BA (Hons) Community Music
at The Sage Gatesheadcommunity
music
Community Music
community
music
BA (Hons) Community Music
at The Sage Gateshead
_ Study on a cutting edge music course brought to you by a unique partnership between the University of Sunderland, The Sage Gateshead and Gateshead College
_ An exciting opportunity for musicians with a passion for making a difference through connecting with communities _ Excellent resources, professional learning spaces and
comprehensive student support
_ Up-to-date connections with employers and the wider music industry
_ Open to a diverse range of musicians across all genres of music, from jazz, popular and world to folk and classical
“The Sage Gateshead has quickly become the most exciting music venue in Britain”
The Times
Photograph courtesy of David Tier
Community Music
The last ten years has seen an unprecedented expansion in the range and quality of community music activities and demand for high quality leaders has increased dramatically. In response to this, The Sage
Gateshead, the University of Sunderland and Gateshead College have designed and created the first community music course of its kind in the UK.
This innovative course is aimed at anyone who is musically skilled, from school leavers to professional musicians, who want to put their talents to work with people in a broad range of settings. The range of professional career paths for community music graduates includes youth work,
teaching, performing arts or social work. Who we are
The BA (Hons) Community Music is a unique course brought to you by three partners:
The Sage Gatesheadis nationally and internationally respected as a
pioneer in the fields of community music and music education as well as being a renowned music venue with world class acoustics. It directs and delivers one of the largest and most diverse music participation
programmes in the country with a faculty of around 100 musicians, including professional community musicians, teachers and
performers across all genres. www.thesagegateshead.org
The University of Sunderlandhas an established and varied portfolio
of vibrant dance, drama, music and performing arts courses on both the Sunderland campus and with partner institutions. You will be supported by our experienced programme leader, teachers and practitioners who have diverse skills, interests and lengthy experience in both community and education contexts.
www.sunderland.ac.uk/performing_arts
Gateshead College has invested £60million in four brand
new college campuses in Gateshead, offering a fantastic environment for a great range of courses and exceptional facilities for music and performing arts. The College offers superb courses for individuals and employers on a full and part-time basis from entry level to Foundation Degree and Degree level.
What we’ve got
BA (Hons) Community Music is a new and exciting course based at The Sage Gateshead. Here you will experience high quality teaching and learning experiences, excellent resources and facilities and up-to-date connections to potential employers and the wider music industry. The Sage Gateshead is equipped with: _ Outstanding performance spaces of acoustic excellence
(Hall One and Hall Two)
_ Northern Rock Foundation Hall (large performance and rehearsal space)
_ A twenty-six room Music Education Centre
_ ExploreMusic, a state-of-the-art music information resource centre run by Gateshead Libraries in the Joan and Margaret Halbert Space
_ The Barbour Room
_ Four bars, the Michael Straker Café and a brasserie You will also be supported by Gateshead College, which
has a new £39million Baltic campus next to The Sage Gateshead at the centre of the Baltic Business Quarter on Gateshead Quays. The College will provide you with state-of-the-art facilities and resources in a fresh, modern environment, including:
_ 200 seat performance theatre
_ Well equipped Learning Resource Centre
_ Sound proofed music rehearsal and recording studios _ State-of-the-art classrooms with integrated IT
How to study Music
As part of the University of Sunderland's Combined Subjects
Programme, you can choose to study community music alongside another subject. You can select from a range of up to 30 subjects, not including music, as either a major or dual subject.
Alongside the BA (Hons) Community Music course, the University of Sunderland and The Sage Gateshead are proud to present the BMus (Hons) Jazz, Popular and Commercial Music. This unique course provides vocational training that meets the technical and intellectual needs of the music practitioner who is both a player and producer of music. The course is aimed at musicians with the
equivalent of ABRSM Grade 8 performance standard who want to broaden their musical repertoire.
BA (Hons) Community Music
You will have the opportunity to study
3 years full-time UCAS Code WX39
This is a practical course where you will develop your creative and artistic skills to facilitate musical activity with others through projects, placements and community events. You will also develop
transferable skills in communication, organisation, self reliance, leadership, teamwork and evaluation. You will develop an awareness and understanding of distinctive traditions, conventions, practitioners and contexts that have helped shape contemporary practice within community music and you will
become conversant with current trends and developments. You will also participate in the programme of community activity at The Sage Gateshead and in the many projects attached to the venue to give you the necessary skills and experience for employment.
You will be supported by an experienced teaching team and you will be continually assessed via individual and practical projects, presentations,
research documentation, essays, critical evaluations and public performances.
On graduating from this course you will be able to develop your career in a variety of directions ranging from a portfolio career in music, including work as a community musician, to postgraduate study or
employment in fields such as youth work, education, social work, music and the performing arts. You may also consider postgraduate study through the
University of Sunderland’s Post Compulsory
Certificate in Education and Training, a qualification for teaching in Further Education.
_ Working as a music facilitator and workshop leader _ Personal and professional practice
_ Business and enterprise _ Music in context
_ Creative arts practice _ Musicianship
Photograph courtesy of Mark Savage
Photograph courtesy of North News & Pictur
es Ltd
Ryan Quigley and Paul Towndrow with Jambone at Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2010
Try us out
How to apply
What’s it like to be a student on the BA (Hons)
Community Music course? The best way to find out is to get a feel for it yourself and that’s exactly what you can do by visiting us.
Register online to become a University of Sunderland VIP and you will get a personalised web page with information about us and the subjects you are
interested in. This is the best way to keep up to date with everything we’re up to, from course information to the latest news and events. Check out our website www.sunderland.ac.uk/performing_arts for more information.
This unique and cutting edge course is open to a diverse range of musicians drawn from the broadest range of genres from jazz, popular and world to folk and classical. We are looking for students who are confident musicians (grades not necessary) and
Interview preparation
bring commitment and passion to the course, as well as an interest in learning to lead musical activity in order to make a difference to peoples’ lives.
If you would like to apply to study BA (Hons)
Community Music you must submit your application through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). For further details go to
www.ucas.com or call +44 (0) 871 468 0468. When completing your UCAS form please use the UCAS course code WX39, the University of Sunderland’s institution code S84 and The Sage Gateshead’s campus code X.To apply to study BA/BSc (Hons) Community Music (Major or Dual) as part of the
Combined Studies Programme please use the UCAS Code W3.
Our typical offer will be 220 points from a minimum of 2 A levels or equivalent. We also require three passes at GCSE grade C or above which must include Mathematics and English Language or a minimum of Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number.
If you are successful in your application, you will be required to undergo the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure process to allow you to attend shadowing visits. You will need to have successfully completed the CRB process, for which there is a fee, before starting the course.
In applying for the BA (Hons) Community Music
course you will be invited to take part in both a group workshop and an interview. You will be invited to play and/or sing and undertake a short, written task as part of the interview process. We are interested in your musical skills and your potential as a music leader and team player.
Contact Us For more information about BA (Hons) Community Music
check out the University of Sunderland’s website
www.sunderland.ac.uk/performing_arts
Course Helpline +44 (0)191 515 3000 External Affairs Officer Ingrid Fairfax +44 (0)191 515 3593 admenquiry@sunderland.ac.uk Liz Holden Programme Leader liz.holden@sunderland.ac.uk +44 (0)191 515 3469 Bex Mather
Associate Programme Leader +44 (0)191 443 4585
bex.mather@thesagegateshead.org The Sage Gateshead
St Mary's Square Gateshead Quays Gateshead
Tyne and Wear NE8 2JR
www.thesagegateshead.org
Other Arts and Design publications available from the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media at the
University of Sunderland include: Dance, Drama Music
Community Music
Jazz, Popular and Commercial Music Design
Fine Art
Foundation Studies in Art and Design Glass and Ceramics
Photography, Video and Digital Imaging Designed and pr
oduced by
hpm
gr
oup
www.sunderland.ac.uk/performing_arts The Sage Gateshead The River Tyne A167 A184 Gateshead A167 Tyne Bridge Millennium Bridge Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle Gateshead Aberdeen Edinburgh Glasgow Cardiff London Birmingham Liverpool Manchester Leeds
“In less than four years, The Sage Gateshead has become one of the world’s most admired centres for music.” The Times
Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
