We all have a friend or relative who lives for occasions when they can wheel out their guitar or the karaoke machine. Millions more have followed the progression of our favourite acts on Saturday night talent shows.
Tapping into the huge growth in participatory music-making and the success of BBC shows such as The Choir and The Voice, the OU has launched a partnership with London-based Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance on a 60 credit certificate. Designed for musicians wanting to improve their performance skills and enhance their understanding of their artform, ‘The Practice of Music Making’ will combine distance learning with a one-week residential course at Trinity Laban in Greenwich.
The Certificate, which begins in October 2016, brings together the expertise of two top UK Higher Education institutions for the first time. The Certificate* can contribute towards degree study with the OU or be completed as a stand-alone programme. As it is mainly delivered via distance learning, the programme is accessible to those who require flexibility in when and where they study.
Head of Department of Music at The Open University, Catherine Tackley, said:
Whether you’re an enthusiastic amateur, a self-taught creative artist, or someone in the music industry who doesn’t have a recognised qualification at this level, the Certificate offers you the opportunity to reflect on and develop your practice as a performer.
Partnering with Trinity Laban is fantastic for our music students at the OU as it provides the ideal complement to their studies with us and a setting for musicians, whatever their background, to flourish.
The OU has one of the leading Music Departments in the UK, ranked amongst the top 10 in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014. Research underpins the learning experience, which is supported by staff specialising in online, distance and part-time learning in Music. Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is the UK’s only conservatoire of music and contemporary dance.
Director of Music at Trinity Laban, Dr Claire Mera-Nelson, said:
Trinity Laban is widely acknowledged as a world leader in music education. We have a long history of excellence in training performing musicians and of making high quality learning opportunities available to those who might not otherwise be able to access them. This unique collaboration with the OU will allow for a new community of learners, who share our passion for music, to benefit from the teaching skills of the outstanding practising musicians on our staff, as well as accessing the facilities of our World Heritage Site home in Greenwich.
More information
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Free resources and materials on OpenLearn
Students on the course range from 22 to 72. Learn about their experiences of a week of music making as part of this unique course offered by Trinity Laban Conservatoire and The Open University.
