MUS10210 Musicianship

Academic Year 2023/2024

This module is intended to prepare students for Music Theory 1 in the spring trimester by focusing intensively on the basics of music theory and literacy in order to consolidate existing knowledge and fill lacunae. A short music theory examination will be available to students during the first week of teaching. If you achieve less than 80% in this exam, you should take Musicianship. If you achieve a higher grade you can proceed directly to Music Theory 1 in the spring trimester.

Over the trimester students will work intensively in lectures and tutorials on the notation of pitch and rhythm, rhythmic duration and rests, simple and compound meters, treble, bass and C clefs, major and minor scales and key signatures, circle of fifths, relative and parallel keys, simple and compound intervals and the inversion of intervals, quality of intervals, consonance and dissonance, triads and seventh chord construction, Roman numeral identification of chords and transposition. Students will be expected to achieve fluency and agility in handling this material.

The module will also include a basic focus on melody, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm and timbre as fundamental elements of music. These elements will be elucidated through an introduction to score reading.

In weekly tutorials students will have the opportunity to develop their music literacy skills in small groups where attention will also be devoted to the development of aural and sight-reading skills.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the module students should be able to:
- Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the notation of pitch and rhythm, rhythmic duration and rests, simple and compound meters, treble, bass and C clefs, major and minor scales and key signatures, circle of fifths, relative and parallel keys, simple and compound intervals and the inversion of intervals, quality of intervals, consonance and dissonance, triads and seventh chord construction, Roman numeral identification of chords and transposition
- Engage critically with basic questions of harmonic analysis, using the technical names of the degrees of the scale (tonic, dominant, etc.) and Roman numeral identification.
- Read confidently the score of a string quartet or orchestral work from the Classical and Romantic periods and be able to identify and explain the use of transposing instruments and basic Italian musical terms

Indicative Module Content:

Fundamental music theory and literacy
Fundamental elements of music, including harmony and analysis
Score-reading
Listening skills

Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Aldwell, Edward, Carl Schachter & Allen Cadwallader, Harmony and Voice Leading (5th edition), Cengage: Boston, 2019.
Chapters 0, 1, 2 and 3 of Burstein, L. Poundie and Joseph N. Straus, Conciser Introduction to Tonal Harmony (2nd edition), W. W. Norton: New York and London, 2020.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

20
Tutorial

10
Specified Learning Activities

30
Autonomous Student Learning

40
Total

100
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures.
Small group tutorials.
Peer assessment.
Online quizzes.
Task-based learning.
Self-study (aural skills).
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Class Test: Assessment 2 (last half-hour of lecture in week 9). Examination of intervals including simple and compound intervals, interval quality and inversions; construction of triads and seventh chords. Week 9 n/a Graded No

20
Class Test: Two-hour examination in week 12 with three questions. Score-reading and analysis question. Question on scales, etc. Question on intervals, etc. and chord construction. 2 hour End of Trimester Exam n/a Graded No

40
Continuous Assessment: Attendance, preparation and participation in weekly tutorials including aural skills tests Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

30
Class Test: Assessment 1 (last half-hour of lecture in week 5). Examination of pitch and rhythm including the staff, notating pitches, rhythmic durations, simple and compound meter, scales, and key signatures. Week 5 n/a Graded No

10

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Burstein, L. Poundie & Joseph N. Straus, Concise Introduction to Tonal Harmony (2nd edition), W. W. Norton: New York and London, 2020.
Aldwell, Edward, Carl Schachter & Allen Cadwallader, Harmony and voice Leading (5th edition), Cengage: Boston, 2019.
Name Role
Tegan Sutherland Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Clare Dixon Tutor
Jonathan Pickett Tutor
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Autumn
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Mon 15:00 - 16:50
Tutorial Offering 1 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 15:00 - 15:50
Tutorial Offering 2 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 13:00 - 13:50
Tutorial Offering 3 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 14:00 - 14:50
Tutorial Offering 4 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 11:00 - 11:50
Tutorial Offering 5 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 12:00 - 12:50
Tutorial Offering 6 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 13:00 - 13:50
Tutorial Offering 7 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn