Course Catalogue

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This course introduces and solidifies core practical skills in creative musicianship for pre-honours students. Through individual instrumental/vocal tuition, lectures and group work, the course equips students in their pre-honours years to pursue a wide range of practical, creative, and scholarly music study as honours students. This includes group performance, orchestration and arranging, basic digital creative skills, utilising notation software and digital audio workstations, recording technologies and techniques, and planning and executing public performances in a range of styles and genres.

17 x 1 hour lectures over 20 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus

17 x 1 hour tutorials over 20 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus

6 x 1 hour rehearsal coaching

12 x 1 hour external tuition sessions

8 x 1 hour attendance to University Music events

Lecture: - Mondays 4-5pm, each week over 20 weeks as scheduled in MyCampus

Tutorials: Tuesdays 9-10, 10-11 or 11-12, over 20 weeks as scheduled in MyCampus

Supervised rehearsals: in semester 2, on Tuesday afternoons

Vocal and instrumental tuition: to be arranged individually with teachers

Attendance to events: as scheduled by Music in the University

None

MUSIC1005, MUSIC1022

None

The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Group Performance (15 minutes) - Individual Mark 30% and Group Mark 10% 

■ Reflective Learning Commentary (700 words) 10% 

■ Reduction and orchestration of various repertoire (4-6 minutes) - 20% 

■ Composition/Arrangement Recording (3-5 minutes + 750 word commentary) - 30% 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ Where participation in the Group performance is not possible, the student's contribution to the preparation of the performance is assessed. Reasonable adjustments include the use of an adapted or alternative performing space and a reduced audience. 

■ There are no alternatives to the Reflective Learning Commentary, but extensions to the deadline can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ There are no alternatives to the Reduction and orchestration of various repertoire, but extensions to the deadline can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ There are no alternatives to the Composition/Arrangement Recording, but extensions to the deadline can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

This course aims to:

■ Provide performance and practical musicianship skills for pre-honours students relevant to later study at honours level; 

■ Introduce practices of music scoring and notation in a variety of instrumental and choral contexts;

■ Introduce creative approaches to orchestration, arrangement and composition

■ Provide training in introductory audio recording and editing skills for music

■ Equip students to prepare, manage and take part in public performances

■ Develop student ability to collaborate creatively

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Utilise basic creative skills to compose, orchestrate and arrange music in a variety of instrumental and vocal contexts

■ Rehearse, conduct, and perform collaboratively in an ensemble of their peers, evaluating performances by listening and responding critically to their own and those of their peers

■ Identify and select repertoire suited to their instrument/s or voice

■ Apply digital audio technologies in a practical music-making setting

■ Reflect on and critically appraise their own work in creative practice

■ Approach practical music study with independence, confidence and adaptability