BA Music and Drama

This unit aims to give students a basic grounding in the field of participatory music practice. 

The unit provides an introduction to the broad range of settings for the application of participatory music practice and a theoretical grounding in key areas such as group process, behaviour management and ethical practice in social contexts. Highly skilled and well-respected practitioners share their expertise and insight from their work in a range of settings, providing practical experiences and first-hand insights for students.

The weekly sessions will challenge as well as inform. Assessment is undertaken through a group presentation (with written submission) in which students are asked to pitch their ideas for a project, and an individual essay.

• To provide a foundation of knowledge upon which students can develop their skills in participatory practice
• To broaden the range of ways and settings in which students are able to apply their skills and learning in further study and upon graduation
• To contribute to society through the development of people-centred practice
   

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Describe a range of settings in which participatory music can be applied
• Understand some of the key issues of participatory music practice, particularly in regard to its social, economic and/or historical contexts
• Draw upon a range of experiences and resources to inform their writing, thinking and/or own practice
   

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

•    Develop and apply critical interrogation skills to issues relating to participatory music practices
•    Synthesise a wide range of theoretical materials relating to the topic
•    Begin to evaluate the relationships between theory and practice in participatory music

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

•    Demonstrate group-work and presentation skills
•    Show experience in workshop design and delivery
•    Demonstrate some understanding of the intersections of theory and practice relating to participatory music
 

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a developing understanding of employment opportunities in which participatory music skills can be utilised, and skills that are directly transferable to that employment market 
• Produce high-quality work independently, showing evidence of critical engagement with relevant source materials
• Articulate, discuss and support findings coherently in both written and verbal form, and in both individual and group-work contexts
   

• Ledwith, M., & Springett, J., (2010) Participatory Practice. Bristol: The Policy Press.
• Matarrasso, F., (2019) A Restless Art: How participation won, and why it matters. Lisbon and London: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
• Mullen, P., & Harrison, C., (2013) Reaching Out: Music education with ‘hard to reach’ children and young people. Music Mark.
• Stephenson, M., Adams, M., Tarling,R., (2014) The Art of Engagement. Norwich: Unitas. 
• Ockelford, A. (2008). Music for children and young people with complex needs. Oxford: Oxford University Press.