Music making at Goldsmiths

We are committed to high-quality, ambitious and innovative performance. Many of our graduates have achieved a professional career as performers.

We actively support student initiatives to set up their own groups, so please get in touch. More information can be found on the notice boards on the Music Department corridor on the ground floor in Richard Hoggart Building. We have an extensive collection of chamber music parts and vocal scores available to borrow, and music department students can book rehearsal spaces and equipment.  

Opportunities for music making in the department: 

• Chamber Choir 
• Contemporary Music Ensemble (CME) 
• Electronic Music Studios (EMS) 
• Goldsmiths Music Studios (GMS)
• Goldsmiths Vocal Ensemble (GVE)
• Improvisors’ Collective
• Jazz Workshop
• Laptop Ensemble
• NX Records
• Simon Says 
• Steel Pans 

And taking an active part in our ensembles is HEARable.

Chamber choir 

Rehearses on Wednesdays, 4 – 6pm in the Great Hall (starting 16 October)  

Directed by graduate Nick Wibberley, the choir is open to all (no audition) and in Term 1 we will be focusing on festive music with concerts on Thursday 12 December as well as the Goldsmiths Carol Concerts on Wednesday 11 December. 
 
Singers should be able to read music and we welcome singers from outside of the department. Sign-up sheets with audition times will be on display during Term 1. 

Contemporary music ensemble (CME)

Rehearses on Thursdays, 6pm - 8pm in RHB 167 (starting 9 October) 

Led by contemporary music specialist James Creed, the CME reflects the department’s acknowledged expertise in contemporary music studies and has given a number of world premieres. 

In Term 1 we'll be exploring a broad range of experimental music composed after 2000, looking in particular at open, inviting notations and practices that aim simply to bring a group together to play in a certain way. This will mean working with experimental verbal, graphic and staff scores, elements of improvisation, and curious ears. Any and all players welcome—no particular technical ability or familiarity with notation required. 

Electroninc music studios (EMS)

Holds concerts during the year, from AV, to stereo, to multi-channel surround sound and provides opportunities for students to have studio-based work performed, including work involving performers, using the new EMS-TV space. Keep an eye on the noticeboards for information 

Contact: ems (@gold.ac.uk)

Goldsmiths music studios (GMS)

We will be running studio sessions and gigs, including the OMNI workshops, which aims to develop the technical knowledge and studio skills of female and non-binary music students through a series of workshops, talks and recording opportunities. 

Contact: gms (@gold.ac.uk)  

Goldsmiths vocal ensemble (GVE)

Meets on Wednesdays 6.30pm - 8.30pm in RHB 280 (starting 9 October) 

Led by Voice Expressions founder Brenda Rattray, connect with yourself and others and increase your confidence in singing with others. These workshops are a great place to build relationships and work together through singing.

This term the GVE will be working on music of different styles in the soul/jazz/African American traditions – open to all who wish to explore voices and harmonies. 

Improvisors' collective

Meets on Wednesdays 3pm – 4.30pm in RHB 274 (starting 16 October) 

The Improvisers’ Collective brings together Goldsmiths students and staff from various musical backgrounds and level of study, from first year undergraduates and masters to PhD students.

Approaches range from open graphic/text scores and structures to completely free improvisation. It features all manners of instruments / technologies / voices / crisp packets. The line-up is flexible, and it is open to all with no audition. Led by Iris Garrelfs.  

Jazz workshop

Rehearses on Mondays, 7pm – 9pm in RHB 167 (starting 14 October) 

Led by Sam Crowe, the first two sessions in Term 1 will be exploring modal jazz and a chord/scale approach to improvising within a form. Miles Davis album 'Kind of Blue' will be at the centre of this. If you want to learn about performing jazz and enhance your skills, sign up on the notice board in the Music Depertment corridor on the ground floor (opposite the Electronic Music Studios) with your name and instrument.

Laptop ensemble 

Meets on Tuesdays 5pm - 7pm in RHB 268 (starting 1 October) 

Led by Niamh Gallagher, the laptop ensemble provides an opportunity for computer musicians to compose, programme, perform and improvise in an ensemble context. The ensemble makes use of controllers and sensors, explores digital instrument design and live electronics, and collaborates with other musicians/ensembles/art forms.   

NX Records 

NX Records is an independent record label housed in the Music Department and offers students the chance to volunteer with the record label.

Each year they work on a series of releases and events, including the NX Mixtape, the Guest Curator Programme, and radio broadcasts. For postgraduates, they host a weekly meet-up to showcase and discuss new music.

To get involved, chat to Rich Greenan on nx.recs (@gold.ac.uk)

Simon Says

Curated by students on the BMus in Popular Music and featuring students from the Department of Music, this regular open mic night hosted by the Students' Union has tunes from solo sets of singers/songwriters to bands.

In addition to offering a phenomenal viewing spectacle, in true Goldsmiths tradition there are often additional slots available if you wish to take part. For more information, email simonsays.gold (@gold.ac.uk)

Steel pan group

Led by recent graduate Jody Humphries, pans played using a pair of straight sticks tipped with rubber; the size and type of rubber tip varies according to the class of pan being played.

Steelpans grew out of Trinidad and Tobago's early 20th-century carnival percussion groups and is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Steel Pans Group will be project based in Term 2 with more intensive sessions in The Great Hall, leading to a gig in March. No experience required - tunes are learnt by ear, so no need to read music! 

For many years, new students were introduced to the Department at the start of the academic year with Music Week: an intensive programme of rehearsals and creative workshops that culminate in the opening performances of the season. Previous shows can be viewed on our channel youtube.com/goldsmithsmusic.