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MUS41250

Academic Year 2024/2025

Contemporary Music in Ireland, Britain, and North America (MUS41250)

Subject:
Music
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Music
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Sean L Clancy
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The distance between Vancouver in Western Canada to Aldeburgh in the eastern UK is about 7600 kilometres (including some 5000 kilometres of ocean). Whilst this vast geographical region is a celebration of diversity and home to a multiplicity of peoples, culture, and musics, within the world of contemporary classical music, there are a number common threads that might be seen as binding new music in Ireland, Britain, and North America. There is an interest in pitch, working with tonality after upheaval, repetition of various kinds, texture, expansive structures, improvisation, and vernacular music. Whilst these threads may not be unique to this mostly anglophone region, musical discourse operates in a very different manner to other regions in the world.

This short 6 week module cannot be a comprehensive survey of contemporary music from Ireland, Britain, and North America; rather, by examining repertoire composed for self-organised groups like the Crash Ensemble (Ireland) Bang on a Can All-Stars (US), Quatuor Bozzini (Canada), Plus Minus Ensemble, and Apartment House (UK), as well as solo practitioners, the module explores contemporary classical music created in neoliberal economies where ensembles and artists for the most part have to rely on multi-annual funding applications, philanthropy, or a gig-by-gig fee to create work. This DIY self-organised approach has had an immense impact on the music created in these regions since the 1990s. It is this way of music-making that will be explored in creative and musicological ways.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of contemporary classical music from Ireland, Britain, and North America.
- Explain and evaluate the importance of place on the formation of different contemporary musical styles.
- Deploy the creative techniques and characteristics of the repertoire discussed in class.
- Demonstrate improved listening and analytical skills.
- Assess and employ ethnomusicological/musicological methodologies as tools for examining and creating contemporary classical music.
- Demonstrate an improved knowledge of conducting research and improved communication skills both creatively and academically.

Indicative Module Content:

Weeks 1: Music from the US - Bang on a Can All-Stars, AACM, solo artists. (eg. David Lang, Julia Wolfe, Roscoe Mitchell, Raven Chacon etc.)
Week 2: Music from Canada - Quatuor Bozzini, solo artists. (eg. Cassandra Miller, Michael Oesterle, Tanya Tagaq, Linda Catlin Smith etc.)
Week 3: Music from Ireland - Crash Ensemble (Donnacha Dennehy, Linda Buckley, Ann Cleare, Gerald Barry etc.)
Week 4: Music from Ireland - Other ensembles and solo artists (Jennifer Walshe, Kirkos Ensemble, Natalia Beylis etc.)
Week 5: Music from the UK - Plus Minus Ensemble, Fidelio Trio, (Matthew Shlomowitz, Joe Cutler, Laura Bowler etc)
Week 6: Music from the UK - Apartment House (Howard Skempton, Laurence Crane, Elaine Mitchner etc.)

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Project Supervision

12
Autonomous Student Learning

100
Total

124

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
In-person seminars 2 hours per week
office hours with module coordinator
self-directed research, study, composition and/or academic writing.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Create a piece of music of c 5 minutes that uses one or more of the approaches discussed in class OR Write a commentary of between 3-5000 words discussing one or more of the topics explored. Week 7 Graded No

100

 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be given individually to students, post-assessment by written and annotated remarks through the VLE.

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