Music Performance with Foundation Year
Music performance in the context of commercial music is a discipline that prepares musicians to work in the modern music industry, which requires not only technical performance ability but also an understanding of recording technology, music production, media, and the economic and professional structures within which contemporary musicians operate. Popular music has enormous cultural and economic significance, and training that takes it seriously as both an art form and an industry produces graduates who are well equipped for the realities of professional musical life.
At the University of Derby, this four-year full-time programme, which includes a foundation year, is designed for musicians who want to perform and understand the technical environment in which commercial music takes place. You will develop across performance, composition, music technology, media production, and musicology, building a wide range of disciplines that reflect the multifaceted nature of working in music today. The programme develops your appreciation of the growing significance of popular music in economic and professional terms, ensuring that your musical training is grounded in an understanding of the industry as well as the art.
A sandwich year, a year abroad, and a work placement are built into the programme, giving you substantial professional and international experience alongside your creative development.
Graduates from music performance programmes work as performers, recording artists, session musicians, music producers, music technology specialists, music educators, and in roles across the music industry, including artist management, booking, music journalism, and label work. The combination of performance ability and technical and industry knowledge makes graduates adaptable across different parts of the commercial music sector. Many graduates build portfolio careers that combine different kinds of musical and industry work.
Postgraduate study in music, music technology, or music education is available for those who wish to go further.