Music: Composition, Practices and Technology research
Explore our music composition, practices & technology research, an area of expertise in both Performance, Theatre & Music, and Digital & Creative Technologies
Music and sound play key roles in contemporary media and society, and our research in music composition, practices and technologies explores the role of musical creativity across different forms – including musical theatre, western classic music, electroacoustic music, audio software programming, and instrument design.
We're also exploring the function of music in interactive medias, such as video games and virtual/augmented reality. We specialise in the creation, or composition, of these different mediums, analysing them historically and socially, and delivering them to new audiences.
We also develop new tools for exploring the way music interacts with other areas in society. For example, a recent project in sonification involved turning non-musical data – such as stock market information — into music for both artistic and scientific purposes. Another project created scores to allow new performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Yeomen of the Guard.
Our research covers the following topics
- Composition
- Music editing
- Computer music
- Sound synthesis
- Audio processing
- Electroacoustic music
- New interfaces for musical expression
- Generative and adaptive music in games
- Sonification
Methods and facilities
While traditional modes of analysis of compositions, performances, instruments, and software are used, much of our research is practice driven. As such, research often takes place through the performances and creation of music. We develop tools that enable creativity, which are often creative in themselves.
We have a collection of boutique synthesizers, including a rare Buchla modular system. Alongside this, the University has a suite of development kits for commercial game audio and virtual reality work. There are also rehearsal and recording studios.
Our members
Discover our areas of expertise
Music composition, practices and technologies is one of our areas of expertise in Performance, Theatre and Music research, and our Digital and Creative Technologies research – explore the other areas below.
Applied Theatre
Our research in this area explores how theatre and performance can be used in an educational, community or therapeutic context.
Musical theatre
Our work engages with forms that articulate music with theatre, and explores the historical, social, economic and educational contexts underpinning shows on Broadway and the West End.
Performance Practices
We're discovering answers to political and philosophical problems, by investigating performance and its practices.
Digital and Creative Technologies research
We're fuelling technological advances in animation, visual effects (VFX), cross reality (XR), user experience (UX), computer and video games, and visual computing. Discover the work we do.
Interested in a PhD in Theatre, Music and Performance?
Browse our postgraduate research degrees – including PhDs and MPhils – at our Theatre, Music & Performance postgraduate research degrees page.