Music Performance with Foundation Year

This course is designed for musicians who want to perform and better understand the technical environment within which commercial music takes place. You will develop a wide range of disciplines through performance, composition, technology, media production and musicology. You will also develop an in-depth appreciation of the increasing significance of popular music in economic and professional terms.

The music industry is an important element of the creative industries sector and a significant contributor to the UK and global economy. In recent years, with the growth of new digital distribution models and the proliferation of live music events, the music industry has evolved significantly presenting new and exciting ways of music making and delivery.

This course will support you to be multi-skilled, adaptable and adept at collaboration across different disciplines and media within the music industry and industry sub-sectors such as film, television, computer games and advertising. You will have opportunities to collaborate with students from other courses such as BA (Hons) Film and High-End Television Production and BA (Hons) Animation as you develop advanced digital skills for the creation of album artwork, music promos, brand development, etc., whilst also gaining vital networking and entrepreneurial skills for a successful career in the music industry. 

Course highlights:  

• You will explore popular music performance, composition and production together with music technology. We will help you to develop your creative and entrepreneurial flair so you can respond to technological and artistic innovations in the industry.  
• Develop your skills on your chosen instrument through group-based learning activities. You will also develop your expertise in composition and song writing and will study the social and business context of the world of commercial music.  
• There will be regular opportunities to perform in public, and we will encourage you to take part in the local music scene through our relationship with venues like Dubrek recording studio and Derby Theatre, which is owned by the University of Derby. 
• You will be taught by experienced lecturers, many with international research portfolios and who are actively engaged in professional activities including freelance production and performance work.   
• You will be supported to understand the commercial environment applicable to music performance, developing management skills and awareness of professional protocols to prepare you for your career.  
• Be inspired by our recording studios and rehearsal facilities, which will enable you to produce professional quality recordings of your performances.  
• Benefit from our strong links with the music industry and be invited to participate in our yearly Music Production Show, with guest presentations from industry professionals such as: Avid, Yamaha, Focusrite, Ableton, the Musicians Union and local industry.  
• Take up opportunities to gain professional experience through interactions with visiting performers and industry representatives which in recent years have included; Derby Jazz and ViVA Orchestra. 
• The University of Derby is a registered training centre for Apple and Avid and offers opportunities for accredited training on popular production software as well as significant discounts on associated products. 

The music technology part of the course covers the technology of the recording studio, video production, along with the application of music software on digital audio workstations and the production/post-production of music for a variety of commercial applications.‌

You could enhance your skills further, by going on to study our MA Music Production. 

Boost your employability with a placement year

Take an optional placement year to put your skills into practice in a real-world setting. We’ll support you in finding a placement and throughout your time in industry. It’s a great way to gain valuable experience for your CV, build contacts, and explore career options before you graduate.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

A variety of assessment methods will be used. Some modules are assessed through coursework only, others by a combination of coursework, portfolios, assignments, case studies, oral and graphic presentations, collaborative and interdisciplinary team-work projects, computer testing and examinations, so providing a flexible and effective means of assessing progress. 
 
Assessments are designed to enable you to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes for your module. Up to three different assessments (assessment components) may be ascribed to a module. An assessment component may sometimes take the form of a number of small submissions e.g. lab reports or short in-class tests.

Examinations can include traditional unseen examinations, open-book examinations, or pre-briefed examinations based on case studies. The questioning style can include essay questions, multiple choice questions, or problem- solving questions. Online questions are also used in some modules to enable you to gauge their own knowledge and understanding of the module material.  

Our graduates go into many fields of professional activity. These include the primary and secondary education sector, lecturing for colleges of further education, freelance instrumental teaching, recording studio management and music production, music performance, media company management, and commercial music making. They also work in a range of media organisations.

Others have gone on to further study, at MA, MSc or PhD level, or successfully completed QTS teaching qualifications for primary or secondary education.

Graduates of this programme are equipped specifically for work within the modern commercial music sector as performers, composers, producers, educators, promoters, publishers, academics, and entrepreneurial freelance musicians. Opportunities for specialisation exist in ensemble performance and music production but wider opportunities exist in promotion, publishing, education, and commercial music entrepreneurship. Specific graduate opportunities exist in music production, sound recording, performance, composition, education, journalism, and music promotion.  

Notable graduates

• Charlotte Carpenter has gone on to become a successful performing artist. Take a look at Charlotte's YouTube channel
• Jake Graham and Chris Burns established the band Fahran performing at festivals around the UK and Europe; they have returned to headline the Popular Music Showcase two years in a row. See some of their work on the FahranTV YouTube channel
• Simon France is a Sound Technician at Curve Theatre, Leicester
• Nathan Lewis - music teacher at Birmingham Ormiston Academy 
• Luke Gibbs – Studio Engineer at Angelic Record Productions, Oxford

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

Additional entry requirements

• Portfolio: Recommended - view portfolio details

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to

Additional costs and optional extras

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to

Additional costs and optional extras

Additional information about your studies

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.