It could be said it is a weakness of the Scottish and Irish courses that their names imply exclusiveness. The course at Newcastle is by the same token more inclusive, and by all accounts DOES turn out fine musicians and singers who perform English traditional music as well as other traditional musics. I'm sure it all comes down purely and simply to the issue of 'bums on seats' - as discussed quite a number of times above by both me and Ruth Archer among others. From the university's point of view, why restrict your market for such a course? Given that any music department of any university studies music from everywhere, it was a really bold step for Newcastle to start a traditional music course at all. Well done them and they should be congratulated on it. As I say, it may even be that the Scottish and Irish courses have got it wrong ... or that their market research showed they had enough of a market for such a course. Christ almight, is there really any need to get so het up about nomenclature, if the substance - the content of the course, the teachers, the students (and eventually the graduates) - proves itself worthwhile?
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