BA in Music

GrandmaBasil

Hiya~
I'm hoping to study Music and French next year in Maynooth and was just wondering what the music course is like? I play the cello but I'm only grade 2 so the lady on the phone told me that I'd be participating in group piano.. does this mean we learn keyboard skills from scratch? She also said something about there being no entrance test because this is a 'double honours' degree.. Is it true?! It'd be very ideal for me 'cause I haven't studied music for about a year now and I'd absolutely fail at any sort of tests! And I'm just wondering what the lecturers of the course are like, particularly the performance lecturer because I'm hoping to go mad on cello and somehow scrape myself up to a near grade 6 standard by the end of next year and maybe transfer to cello?

squishykins

Hiya, I can tell you about the music side, but I haven't done French.

Firstly, you'll need to pick a third subject. In first year Arts you do 3, then drop to 2 in second year. See here.

Ok so music. Yes, you will be doing group piano, you have to be of a grade 6 standard or higher to perform a chosen instrument. Looking at your subjects I'm just going to presume you want to be a teacher, and if this is the case then group piano will be great for you. Even if you're not, it's really easy. I took it up from scratch too, the teachers are really nice and friendly, but don't miss the classes or you'll quickly fall behind. If you go to all of them, you'll find the progression each week nice and simple, and for your christmas exams you'll be surprised to find you can do transpositions and all sorts I don't know if you can switch to cello as they're two different sets of exams, but you'd have to ask someone else about that. The name of the performance lecturer is Antonio Cascelli, he's lovely but if you're doing the piano you won't have him at all.

As another part of the performance, you have to join an ensemble. I joined music late so I joined the ladies choir, there's no audition for that one and obviously only for females. Then there's the choral society, in first year only males can join that, and there is an audition afaik. Then there's the chamber Orchestra, Guitar ensemble and Irish trad group, all require an audition. You only need to join one, though! And there's a report due on that in March or April, depending on which you choose.

So that's the performance module, then there's music foundation and fabric. I had Paddy Devine for it, he's lovely. It's just the basics of music, though it is a step up from leaving cert music, the notes are put online, keep up with them, understand them and ask if you don't, and you should be fine.

Then there's Music History. For semester one it's 18th and 19th Century, for the next semester it's the 20th. I wasn't sure what we were supposed to be taking from the lectures as it wasn't made clear, even when I asked, but afaik the normal lecturer is back next year, we had a stand-in. It doesn't go slow, that's for sure, generally you're learning about a new composer every lecture. Find the listening list online, listen to all the pieces on youtube or something, know them, and do as much background reading on them as possible. That's all I have to say for now, hope it helps

GrandmaBasil

Wow that's a lot to take in haha~
it sounds great anyways, I was just worried that they might have expected me to have a little bit of knowledge on the piano, which I don't know anything about at all!
So it's a good and enjoyable course? (:

squishykins

No it starts from the very basics, though it helps to know whichs keys are which before going in, that's all the prep you really need :P

Yeah I'm enjoying it mostly, you know except for the work bit :P It's good though, I like it

funky penguin

squishykins wrote: »

As another part of the performance, you have to join an ensemble. I joined music late so I joined the ladies choir, there's no audition for that one and obviously only for females. Then there's the choral society, in first year only males can join that, and there is an audition afaik. Then there's the chamber Orchestra, Guitar ensemble and Irish trad group, all require an audition. You only need to join one, though! And there's a report due on that in March or April, depending on which you choose.

Just a note on this....

You've forgotten the Chamber Choir which needs an audition, but the Choral Soc doesn't need one.

squishykins

I don't think that first years can join the chamber choir, I was just going by our module guide

wonton

I can't imagine you would be allowed swap in second year, as the want you at grade 6 in first year so they can work from there.

The college doesnt pay for lessons unless you are doing performance(just incase you heard they paid for lessons)

no entry tests for arts students, but i assume you have done music in the leaving as you need a c3 in honours to study music afaik.

do expect to be doing alot of essay and stuff like with most other arts subjects.

and that teacher that is coming back to do music history is even lovelier that the sub.

funky penguin

squishykins wrote: »

I don't think that first years can join the chamber choir, I was just going by our module guide

Don't think so. In fact I'd be very surprised if that was true. If Aengus sees this he'll clear it up!

Actually, on a more general point, ALL college members can join the Choral Society. I would really encourage people to do so, it's a great experience. No ability to read music (or sing really!) is necessary.

squishykins

I was told personally by Antonio that in first year, only males can join the choral society. SO THERE! :P

And I missed the chamber choir on the module guide, just saw it there

Norrdeth

That's stupid! discrimination. Everyone should be allowed to join the Choral Soc.
Well all sopranos and basses anyway =P

leopoldbloom

squishykins wrote: »

I don't think that first years can join the chamber choir, I was just going by our module guide

Not true... There are about 6 first years in the CC this year.

BuroniKiisu

leopoldbloom wrote: »

Not true... There are about 6 first years in the CC this year.

Conductor'd.

squishykins

That's so not fair! I was lied to *cries* I didn't wanna join the ladies choir!!

funky penguin

squishykins wrote: »

I was told personally by Antonio that in first year, only males can join the choral society. SO THERE! :P

I should point out I meant not just Music students! Like all the college.

If you're a firstie female music student, then yes you have to join the ladies choir if you didn't get into any of the audition based ensembles.

BUT, if you're a female firstie from...say....Science, you can join the Choral Soc. Very rarely happens though. They'd prefer some men though. Poor Tenors.

Well.....that's how it's been for yonks. Times seem to be changing in the music dept.

squishykins

I wasn't even given the chance to audition though, cuz I picked music a week late

GrandmaBasil

Whoa okay! If I get accepted I'll just see what happens with all this choir and ensemble stuff
Ahhh I got a B3 but I just hope I'm not all behind on the music skills~ I took a year out after the leaving cert but I was always absolutely horrendous at composition anyways! Do they teach the basics of composition again by any chance?
And this is a little off-topic but I might as well ask while I'm here.. I was looking on the Maynooth website and I can't find anything about on-campus pubs! What?!!

funky penguin

Thats pretty lame! Are you going continue with choir stuff after first year when you leave us?

squishykins

You'll be absolutely fine with a B3, and you don't do composition in first year, anyway. You learn all the basics first.

I think I might, funky, though I really wanted to join the gospel choir though didn't have time. I might do that next year instead Not sure though, what's the choral society like, what music do they do?

funky penguin

Changes every year, but because all their performances are in the chapel, it has to be sacred music.

This year they're doing Bach's St. John's Passion (huge doesn't do it justice).

The year I joined it we did Verdi's Requiem (awesome doesn't do it justice).

I've done Mozart and Brahms in between them.

It's well worth doing for ONE year at least. The 3 carol nights at Christmas are pretty special (with a free Harry Potter dinner), but pale in comparison to singing in theh chapel with an orchestra in front of you. Magic.

squishykins

You make a persuasive case...*ponders*

Is the conductor nice? :P

funky penguin

John O' Keeffe, a lovely man and great conductor.

squishykins

Will you be there?? :P

leopoldbloom

GrandmaBasil wrote: »

And this is a little off-topic but I might as well ask while I'm here.. I was looking on the Maynooth website and I can't find anything about on-campus pubs! What?!!

There is an on-campus pub, known as the SU or The Clubhouse of late.

funky penguin

squishykins wrote: »

Will you be there?? :P

Probably not, I'm hoping to be in Japan!

squishykins

Well, I still haz half a year to decide anyways :P

Norrdeth

Aw! Don't be sad, there's plenty of nice people there(including John)!
I did for 2 years; great craic, great people, great times! =D

squishykins

I dunno...I'm pretty sick of choirs, I've been in one since I was 4 years old...Not the same one but the primary church choir to the secondary choir to the ladies choir...I needs a break to sing on my own for a bit :P