{"id":2445,"date":"2021-09-13T17:08:51","date_gmt":"2021-09-13T16:08:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/?p=2445"},"modified":"2025-03-21T16:43:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T16:43:15","slug":"alumni-spotlight-sarah-kierle-musm-composition-electroacoustic-music-and-interactive-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/2021\/09\/13\/alumni-spotlight-sarah-kierle-musm-composition-electroacoustic-music-and-interactive-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Sarah discusses her career since completing her MusM in Composition"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sarah now works as a PhD Researcher\/Freelance Composer\/ECHOES Project Assistant. As a Freelance Composer, she has been commissioned by arts charities and exhibitions to create electroacoustic works and sound installations. As a Project Assistant at ECHOES, she facilitates the creation of geolocative audio apps and experiences.<\/p>\n

Why did you choose to study your course at Manchester?<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe University of Manchester is one of the best places to study electroacoustic composition, not only due to the fantastic resources within NOVARS studios but because of the high-quality teaching and varied courses available. The MANTIS festival was also a huge draw for me \u2013 the opportunity to learn how to set-up a large scale performance system and diffuse your own music over 56 speakers.”<\/p>\n

Did you always know that you wanted to do the career you\u2019re in? Did your course or time at Manchester help influence this?<\/h2>\n

\u201cI also did my undergraduate degree at the University of Manchester, and originally I wanted to become a classical singer. I became interested in electroacoustic composition in first-year due to my fascination with video game audio, which developed into a passion for the subject that totally changed my career path.”<\/p>\n

How did your course set you up for your career path?<\/h2>\n

\u201cI knew that I wanted to work with audio in some capacity. The Master’s degree set me up not only to continue my studies as a PhD researcher, but also to write music to a brief (which is invaluable as a freelance composer) and to experiment with new technologies.”<\/p>\n

What was the most surprising takeaway from your course that\u2019s helped you in later life?<\/h2>\n

\u201cThis seems obvious, but the most surprising skill I learnt over the course was how to listen properly. As a performing musician, I knew how to listen already, but there\u2019s something about growing one\u2019s familiarity with electroacoustic music that makes your ear pick out the most tiny and interesting sounds in day-to-day life. This has helped me not only professionally but from a wellbeing standpoint as well.”<\/p>\n

What advice would you give to a student looking to start your course and\/or join the University?<\/h2>\n

\u201cDon’t be afraid to learn new technology from scratch!”<\/p>\n

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