Cardiff University School of Music is the music department of Cardiff University and is located in Cardiff, Wales. It is home to about 240 undergraduate and 40 postgraduate students.[1] It was one of the first departments established when Cardiff University was granted its Royal Charter in 1883.[2] In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, the School's was ranked 13th in the UK in the category Music, Drama, Dance and Performing Arts. Amongst music departments, The School ranked 2nd in the UK for quality of research environment and 8th in the UK for overall research excellence.[3] The department holds close links with organisations such as BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera.
Cardiff University School of Music offers the following undergraduate degree programmes:.[5]
BMus in Music
BA in Music
BA (Joint Honours)
Postgraduate degrees
Cardiff University School of Music offers the following postgraduate degree programmes:[6]
MA in Music (with pathways in musicology, composition, performance, ethnomusicology, and popular music)
PhD research programmes
People
The current Head of School is Professor Kenneth Hamilton.[7]
Former heads of school include Professor Rachel Cowgill,[8] Professor David Wyn Jones, Professor Robin Stowell and Professor Adrian Thomas.
The School of Music is home to numerous ensembles, including:[10]
Cardiff University Symphony Orchestra
Cardiff University Symphony Chorus
Cardiff University Chamber Orchestra
Cardiff University Chamber Choir
Contemporary Music Group
Cardiff University Symphonic Winds
Jazz Ensemble
Lanyi West African Ensemble
Nogo Abang Gamelan Ensemble
Several of these groups have released recordings. In 2020, the Symphony Orchestra released a recording of Michael Csànyi-Wills' Symphony no. 1.[11]
The Contemporary Music Group, under Robert Fokkens, released Only Breath in 2019, featuring new choral music from Wales.
[12]
The school's ensembles have a history of international performance tours, including to Europe, China and Indonesia.