The Guitar department’s objective is to provide you with a course of advanced professional training that is as comprehensive as possible.

Classes & activities

Core Modules

Undergraduate students take weekly academic classes in addition to their principal study. The classes are designed to complement and add to every student’s creative development as performers.

Below are the module titles for 2020-2021. For detailed information about Academic Studies, download the BMus course handbook.

BMus Core Modules, Years 1 and 2

  • Analytical Skills 1

  • Analytical Skills 2

  • Performing In Context 1

  • Performing In Context 2

  • Aural Skills 1

  • Aural Skills 2

  • Score Reading

  • Artist Development

BMus Elective Modules; Year 3 and 4

  • Analysis of Post-Tonal Music

  • Approaching the Great Luthiers

  • Attentive Listening

  • Aural Skills, Further

  • Baroque Performance on Historical Instruments

  • Baroque Performance on Historical Instruments, Advanced

  • Compositional Techniques of the Germanic Traditions c.1780-c.1880

  • Conducting, Advanced

  • Conducting, Intermediate

  • Contemporary Music Workshop

  • Crossing Cultural Frontiers

  • Free Composition for Performers

  • Free Composition for Performers, Advanced

  • Fugue

  • Listening to Mozart, Thinking about Mozart, Playing Mozart

  • Maestro: a History of Conducting through Film, Recordings and Marked Scores

  • Messiaen in Context

  • Methods in the Analysis of Tonal Music, Advanced

  • Mozart’s Operas

  • Musical Aesthetics and Criticism

  • Open Academy

  • Open Academy. Advanced

  • Performing Baroque Music (with a focus on Handel)

  • Performing Experimental Music

  • Repertoire Studies

  • Research Project

  • Silent Film Improvisation

  • Song Accompaniment

  • Studio Performance

  • Worldwide Repertoires

Department Classes
And Activities

In addition to your individual one to one lessons, a variety of other tuition is available in fingerboard harmony (for undergraduates only), chamber music and teaching skills, as well as lectures, solo performance classes, workshops, masterclasses and competition opportunities.

Principle Study Guitarists undertake a full programme of professional training in the following areas:

Undergraduate

  • Solo Performance
  • Duo Performance (year 4 only)
  • Concerto
  • Technical Testing
  • Recital Presentation Skills
  • Recording Project
  • Chamber Music
  • Fingerboard Harmony

Postgraduate

  • Solo Performance or, for established ensembles only, Duo Performance
  • Concerto
  • Chamber Music
  • Technical Work
  • Recital presentation skills
  • Portfolio on Research Topic
  • Recording Projects
  • Performance of new Composition

Artistic Excellence

We welcome the finest students from around the world to learn and perform alongside globally renowned artists, ensuring they benefit from a music-making environment of the highest quality.

Discover more here.