Developing Musicianship - MUS00071C

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  • Department: Music
  • Credit value: 10 credits
  • Credit level: C
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2022-23 to Spring Term 2022-23

Module aims

  • To develop aural skills through focussed listening to music, and critical reflection on that experience.
  • To become more aware of that process, and develop skills of perception and analysis of music, irrespective of whether a score is available or not.
  • To investigate issues of form, timbre, harmony, melody, rhythm, style, technique.
  • to develop and extend musicianship, and to equip students with the necessary skills (score-reading, transposition, harmonisation, figured bass etc.) to achieve greater flexibility in seeking career development.

Module learning outcomes

Subject content

  • be aware of the different ways in which we listen to music, and be able to adopt listening strategies as appropriate
  • to develop listening skills through a weekly series of focussed activities
  • have considered issues of form, harmony, melody, rhythm and texture, and the techniques available to discuss them
  • be more aware of what they are hearing, and be able to communicate that experience through a variety of different formats: oral commentary, written account, diagrammatically
  • have improved their abilities to write down heard music in conventional and non-conventional music notation
  • have acquired a greater understanding of harmonic practice through the harmonising of melodies and the use of figured bass.
  • have gained a practical knowledge of the various C clefs (Alto, Tenor and Soprano) and of transposing instruments.
  • have studied the main elements of tonal harmony and practice from the common practice era c.1600-1900.
  • have demonstrated knowledge of this through the completion of written exercises in differing styles (eg chorale, string quartet etc.) and by listening.
  • have analysed chord progressions in excerpts from music literature.
  • have studied 18th century counterpoint (2-part/3-part) through analysis and written exercises.

Academic and graduate skills

  • Have developed critical skills in respect of responding to and commenting on that experience
  • have developed skills in placing new stimuli into context, and draw upon previous experience to make critical judgements.

Module content

This module consists of two parts:

A: Aural Skills
Weekly sessions in Autumn and Spring Terms, with a take-away assessment in Summer Term.

B: Harmony and Counterpoint
Small group sessions in Autumn and Spring Terms, with two take-away assessments, one in Spring Term and one in Summer Term.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 50.0
Essay/coursework 25.0
Essay/coursework 25.0

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

Aural skills assessment – take-away paper handed out Week 10 Spring Term, submission Monday Week 6 Summer Term.

Harmony & Counterpoint assessment – take-away paper #1 handed out Week 10 Autumn Term, submission Monday Week 5 Spring Term; take-away paper #2 handed out Week 10 Spring Term, submission Monday Week 6 Summer Term.

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100.0

Module feedback

  • Assessment: feedback of marks within 20 working days of submission.
  • Reassessment: feedback of marks by end Sept.

Indicative reading

Details to be given in class.