TWO SUBJECT AREAS IN ONE DEGREE
MFA Music Production and Orchestration
ONLINE Dual-Pathway Masters Degree With Live Orchestral Session
Flexible study with personal tuition
Full-time – 24 months (approx 30 hrs/wk)
Part-time – 36 months (approx 20 hrs/wk)
Part-time – 48 months (approx 15 hrs/wk)
Apply now
The orchestra can always be found in the world of commercial music in some form and can be used to great effect. This program will give you the contemporary songwriting and production skills you need to build a strong career, and also the technical and creative skills required to utilise the full capabilities of an orchestral ensemble.
During this comprehensive Master of Fine Arts degree course, you will cover the skills taught in both our MA Creative Music Production and MA Orchestration for Films, Games and Television courses.
Preparing you for the career you deserve
This course combines the contemporary songwriting and music production training needed to become a professional artist as well as the detailed orchestration skills required to take your music beyond the DAW and into the world of live orchestra.
On this course you will learn:
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‘Reflect and Refresh’ – a cycle of constant renewal that drives most of the best in the business.
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Mixing, mastering, sound design, and synthesis.
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Remote working skills to help you collaborate with other artists.
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Sampled instrument techniques, including skills like creating and balancing your template, instrument placement, use of reverb, and using controllers to enhance realism and orchestral mixing.
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Composition for orchestra – creating and orchestrating awe-inspiring live and sampled orchestral film, TV and games music.
- The requirements of different sized orchestral ensembles and how to prepare a record-ready Pro Tools session.
You will be taught and mentored by professionals currently working in the industry, ensuring you receive up-to-date knowledge and expertise. Between them, our tutors work for Disney, Dreamworks, Marvel, Netflix, Universal, Warner Bros, Sky, the BBC, and many others. Below is a selection of the tutors on this course. There are also regular guest lecturers from across the industry. You will learn from your tutors in live webinars, group music review sessions, personal one-to-one sessions, and through written feedback on your music.
Guy michelmore
Composer & ThinkSpace CEO
Composed for Marvel, Disney, Lionsgate & Dreamworks
Bill Boston
Composer & Orchestrator
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
I, Robot
Arhynn Descy
Film Composer & Pianist
Member of AMPASÂ
Ivor Novello Award Judge
Acclaimed Music Editor
Emily Rice
Composer & Orchestrator
Tomb Raider
The Mummy
Star Trek: Discovery
Sebastian Androne-Nakansishi
Composer & Orchestrator
Awarded "Composer of the Year" International Classical Music Awards
Allison Piccioni
Composer & Orchestrator
Graceland
First Dates
White Collar
Sam Watts
Composer & Orchestrator
Planet Earth (BBC)
The Sarah Jane Adventures
Peter Bateman
Media Composer & Orchestrator
Avengers: Age Of Ultron
Shazam!
Hollie Buhagiar
Composer & Orchestrator
Projects for Sky, Channel 4, Amazon, BFI, Amazon, The Guardian.
Emer Landers
Composer & Orchestrator
Bach is Blue
Forever Hold Your Peace
A Risky Undertaking
Emer Landers
Grammy Award-winning Music Producer
Kylie Minogue
Swedish House Mafia
Irwin Sparkes
Songwriter, Guitarist & Singer
White Tail Falls
Ella Walker
Songwriter & Musician
Michael Kiwanuka
Danger MouseÂ
RHODES
Dana Kyle
Composer & Songwriter
Assistant composer on:
The Walking Dead
Agents of Shield
Jack Merrett
Singer, Songwriter & Guitarist
Performed with Black Midi, Black Country New Road
Course CONTRIBUTORS
NIC RAINE
Arranger & Orchestrator
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
A View to Kill
The Living Daylights
FRANCIS SHAW
Film Composer
Room With A View
The Fourth Protocol
Vendetta
Jake jackson
Orchestral Mixing
Wonka
Avengers: Endgame
Captain America: The First Avenger
STEVE SIDWELL
Arranger & Composer
Bohemian Rhapsody
Moulin Rouge!
The Voice UK
Ted Lasso
Wonder Woman
Mulan
Andrea Possee
Composer & Orchestrator
Baymax!
TraitorsÂ
My Life with Puppies
Milton Nelson
Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw
Batman: Arkham Origins
Scrubs
DARELL ALEXANDER
Music Agent & CEO of Cool Music
Harry Potter movies
Downtown Abbey
Halo 4
rachel james
Composer & Orchestrator
Crash Down Hearts
James Bond: Goldeneye Reloaded
Five O'Clock Shadow
HOWARD BLAKE
Film Composer
The Snowman
The Hunger
Flash Gordon
LILLIAN CHAN
Songwriter & Producer
Founder of DYNA & LDN with single "Beam" EP
BILLY DECKER
Country Producer & Mixer
Billy Ray Cyrus
Sam Hunt
Chris Young
James Grover
Composer, Songwriter & Vocal Producer
Worked with Beth Mills, We Architects
LEARN EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SUCCEED
Media composers are required to compose in a very wide range of styles. While most composers have a home style in which they can write fluently, being able to achieve the same level of fluency in a new style takes insight, skill and practice.
This analytical thinking, when focussed on their own music, helps to develop a self-critical sense of objectivity which is an important part of mastering new genres and new areas of work. In this module, we first explain how some common styles work and then ask students to reproduce and extend work in a given style.
Working with a live orchestra is an unforgettable experience. At the end of your course, some of your music will be performed by a live, professional, 50-piece film orchestra. You are welcome to attend in person or follow the session via livestream. This is included within the price of your course. Sessions take place in Europe (most likely Prague or Budapest) and are subject to availability.
360 Degree Video (rotate to view all the players)
Listen to course graduate Lisa Travis's composition I'll Always Be With You, recorded in Prague in 2024.
LIVE INSTRUMENTAL SESSIONS
Throughout your course you will also have the chance to have your music performed by some of the world’s best session players in our live solo sessions. You write a cue, they play it, we film the session and the player gives you feedback and advice. You get a world-class performance for your demo reel.
Unsure about studying online?
Concerned about feeling disconnected or lacking individual attention from home? Don't worry, our online music campus connects you with fellow students, industry alumni, tutors, and professionals across the globe. There's always someone to assist, offer advice, provide encouragement, or share work opportunities.
Discover what our degree alumni have to say about their connected experience with ThinkSpace, the friends they've made, and the networks they've built.
"I love the community. I've made friends for life and I look forward to working with many of them in the future."
We offer three different schedules so you can pick which best fits around your life. It is also possible to switch between these schedules at certain points during the degree, should you find that that you have more or less time available than you anticipated. You can also pause your degree altogether if life gets in the way.
Full-time – 24 months (approx 30 hrs/wk)
Part-time – 36 months (approx 20 hrs/wk)
Part-time – 48 months (approx 15 hrs/wk)
Please note that these weekly hours are estimates based on previous years' students. It will vary from student to student, depending on your rate of work. These time estimates include every element of the course: live workshops, one-to-one tutorials, reading and watching the course materials, and time spent on assignment projects.
FinancING
Fees are set in pounds sterling so may be subject to exchange rate fluctuations for those outside the UK.
You will be invoiced in instalments at the start of each term. (For courses lasting longer than 12 months, please budget for an annual inflation linked increase on the remaining balance of fees, based on UK RPI, capped at 8%.
STUDENT LOANS
In the UK you can apply for the following student loans to cover or contribute towards postgraduate tuition fee :
- Up to ÂŁ12,167 in England. More info
- Up to ÂŁ18,770 in Wales. More info
- Up to ÂŁ6,500 in Northern Ireland. More info
- Up to ÂŁ7,000 in Scotland. More info
PAY-AS-YOU-LEARN OPTIONS
We offer interest-free payment plans, where you can spread the cost of your course across the duration of your studies. The payment plan you are on depends on the schedule you are on. You will be required to pay a deposit upon enrolling.
Employment support programme
HELPING YOU SECURE YOUR FIRST ROLE
accredited by Arts University Bournemouth
Your degree is accredited and awarded by our academic partner, Arts University Bournemouth (AUB). Home to the prestigious Bournemouth Film School – whose alumni include film director Edgar Wright (Baby Driver) and screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) – AUB is a public university on the south coast of England. Its history dates back to the 1880s.
AUB provide academic oversight across our degrees, which are subject to the same rigorous quality checks as degrees taught by all UK universities.
How to apply
To make an initial application you will need to fill out the application form, write a short cover letter and provide a few examples of your music.
"Am I good enough?"
We are frequently asked this and are glad to help. You’ll need to be competent in your DAW and be able to write music fluently and productively. It doesn’t have to be orchestral music and it doesn’t have to be perfect by any means. We are looking for potential. You also don't need a high level of music theory.
We recommend booking a chat with one of our course advisors. As ThinkSpace Masters graduates themselves, they can take a listen to some of your work and tell you where you stand.
"This course brought my music to a level I didn't realise it could go to... There is just so much information packed into each module, and it's broken down in a way that's easy to follow."
Robert Rodriguez
MA Orchestration for Film, Games & TV graduate
"This course has been the perfect springboard for my career. I'd highly recommend it to any amateur or professional musician looking to cultivate their skills."
Andrew Weeks
MA Orchestration for Film, Games & TV graduate
REGISTER FOR MORE INFORMATION
Register below to receive further information by email, and get notified about upcoming online Open Days, events and deadlines.
SCHEDULE A CHAT WITH A COURSE ADVISOR
We recommend booking an informal audio or video chat with one of our friendly course advisors. You can discuss your goals and time commitments, and learn about your different options for subjects, schedules and financing.
They can also review some examples of your music and let you know if you're ready for a Masters. If you're not quite there yet, they'll suggest some practical next steps.