Music

We would like to warmly welcome you to the Bachelor of Arts (Music) here in the School of English and Creative Arts at University of Galway, and hope very much that your time studying here will be stimulating and enjoyable.

 As Ireland’s capital of culture, Galway has a rich seam of music-making—of all kinds. It is probably best known for its traditional music, being the home of such performers as Frankie Gavin, Mickey Finn, Dolores Keane and Máirtín O’Connor, and a host of sean nós singers from Connemara, including our current sean nós singer-in-residence, Tomás Ó Neachtain. But the city and county can lay claim to other traditions, including rock music, a long-established jazz festival that takes place in early October, and, increasingly, a wide range of classical music. The ConTempo String Quartet are affiliated to the university through the Galway Music Residency; so, too, is Music for Galway, the main platform for classical music in the city; there is an Early Music Festival in May; and Irish National Opera has performed at the Galway International Music Festival for the last two years. So there is plenty of music to enjoy all around you, whether as a performer or as a listener.

The BA in Music is an introduction to the languages, repertories and cultures of music, principally (though not solely) classical and Irish traditional music.  You will listen to music that is performed in theatres, concert venues, the home and the pub; you will acquire skills in theory and harmony composition and music technology; you will discover what is meant by performance criticism and critical listening; you will perform in a choir and learn hands-on skills in arts management.

Above all, it is a course that puts musicianship at its heart.