WHAT WILL YOU LEARN

CORE PAPERS

• Fundamentals of Music
  An introduction to the language of music through the development of theory and aural skills, students will gain a solid understanding of music fundamentals while building their own musical language and vocabulary.
• History of Popular Music
  Learn about the great artists from the 1950s to the present and how popular music has developed, what characterises each decade, the progression of sub-genres, and the emerging British artists in the North American market (amongst many other topics).
• Songwriting
An introduction to songwriting and arranging. It doesn’t matter if you are new to songwriting or not, you will learn how to brainstorm ideas, how to express your ideas effectively in words and music, develop strategies for overcoming a writer’s block, and you will find new ways to engage your audience by developing a musical conversation within your arrangement.
• Music Production and Technology
  Gain practical knowledge of working within the studio environment using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). You will become familiar with the principles and practices of audio engineering, the DAW environment and the creative production techniques necessary to meet the challenges of changing technology.
• The Music Industry
  Develop knowledge and skills to understand and adapt to the music industry’s current and emerging environment, including New Zealand's unique bi-cultural society. Study interviews from working musicians in the local music industry, inform your practice and develop your career path, learn about trends and how we need to be adaptable to today’s social climate, and how to put together a music CV that you can use when employment opportunities come your way.
• The Project
  Gain practical skills in planning, budgeting, marketing and recording a music-based event. The Project Management course takes students every step of putting an event together, which also includes rehearsing for and playing at the event, and also going into the studio to edit their work in post-production. In doing so, students gain an understanding of this in real-time which combines all of the knowledge gained from the other papers in the course. The Project is a group-based paper but each student will be assessed individually.
• Instrument or Vocal Stream
  Develop proficiency on an instrument or voice, as well as performance skills which are required of today’s professionals. Students also receive one-on-one tuition (for your major stream) on a weekly basis that covers technical and rudimentary work, understanding theoretical concepts, performance, and self-analysis.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS WILL YOU GET

NZ Diploma in Music (Level 5)

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Domestic Students

• Be a minimum of 17 years old and have four years secondary education (NCEA Level 2), or be a mature student aged over 20
• Have received some music training in an instrument or voice
• Students will be required to produce two referee reports and complete a pre-audition form
• Be interviewed and auditioned
• Provisional Entry may be granted to domestic applicants who do not meet the criteria above, but present evidence of ability to succeed and are able to show they are well prepared to study the programme

International Students

• International students must be at least 18
• Students for whom English is a second language must have an IELTS Academic score of 5.5 with no individual band lower than 5, or equivalent test.