Music as an art form evolves constantly, with practitioners taking inspiration from composers and artists, past and present, and developing future sounds. While our department focuses on creating a musician in every sense of the word, in the traditional way, it will also pay attention to giving students knowledge of the modern developments with regard to music. New technologies and techniques allow us to express our creativity in more ways than ever. As technology increasingly becomes part of the creative industries, the need for graduates who can harness, manipulate and innovate the music production process. has become essential.
With this in mind, the Department of Music and Creative Music Technology offers two four-year music degree programmes, taking into consideration the rapid changes and new requirements called for in this field. We offer the degree programmes of Music
Creative Music Technology & Production
The latter is the first of its kind in the state university system of Sri Lanka.
Students of each programme get a general idea of the other, but will specialize in their particular choice. The music students will follow their subject in a more traditional way, in their journey towards becoming competent musicians, and the Creative Music Technology students, while learning music, will concentrate on becoming competent producers, and knowing how to work within the new creative music technologies.
In the music stream, students will specialize either in a) Vocal or b) Instrumental music. The instruments available are sitar, violin, tabla, esraj, flute and guitar. Local percussion instruments are also taught within the courses, as well as the folk music of Sri Lanka. In the Western music unit, piano is taught up to standards approximating that of the Grade 5 (theory) and 3 (practical) levels of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London; or the Trinity College of Music, London).
The Creative Music Technology and Production course of our department, prepares students for the industry and allows them to realize the limitations, and potential that technology can offer without losing sight of the musical and creative outcomes. Students will be able to create a vast range of music from popular styles to electronica, experimental and beyond. The creative process is underpinned by practical training in desktop music production and recording and mixing, alongside musicianship, songwriting skills, video and 2D/3D design and animation.
Since the creative industry in Sri Lanka is expanding rapidly, the market for such trained graduates in music technology and production is very high, in sectors such as the music industry, film, advertising, TV, radio and gaming industry. In such vastly developing and spreading industry the potential for self-employment is also very high. All the courses of the Creative Music Technology and Production are focused on creating a trained graduate who will be able to prevail in all the sectors in creative industries.
At present, the syllabus of Creative Music Technology and Production consists of in-depth knowledge of Creative Music and Video Technology, basics of Music theory and elements of management theories and practices related to music and video production and entertainment. Creative Music Technology and Production degree programme is designed in accordance with the growing demands and the changes therein, keeping in mind the necessity to produce highly versatile graduates with knowledge of creative technology for industry and also capable of self-employment if necessary. Few job opportunities out of many that the students will have after successfully completing the BA in Creative Music Technology and Production are – Audio Engineer, ADR Recordist, Audio Programmer, Dialog Editor, Live Sound Mixing Engineer, Mastering Engineer, Music Producer, Sound Designer, Recording Engineer, Videographer, Video Editor, 3D/2D Artist, 3D/2D Animator. This also gives students new areas for study in their post-graduate programmes in international universities.
Our department has staff that are among the internationally recognized musicians of the world today. We have already collaborated with international universities by having international artists come and perform at our campus, and our final aim is to forge international links that will help our own students as well. Our final aim is to have young artists who are locally grounded, but also have an international vision, so that our music can be taken to the world stage, one day.
