Rationale
Irish traditional music and dance are an intrinsic part of the cultural life of this island. In recent years they have become significant economically and traditional musicians and dancers now have careers over the entire globe. In a modern context musicians and dancers not only need excellent performance skills to make a career but also a wide variety of vocational skills (educational, technology, business etc) to be successful in these competitive fields.
This degree is designed primarily to develop the performance skills of students and to do this they will work with visiting and resident tutors who represent the cream of performance in Ireland and beyond.
The main bulk of performance work will be solo but there will also be a significant amount of ensemble work. Students will also be encouraged to develop second performance skills -making them more versatile as performers.
[Click here for a list of tutors]
Students will engage in vocational studies directly relevant to traditional music and dance enabling the student to engage the real world of professional performance. For example, students will record CDs and videos, use digital media, write business plans, plan tours and organise performances.
[Click here to see the programme's structure]
Students will engage in academic studies relevant to their performance skills in areas such as traditional music and dance studies, popular music and dance studies, histories of western music and dance, ethnomusicology, ethnochoreology, music and dance education and music and dance psychology. Students will also engage the wider cultural, social and historical context of this island with a number of modules in Irish cultural studies.
The new BA in Irish Music and Dance is the first of its kind and is unique because it places performance at its heart but it recognises the vocational needs of future graduates who will make their careers from music and dance performance as well as allowing students to develop interests in areas of academic study. This blend enables students to pursue career paths outside of performance.
9th March, 2008
