This is a specialist course in composing for film and television. You will need to have contextual knowledge of mainstream repertoire and significant experience of composition and orchestration. In return, the course gives you excellent opportunities to develop technical skills in composition and studio-based work.

You will study historical and current techniques used to create music for modern media. And you will look at ways to draw on these techniques in a practical context by composing music for a diverse range of genres, including: 

• television thrillers
• animations
• video game trailers
• science fiction
• dramatic cinema
• silent films
• costume dramas
• documentaries
• horrors.

The course is taught mainly through individual tutorials, giving you generous contact with specialists, but you may also participate in group workshops, seminars and lectures.

By writing for a variety of ensembles, you will hone and refine your skills as an orchestrator. In addition, you will expand your musical and dramatic vocabulary via a series of compositional pastiche exercises.

Our highly experienced staff will guide you through assessments in film score analysis and in-studio ensemble conducting, which will include working with a group of live performing musicians.

By the time you have completed your studies you will have the skills and knowledge to gain an enhanced route into composing for film and television.

You might follow in the footsteps of our graduates who have achieved success working on a diverse range of projects for an impressive list of clients, including:

• the BBC 
• The National Theatre
• Youth Music Theatre UK
• Projection Pictures
• Sky
• Channel 4
• the British Film Institute.

Recent alumni successes include the creation of a major soundtrack score for the Imperial War Museum's authentic film footage from the First World War trenches and the critically acclaimed reconstruction and recording of film scores for Quo Vadis (Miklos Rosza) and Lawrence of Arabia (Maurice Jarre).

Most students progress directly into the industry after completing this course, however you may choose to undertake a PhD or further your compositional studies with a DMus. Find out more about LCM research.