TWO SUBJECT AREAS IN ONE DEGREE
Degree accredited and awarded by
MFA Music Production and Orchestration
DUAL PATHWAY POSTGRADUATE DEGREE WITH LIVE ORCHESTRAL SESSION
Flexible online study with personal tuition
Full time – 24 months (30 hours a week)
Part time – 36 months (15 hours a week)
Part time – 48 months (8 hours a week)
The orchestra can always be found in the world of commercial music in some form and can be used to great effect. This program will give you the contemporary songwriting and production skills you need to build a strong career, and also the technical and creative skills required to utilise the full capabilities of an orchestral ensemble.
During this comprehensive Master of Fine Arts degree course, you will cover the skills taught in both our MA Creative Music Production and MA Orchestration for Films, Games and Television courses.
INTERESTED?
Register for more information about this course and studying with ThinkSpace Education.
Have questions? Our friendly team are here to help. Complete the form above, email us or call us on +44 (0)1243 256 049
Preparing you for the career you deserve
This course combines the contemporary songwriting and music production training needed to become a professional artist as well as the detailed orchestration skills required to take your music beyond the DAW and into the world of live orchestra.
On this course you will learn:
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‘Reflect and Refresh’ – a cycle of constant renewal that drives most of the best in the business.
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Mixing, mastering, sound design, and synthesis.
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Remote working skills to help you collaborate with other artists.
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Sampled instrument techniques, including skills like creating and balancing your template, instrument placement, use of reverb, and using controllers to enhance realism and orchestral mixing.
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Composition for orchestra – creating and orchestrating awe-inspiring live and sampled orchestral film, TV and games music.
- The requirements of different sized orchestral ensembles and how to prepare a record-ready Pro Tools session.
TAUGHT BY working PROFESSIONALS
Our teaching staff and mentors are all current working professionals, many involved at the highest level in the business.
Being online, we have access to a vast pool of talent from all over the world, so you can speak with tutors and gain insights from all areas of the music industry regardless of where they, or you, are based.
Here are a few of the many who will be giving you individual feedback, either in writing, during weekly one to one mentoring sessions, or at the student workshops. This doesn’t include visiting lecturers, these are the people doing the teaching.
PHIL LARSEN
Producer, Mixer, Remixer (Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Moby)
EMILY RICE
Composer & Orchestrator
(Tomb Raider, The Mummy, Star Trek: Discovery)
IRWIN SPARKES
Songwriter (The Hoosiers, White Tail Falls)
CHRIS ROCKALL
Music Marketing & Promotion (Island Records, Universal/Motown)
ARHYNN DESCY
Composer & Pianist
(Acclaimed music educator, Ivor Novello Award judge)
KEVIN MANTHEI
Composer & Orchestrator
(Batman: Gotham Knight, Resident Evil, Deep Impact)
ELLA WALKER
Songwriter (Michael Kiwanuka, Danger Mouse, RHODES)
PETER BATEMAN
Composer & Orchestrator
(Justice League, Avengers: Age Of Ultron, Shazam!)
SAM WATTS
Composer & Orchestrator
(BBC Planet Earth, The Sarah Jane Adventures)
LEARN EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SUCCEED
Media composers are required to compose in a very wide range of styles. While most composers have a home style in which they can write fluently, being able to achieve the same level of fluency in a new style takes insight, skill and practice.
This analytical thinking, when focussed on their own music, helps to develop a self-critical sense of objectivity which is an important part of mastering new genres and new areas of work. In this module we first explain how some common styles work and then ask students to reproduce and extend work in a given style.
YOUR LIVE ORCHESTRAL SESSION
Working with a live orchestra is an unforgettable experience. At the end of your course, some of your music will be performed by a live, professional, 50-piece film orchestra. You are welcome to attend in person or follow the session over the internet via livestream. This is included within the price of your course. Sessions take place in Europe (most likely Prague or Budapest) and are subject to availability.
LIVE INSTRUMENTAL SESSIONS
Throughout your course you will also have the chance to have your music performed by some of the world’s best session players in our live solo sessions. You write a cue, they play it, we film the session and the player gives you feedback and advice. You get a world-class performance for your demo reel.
UNSURE ABOUT STUDYING ONLINE?
Concerned about feeling disconnected or lacking individual attention from home? Don't worry. Our online music campus connects you with fellow students, industry alumni, tutors, and professionals across the globe. There's always someone to assist, offer advice, provide encouragement, or share work opportunities.
Discover what our degree alumni have to say about their connected experience with ThinkSpace, the friends they've made, and the networks they've built.
"I love the community. I've made friends for life and I look forward to working with many of them in the future."
We offer three different schedules so you can pick which best fits around your life. It is also possible to switch between these schedules at certain points during the degree, should you find that that you have more or less time available than you anticipated. You can also pause your degree altogether if life gets in the way.
Part time – 36 months (15 hours a week)
Part time – 48 months (8 hours a week)
Please note that these weekly hours are estimates based on previous years' students. It will vary from student to student, depending on your rate of work. These times estimates include every element of the course: live workshops, one-to-one tutorials, reading and watching the course materials, and time spent on assignment projects.
FinancING
Price for the whole degree:
£17,500
You will be invoiced in instalments at the start of each term. (For courses lasting longer than 12 months, please budget for an annual inflation linked increase on the remaining balance of fees, based on UK RPI, capped at 8%.)
UK and International students pay the same. For those paying in other currencies, the exact price is subject to exchange rate fluctuation.
STUDENT LOANS
In parts of the UK you can apply for the following student loans to cover postgraduate tuition:
- Up to £12,167 in England. More info
- Up to £18,770 in Wales. More info
- Up to £6,500 in Northern Ireland. More info
PAY-AS-YOU-LEARN OPTIONS
We offer interest-free payment plans, where you can spread the cost of your course across the duration of your studies. The payment plan you are on depends on the schedule you are on. You will be required to pay a deposit upon enrolling.
HELPING YOU SECURE YOUR FIRST ROLE
accredited by Arts University Bournemouth
Your degree is accredited and awarded by our academic partner, Arts University Bournemouth (AUB). Home to the prestigious Bournemouth Film School – whose alumni include film director Edgar Wright (Baby Driver) and screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) – AUB is a public university on the south coast of England. Its history dates back to the 1880s.
AUB provide academic oversight across our degrees, which are subject to the same rigorous quality checks as degrees taught by all UK universities.
How to apply
To make an initial application you will need to fill out the application form, write a short cover letter and provide a few examples of your music / sound design. You will find a detailed explanation of the process on the applications page.
You do not require a high level of music theory for this course, just the ability to write great music and lots of potential.
"Am I good enough?"
We are asked this question all the time and we’re happy to help and advise. Get in touch and we'll discuss your musical ambitions and ask for some examples of your work. Then we can tell you where you stand. Simply complete the form below, email us or call +44 (0)1243 256 049.
"This course brought my music to a level I didn't realise it could go to... There is just so much information packed into each module, and it's broken down in a way that's easy to follow."
Robert Rodriguez
MA Orchestration for Film, Games & TV graduate
"This course has been the perfect springboard for my career. I'd highly recommend it to any amateur or professional musician looking to cultivate their skills."
Andrew Weeks
MA Orchestration for Film, Games & TV graduate