ENroute Yearbook 2020-21
Creative Musicianship Bryden Stillie , School of Arts & Creative Industries , Principal Fellow
In Scotland , school-level music qualifications do not provide direct pathways to music at HE level . To find out what the perceived challenges were for those aspiring to study Music at HE level , I conducted a research project with my colleague Zack Moir ( Moir & Stillie , 2018 ). The findings pointed to :
• a perceived disconnect between the expectations of Scottish Qualifications Authority Higher Music qualification and the expectations universities have of applicants ; and
• the challenges of meeting HE entrance expectations without engaging in extra-curricular music related activity , which often has a significant cost attached and can exclude participation in HE for certain groups .
Based on these research findings , I developed the Creative Musicianship programme which offers two alternative qualifications to the SQA Music National 5 and Higher qualifications . These qualifications are better aligned with university expectations and place creativity at the heart of the learner activity . The qualifications , and the pathways they create , also support the School of Arts and Creative Industries widening participation activity – a key part of the School Plan . I secured £ 30k of WARF funding to employ current students and recent graduates to teach on the qualifications . I developed a partnership with two secondary schools whose catchments are predominantly within Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD ) 20 and 40 areas and who were willing to offer the qualifications to their pupils . I also developed a partnership with a local college who specialise in widening participation to enable the qualifications to be creditrated .
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