City

What you'll study

This master's focuses on the development of experimental performance practice through a mix of practical workshops, individual tuition and critical reflection. Core areas typically include live electronics and sound processing, extended instrumental techniques, improvisation and collaborative performance, composition for new media, and the aesthetics and context of experimental music. Students plan and execute substantial public-facing projects or recitals, and engage with research methods in practice-led work.

• Individual performance lessons and technical coaching in your principal practice.
• Modules on live electronics, signal processing and software-based performance tools.
• Ensemble and site-specific performance workshops that explore interdisciplinary collaboration (theatre, dance, visual arts).
• Seminars on performance theory, historiography of experimental music, and audience engagement.
• Recording, mixing and documentation skills for creating high-quality portfolios and archival materials.
• A practice-based final project or concert supported by a written exegesis that situates the work within contemporary research debates.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a good honours degree (typically a 2:1 or equivalent) in music, performance or a related discipline, or to demonstrate equivalent professional experience. You will need to submit a portfolio that demonstrates your experimental practice — this may include audio or video recordings, scores, software patches or project documentation — and to attend an audition or interview (in person or online) where you present recent work and discuss proposed study. Two academic or professional references are usually required.

International applicants will need to demonstrate English language competence; typical requirements align with standard postgraduate thresholds. Specific entry conditions and evidence of prior training in relevant technologies or performance techniques may be requested depending on the focus of your application.

Career prospects

Graduates pursue varied careers where advanced experimental skills and research-led practice are valued. Common routes include careers as independent performers and composer-performers, members of contemporary ensembles, sound artists and multimedia practitioners, and curators or producers of experimental music events. Graduates also work in education and outreach, arts administration, creative technology industries (software and installation work), and continue into doctoral research or practice-based PhD studies.

Why study at City

City's central London location places students at the heart of a vibrant contemporary music and arts scene, providing easy access to venues, festivals and collaborative partners across the capital. The department offers specialised facilities for experimental practice, including performance spaces, recording suites and access to software and hardware for live electronics. Teaching staff combine active professional practice with research expertise, supporting personalised supervision and cross‑disciplinary projects with other departments. The programme is designed to balance rigorous critical enquiry with practical output, helping students build professional portfolios and networks for ongoing creative careers.