wolfgan Flur (Kraftwerk).

Student work

Our Talent Development team works closely with course leaders to link students with opportunities across the industry. Music Performance students have previously worked with leading companies, such as:

  • Hockley Hustle
  • Beat the Streets
  • Splendour Festival

 

Confetti has world-class, industry-approved, state-of-the-art facilities featuring incredible recording studio spaces, Mac suites, rehearsal rooms, and its own purpose-built live venue. There simply couldn’t be a better environment for you to study what you love.

You will have the opportunity to finesse your skills on Logic Pro X in our well-equipped, impressive and cutting edge facilities – unlike any other in the country. Rehearsal rooms boasting professional level backline, PA and monitoring systems housed in purpose built rooms that will inspire you to do your best work.

Our recording studios benefit from unparalleled hardware and software allowing production and recording to flow seamlessly and instinctively. With consoles, monitoring, outboard and microphones that compete with the best studios in the UK your recordings you make and collaborate on have the opportunity to truly capture your craft and definitive performances.

Our studios also boast an impressive backline and instruments from Steinway, Ampeg, Marshall, Rhodes and Vox to name a few. 

Our venue, Metronome, is renowned for its production values and sound. The flexible nature of the space suits all kinds of performances and hosts events from pretty much every genre imaginable.

Courses

Your time at Confetti doesn’t have to stop once you finish your undergraduate course. Choose to continue your studies on our postgraduate degrees that can help you further develop your skills and obtain the experience you need to get a head start in your career.

Career options

What roles do our graduates go on to?

  • Singer
  • Songwriter
  • Band member
  • Session musician
  • Record producer
  • Teacher
  • Music director
  • Composer
  • A&R
  • Journalist
  • Artist Manager

NTU Employability support

Our support doesn’t end when you graduate. As a Confetti and NTU student you will be entitled to dedicated graduate employability support for up to three years after you complete your studies. You’ll have access to exclusive events, initiatives and work experience opportunities to support you in the early stages of your graduate career.

NTU Employability support

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Saturday 18 January
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