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Birmingham City University

Birmingham , West Midlands ,United Kingdom

Jazz - Postgraduate Diploma

The recent launch of our Eastside Jazz Club has helped consolidate the integral role that Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has to play in the city. While Birmingham’s thriving jazz scene has been established over many years, our bespoke venue strengthens the promise of exciting future developments in this area.

It is in this context that we offer our taught postgraduate courses in Jazz. Designed for recent graduates and suitably qualified mature students, these programs provide high-quality advanced-level tuition, enabling you to specialize either as a Jazz performer or instigator.

These courses also provide excellent opportunities for you to develop other skills relevant to a future career in the music profession.

What's covered in the course?

  • Regular individual specialist tuition from professional jazz musicians active on today’s scene.
  • Emphasis on the art of improvisation.
  • Regular opportunities to rehearse and perform with small and large jazz ensembles.
  • Priority access to guest masterclass sessions.
  • The chance to develop a distinctive musical voice.
  • In PgDip and MMus, a core career development module designed to get you thinking about your future professional plans. 
  • In PgDip and MMus, the flexibility to choose from a broad menu of Professional Development modules designed to help you work towards achieving your personal career aspirations.
  • In MMus, a core module designed to develop your skills as a researcher or informed practitioner.
  • In PgCert, the ability to focus wholly on the Principal Study area.
  • The possibility of transferring between PgCert, PgDip and/or MMus (as appropriate) once you have begun your studies (but before completion of your original course).

Intakes

  • Sep

Application Processing Time in Days: 25

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

PSW Opportunity

  • 2 Years PSW is applicable after completing a minimum duration of 9 months course (like- Undergraduate, Postgraduate Level)
  • 3 Years PSW is applicable after completing PhD level courses.

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

UK students should normally hold an honours degree, ideally but not necessarily in Music.

Non-UK students should hold a Bachelor's degree or a similar degree-equivalent diploma, ideally but not necessarily in Music.

Audition requirements

All applicants for this course will be auditioned.

Home student auditions will be scheduled live in Birmingham.

EU/international students outside the UK at the time of application may submit a recording or may travel to one of our International Audition Centres.

Jazz performers should perform two contrasting pieces with a rhythm section (provided), as well as a short transcribed solo (unaccompanied).

Pianists, bassists and drummers audition by taking their place in the rhythm trio.

Guitarists may choose to audition with just bass and drums, or the full rhythm trio.

The panel will be interested to hear you talk about your artistic influences, your inspiration to be a musician and your career objectives.

The audition and interview together will last for about half an hour. You will be invited to arrive before the audition for a warm-up that will last for 25 minutes.