BMus Question

LosPlagarismo

Hi All,

I hope this is the right place to be posting this! I'm thinking strongly about doing a Ba in music here next year. I'll be a mature student at that stage. My instruments of choice will more than likely be drums and guitar.

I just need some information off people already doing the course or attempting to get into it.

1. What level of performance is expected? I have not yet recieved any grades in either instrument but consider myself good enough at both.

2. What level of theory is expected? This what I'm more worried about to be honest. I didn't do music for the leaving cert, I have very little knowledge of the theory behind it. I'm going to try and get to the level required but I'm definitely going to need theory lessons.

3. Could anyone suggest teachers/music schools/guidence thingy who could help me to get to the level required within a year? I'm kinda at an impass here and could really use some advice.

Again sorry if this is in the wrong area.

Cheers.

Actually, if anyone knows of anyone who specialises in advising people looking to get into this course that'd be fantastic!!

Feathers

Didn't study music here so not much help re:course content/standard, etc.
Just saw this on the Admissions Office website (admissions.nuim.ie)

admissions.nuim.ie/subjects/MH103BMus.shtml wrote:

No special subject requirements, however all students (including mature applicants) must apply before February 1st. Candidates will be shortlisted for interview on the basis of a music test, a sample test is overleaf. The entrance test for 2009 entry will take place at NUI Maynooth on Saturday 28th March 2009, with interviews (including short audition) being held in late April/early May.

Sorry mate, looks like you might be late for this year. Though it'd be worth giving the Admissions Office/Music department a bell, just to double-check:

Admissions Office
Tel: +353 1 7083822
E-mail: admissions@nuim.ie

Music Department
Tel: +353-1-708 3733
E-mail: marie.l.breen@nuim.ie

nicknackgtb

for one i dont think mature students have to sit the test.

banquo

AFAIK Mature Students also have to take the exam.

Don't worry about the level of theory or performance. The standard is piss. Piss. Piss. Piss. Piss. I can't say it enough. Piss.

I was working full time last year (my 2nd year) so I could only go to 22 lectures all year. Got a 2:1. It's a joke. I've gotten so lazy this year with it because it's like playing 400 games of chess with a dog in an hour - you'll win every time, but there's a lot of it.

If you have almost no theory, any piano/insturmental teacher can bring up to the level you want within a year. Hell, in three lessons.

Also, if you have any questions about the department, or music theory, then feel free to PM me! I teach music theory in a school out in Swords.

Best of luck,

*Banquo

Norrdeth

Ah Bmus is great fun, it's the best thing I've ever done.
I'm in 2nd year myself, going to focus on Composition next year.

The entrance test is quite easy, as for the interview try to be as honest as possible and tell them about your likes and dislikes, what types of "classical" music you're into and what you like to focus on in third year (Musicology, Performance, Composition) doing a bit of background research pays off too http://music.nuim.ie/courses/undergraduate/bmusmusicbahonours
also try to play to the interviewers likes and dislikes depending on who you get.

Here is a list of who might be interviewing you
http://music.nuim.ie/staff

All the best in applying and I hope you do well.
Ben

banquo

Actually, Norrdeth has me there. It's actually not that bad if you're really into modern composition. Martin O' Leary is basically an extension of wikipedia.

What always got to me though was how they've resorted to the lowest common denominator. An orchestration class with no music played. That's like learning a load of Italian words but not their English translation.

I gave Paddy the cds to Samuel Adler's 'the Uses of Orchestration' for the library, and 18 months later they have yet to travel the 200 feet from his office to the building where students can use them (Norrdeth, i burned you a copy, remind me to give them to you!)

They also give the modules descriptions that so wonderfully miss the point. I remember a 2nd year module called 'Classical and Romantic history' that turned out to be entirely Schenkerian analysis of Chopin. Bah. That was another pass-entirely-by-exam module of mine because I knew that i could just turn up on the day and say that ''Chopin was an agent of change in a time of transition; an innovator, not just inspired by his contemporaries but would go on to inspire others in the future, etc etc, further guff'' and pass.

Also, the student body predominantly consists of those who obviously thought ''sure I've loads of Rolling Stones CDs, I'll do music!''

Example. There's a Bach inventions module in second year (only open to BMus now I think). The end of year exam is a 'take-away' exam i.e. you collect it at 10am and bring it back at 5pm. ''A certain student" did more than 50% of all exams taken by that class in the one day, for 50e each. That's how easy it is when you have a serious level of interest or know what you're doing. But most don't. And so I spend my days listening to Paddy remind me, in third year, to include the third of the chord. Bah.

I'll hand it to the new Prof though - higher standards (somewhat), more pianos and practice rooms, improved benchmarking standards, etc. More and better books in the library also. Still not as much as I'd like to see though, but the poor thing has a lot of work to do and has only been here 18 months!

They also don't make it any easier for students whose parents aren't loaded and can't afford to supplement their rent and food. I realise that this is more of a personal issue for me - 22 lectures in the whole year as I said - but seriously, just put the damned assignments on the internet, moodle or otherwise. They don't email out a lot of announcements either - there's a crappy noticeboard by the Bewerunge room (bizarrely pronounced BEV-e-RUN-jee) where you're supposed to check from time to time, but you don't because there's only three or four announcements a year.

It's also quite clique-y between the staff and some students. Not even particularly good students.

I like Antonio a lot too - his Monteverdi lectures are to me what lectures should be like.

All of the lecturers are kind people and great craic, I should note. Especially LBB.

The college itself is lovely though. None is perfect, but the south campus is so gorgeous and the north campus so useful (they've got computers!) that it's totally possible to spend the whole day there. Everyone is really very friendly, they cater very well for mature students, squirrels galore.

LosPlagarismo

Lads, thanks so much for the brilliant feedback. I'm gonna have a crack at this alright. Banquo, I'll pm you about your music school if you don't mind. Thanks again for all the help!!

funky penguin

banquo wrote: »

Example. There's a Bach inventions module in second year (only open to BMus now I think). The end of year exam is a 'take-away' exam i.e. you collect it at 10am and bring it back at 5pm. ''A certain student" did more than 50% of all exams taken by that class in the one day, for 50e each. That's how easy it is when you have a serious level of interest or know what you're doing.

Mwahahahahah!!!!! $_$

But yeah, the squirrels do it for me alone.