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MUS20270

Academic Year 2026/2027

UCD Symphony Orchestra Spring 2026-27 (MUS20270)

Subject:
Music
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Music
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Ciaran Crilly
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The UCD Symphony Orchestra rehearses and performs works from the standard symphonic repertoire, alongside modern and contemporary pieces, film scores, and popular music. Weekly rehearsals are followed by a more intensive schedule in the lead-up to major concert performances. Participation is strictly by AUDITION ONLY. Registration alone does not guarantee a place in the orchestra. Students who are interested in taking this module should email orchestra@ucd.ie in order to arrange an audition at the beginning of the Trimester, and no later than the end of Week 1.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

The aims of this module are:
improve sight-reading;
enhance the technique of the individual performers;
encourage playing as an ensemble and following a conductor;
broaden knowledge of the orchestral repertoire;
encourage working together as a team towards the clear goal of a concert performance.

Indicative Module Content:

The UCD Symphony Orchestra involves a number of 2.5 hour rehearsals (10–14), that often include sectionals with principals from professional orchestras (National Symphony Orchestra and RTÉ Concert Orchestra). Public concerts are presented at the end of each trimester, with additional performances sometimes scheduled. A concert trip abroad usually occurs every second year, with the orchestra having already traveled to Germany, Sweden, Belgium, and France in recent years.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Proficient

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Advanced Beginner

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Advanced Beginner

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Advanced Beginner

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Advanced Beginner

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Advanced Beginner

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Advanced Beginner

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Not addressed

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 4

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 4

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 4

Reduce inequality within and among countries 3
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Small Group

10
Practical

50
Autonomous Student Learning

40
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Full rehearsals.
Sectional rehearsals with principals from the professional orchestras.
Concert performances.

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
Participation in Learning Activities: Contribution to weekly rehearsals Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10 Graded No
20
 No
Individual Project: Progression in musical performance throughout the trimester assessed by video submission Week 9 Graded No
50
 No
Practical Skills Assessment: Final major concert performance (group mark) Week 10 Graded No
30
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

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, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 18:00 - 20:50
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