On 8th November 2023 we visited Newcastle University as A-Level students. During our visit, we learned methods of composition used during the Classical period which was led by Dr. Christopher Tarrant – Senior Lecturer in Music Analysis. We learnt the methods of composition used by composers such as Mozart and Beethoven and were encouraged to improvise our own work in groups.
It was lovely to have the opportunity to experience and ask questions about university life, as well as participating in a lecture. During the independent composition sessions, members of the university came to help us work on our music and gave us a brief idea of what life would be like as a music student at Newcastle University. We interacted with other music students from many other schools and listened to their performances, ranging from many genres of music, including jazz, classical and folk. At the end, we were given our own manuscripts to encourage us to compose music by ourselves and use the techniques we learnt. We found the day very useful and insightful, and came away with lots of ideas that will help us with our A-Level Music compositions.