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Sound Entrepreneurship - MUS00101H

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  • Department: Music
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Jack McNeill
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

In this module you will study the impact of enterprise and innovation in the professional world and examine the role of entrepreneurship in music, audio and related industries. It will combine industry perspectives, case studies, practical approaches, and EDI concerns to introduce you to skills critical to entering music or related industries. Bringing together the portfolios and specialisms you have developed throughout your time at York, sessions will function with a view to generating a public-facing and/or industry-specific profile of your work. The assessment will concern the creation and presentation of this profile.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

  • To examine a variety of practices and professions in music, audio, and related industries in order to identify and develop your individual practice within a professional context.

  • To understand the impact and relationships of creativity and entrepreneurship in the music, audio and related industries and in broader socio-economic contexts.

  • To study the work and careers of practitioners working in a variety of professions

  • To create a portfolio of work for identified artistic and/or professional contexts.

  • To develop ways in which to present, disseminate and frame your own professional practice and profile through different strategies, tools and audio/visual media.

  • To further develop professional verbal/written/visual presentation skills.

  • To hone your individual interests and specialisms by setting their own developmental goals with a view to expanding their portfolio of recorded work.

  • To reinforce and hone proficiency in the following key areas: tracking, editing, mixing, mastering, DAW operation, studio operation, MIDI, music theory, listening skills, research and writing, processing, routing, microphone technique, EDI considerations, and studio citizenship.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, you will:

  • Understand the intellectual, technical and creative skills associated with key contemporary practices in music, audio and related industries, and develop individual practice within current professional contexts.

  • Be able to illustrate the relationship between creativity and entrepreneurship, and understand how this relationship historically and currently impacts the music/audio industry and broader socio-economic and environmental contexts.

  • Be able to critically analyse the work of practitioners working across music, audio and related professions through informed aesthetic and technical considerations.

  • Be able to fully devise and present a portfolio, professional profile, and/or other professional documentation with a view to furthering employment prospects

  • Be able to frame professional practice and associated creative outputs using effective and coherent dissemination strategies through a variety of contemporary tools and media.

  • Be able to present work with developed verbal, visual and written styles appropriate for a professional context.

  • Be able to present individual portfolio and/or professional materials.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Sound Entrepreneurship		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

You will be asked to prepare a portfolio/profile you can use to present yourself to potential employers/clients/companies in a defined field or area. The portfolio can be in any format students deem appropriate (EPK, interactive CD, website, physical PK) and can include work completed for previous modules, or in your own time. You are not required to produce novel work for this portfolio. You may wish to include a broader strategy that encompasses social media accounts, email lists, letter writing etc. You may also submit supplementary evidence that includes an overall plan for your self-promotion/job acquisition/career plan, and an explanation of the materials included. You should submit:

  • A ‘launch-ready’ portfolio (EPK, interactive CD, website, physical press kit)

  • Your role-appropriate CV

  • A business plan either specifically linked to your portfolio, you as an individual or for a hypothetical new business

You may also submit:

Any supplementary material you wish to include as necessary such as marketing materials/plans, documentation, budgets etc.

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Sound Entrepreneurship		 N/A 100

Module feedback

You will receive written feedback within standard University turnaround times.

Indicative reading

Hugill, Andrew. (2008). The Digital Musician. New York ; London: Routledge.

Brook, Julia, and Fostaty Young, Sue. (2019). "Exploring Post-degree Employment of Recent Music Alumni." International Journal of Music Education 37, no. 1: 142-55.

Dromey, Christopher, and Haferkorn, Julia Editor. (2018)The Classical Music Industry. Routledge Research in Creative and Cultural Industries Management. New York ; London : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Devine, Kyle. (2015). "Decomposed: A Political Ecology of Music." Popular Music 34, no. 3: 367-89.

Wikstro¨m, Patrik, DeFillippi, Bob, Editor, and DeFillippi, Robert. (2016). Business Innovation and Disruption in the Music Industry. Northampton, Massachusetts : Edward Elgar Publishing.

Fitterman Radbill, Catherine. (2013). Introduction to the Music Industry : An Entrepreneurial Approach. New York ; London: Routledge.

Rogers, Jim. (2013). The Death and Life of the Music Industry in the Digital Age. London : Bloomsbury.

Strong, Catherine, and Raine, Sarah. (2019). Towards Gender Equality in the Music Industry. New York: Bloomsbury Academic & Professional.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.