Overview
The Master of Arts in Performance is centred around the growth of the student's own artistic voice, working in a collaborative environment where composition, improvisation and performance skills are developed in synergy. This facilitates the creation of the lifelong musical associations and professional skills that you need to pursue the future you want as a 21st century musician.
Your Project preparation is supported by a team of specialists and provides an opportunity for you to enhance your creative work through specialised academic study and practice-led research. Postgraduate students are a vital part of the Academy’s musical culture, working in a uniquely collaborative performance environment ideally suited to helping talented musicians — from across the globe — to achieve their musical ambitions. Students wishing to prepare applications for doctoral study will normally choose the MMus rather than the MA. The programme path and length can be discussed at the entrance interview and adjusted as appropriate, you are not tied to the option you choose when you submit your application in UCAS Conservatoires
Classes and Activities
Students on the Master of Arts (MA) and the Master of Music (MMus) participate in exactly the same Jazz Department classes, ensembles and other activities.
The MMus is identical at jazz department level but includes the addition of a Master’s Project, which can be: a concert with commentary; a recording-based project; a dissertation; or a mixture of these.
Jazz Postgraduate Students usually take the two-year MA programme as undertaking their own projects tends to be something with which they are already familiar.
The Master's courses are designed as two-year courses. Based on an applicant’s circumstances and prior experience, we can discuss at audition whether completing the course in one year (named intensive in UCAS) is a suitable option.
Principal Study
45 hours per year of one-to-one instrumental lessons culminating in an end-of-year recital.
Second Study (optional)
Provision is available for tuition on a second-study instrument (5 or 10 hours per year). You must apply to your tutor at the start of the academic year.
Ensemble Projects
These comprise weekly workshops and culminate in a public performance. The programme of concerts will vary from project to project and provides a foundation of core knowledge and experience, enabling you to undertake a broad ensemble schedule throughout your studies. In February there is an intensive Jazz Festival featuring inter-year ensembles with various guest artists.
Jazz Orchestra
Postgraduate students get a chance to participate in the Jazz Orchestra during their studies. Projects feature a wide range of repertoire, guest soloists, composers and directors, culminating in a public concert in the Academy or at an external venue.
Professional Development
In an increasingly competitive musical profession, you will need to be equipped with the essential tools to flourish. We have excellent links with the jazz media and industry, resulting in regular seminars with journalists, broadcasters and record label owners. At the end of the BMus and Postgraduate Programmes there is a Professional Development Portfolio that includes many key documents and real-world examples, such as writing funding applications and press releases. You also have the chance to study for the additional LRAM teaching diploma.
Composition and Arranging
Postgraduate students receive the full teaching from the undergraduate C&A classes, in addition to weekly workshops in the Postgraduate Jazz Composers Ensemble. Students develop a portfolio of pieces written for the group, presenting their work in a public concert in the final term of their graduating year.
Rhythmic Studies of the African Diaspora (PG1) / Contemporary Rhythmic Skills (PG2)
This introduces non-Western principles of rhythm drawn from Asian, African and Latin American traditions. The course aims to familiarise you with techniques of group co-ordination, and with individual and collective learning methods appropriate to aural/oral methodologies. Teaching areas include case studies of tribal musics; rhythm studies; transcription; composition and arrangement analysis; group movement and co-ordination; ensemble drumming; additive rhythm; and percussion techniques. This introduces non-Western principles of rhythm drawn from Asian, African and Latin American traditions. The course aims to familiarise you with techniques of group co-ordination and with individual and collective learning methods appropriate to aural/oral methodologies.
Repertoire and Improvisation
You will learn a list of commonly played tunes by ear, all of which typify a particular harmonic or compositional device. You will then use these tunes to explore a variety of improvisational approaches and strategies.
Entry Requirements
Academic Qualifications
You will usually hold a Bachelor of Music (BMus) degree, a university Bachelor's degree containing music as a core component, or an international equivalent qualification.
Written Requirements
Unlike the Master of Music (MMus) track, the Master of Arts (MA) in Performance does not require you to submit an academic project proposal or a written portfolio. Your selection is focused primarily on your musicality and practical performance.
See Entry Requirements for more information.
Auditions
We want you to view your audition as a recital rather than a rigid test. Our panel is looking for your unique musical personality, your technical command, and your potential for growth. Try to relax, focus on your storytelling through the instrument, and let us hear who you are as a musician.
The Master of Arts (MA) in Performance selection process for Jazz is integrated into our postgraduate audition framework, allowing candidates to demonstrate their artistic maturity, improvisational fluency, and advanced stylistic foundation.
Your Audition Repertoire
For your postgraduate audition, you must prepare a comprehensive performance selection that highlights your improvisational skills, technical mastery, and stylistic breadth across the jazz idiom.
Repertoire Guidelines:
- Required Selections: You must prepare a diverse programme of pieces of your own choice. Your selection should balance traditional jazz standards with contemporary or original material to showcase your musical range.
- Improvisation: All pieces must include a significant element of improvisation, demonstrating your harmonic understanding, rhythmic flexibility, and creative expression.
What to Expect on Audition Day
1. Delivery Options & Practical Assessment
- In-Person (London): You will perform your prepared selection live at the Academy with a rhythm section provided by the department. The panel will want to hear how you interact dynamically within an ensemble setting. As live audition time is strictly limited, the panel may choose to hear selected choruses or sections of your pieces rather than the full arrangements.
- Video Auditions: If you are auditioning remotely (or applying from an international centre such as Australia, China, or New York), you must upload your performance recordings to the Acceptd portal. You should perform your pieces alongside a live rhythm section or high-quality backing tracks. Ensure that your positioning allows the panel a clear, unobstructed view of your technical execution on your instrument.
2. Practical Tests
During your evaluation, the specialist panel may also assess your spontaneous musicianship and technical adaptability through the following practical elements:
- Aural Tests and Improvisation: You may be asked to improvise over an unfamiliar harmonic progression or respond to aural prompts given by the panel on the day.
- Sight-Reading: You may be given a jazz chart or standard lead sheet to sight-read to evaluate your reading skills and stylistic interpretation.
3. Postgraduate Interview
All Master of Arts candidates participate in a structured conversation with a postgraduate programme tutor and jazz faculty members to discuss your study plans, compositional or performance philosophies, and professional aims. Your digital application profile must also include a short recorded spoken English introduction introducing yourself and your aspirations to the panel.
Please note: The Master of Arts is a standard postgraduate pathway focused heavily on advanced performance and improvisation. There are no academic written requirements for the MA pathway. Your ultimate course placement remains flexible; you are not tied to the course choice in your application, and the programme pathway can be discussed and adjusted with the panel during your assessment.
For more information see auditions.