MA Irish Traditional Music Performance

Program Overview

The MA in Irish Traditional Music Performance is a one-year, full-time postgraduate programme designed to provide advanced tuition in the performance of Irish Traditional Music. Instrumental and vocal tuition is provided by a community of world-renowned traditional performers and tutors. Past tutors have included Frankie Gavin, Liam O'Flynn, Martin Hayes, Matt Cranitch, Michael McGoldrick amongst many others. Academic skills relating to the understanding and critical examination of repertoire, sources and styles of performance, as well as an examination of modern, vocational, non-performance skills such as music business and music technology, form an essential part of the programme content.

This programme will develop music skills and other associated skills appropriate to the modern performance of traditional Irish music.

• To provide a learning environment for advanced performance in Traditional Irish Music to the highest standard;
• To honour the artistic integrity, history, and identity of the performance practice within an academic and performance orientated context;
• To facilitate interactivity with other performance practices;
• To assist each individual performer in 'finding his or her voice' through traditional music performance;
• To facilitate the cross-fertilisation of both the academic and performance pursuits of postgraduate performing music, dance and academic programmes;
• To equip the student with the necessary vocational skills for modern professional performance contexts.