MUS20980 Irish Traditional Music Practices Autumn 2024-25

Academic Year 2024/2025

Students will be introduced to a wide range of traditional repertoire and practices, including performance, composition, and arrangement techniques, taught by leading figures from the world of Irish traditional music. Students will then apply these skills to their own performances, compositions or arrangements, which will be submitted at the end of the semester.

Each performer in the ensemble will take on either a major or a minor role, and then choose one additional project to make up the balance of the grade.

For example:

A student performing in a MAJOR role might perform many tunes on a melody instrument, and then just submit one additional MINOR project (e.g. create a small arrangement of a trad tune, compose an original tune, or write a short essay on a topic covered in class).

A student performing in a MINOR role might play backing chords or percussion (or perhaps only a few tunes), while also working on one additional MAJOR project (e.g. A major composition or arrangement for full ensemble, exploring a variety of the instrumental and composition techniques studied in class, or a 5000-word essay researching a topic covered in class).

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Students completing this module will:

1. Learn to perform a broad range of music from the traditional Irish repertoire and related traditions
2. Learn skills of composing and arranging traditional music
3. Develop practical skills pertaining to the rehearsal process, including preparing scores and parts, recording, performing, and working together in a small ensemble

Indicative Module Content:

Performing traditional Irish music and related genres
Accompanying traditional Irish music
Composing and Arranging
Traditional Modes and Rhythms
Instrumentation
Notation
Rehearsing, Recording, Performing

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Practical

24
Autonomous Student Learning

76
Total

100
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module is delivered through:

1. Guest lectures from leading traditional Irish artists
2. In-module supervision and feedback from Module Coordinator
3. Autonomous Student Learning - students will work on their major project throughout the semester (rehearsing, composing, arranging, notating, or writing and researching)
4. Intensive rehearsals and recording sessions towards the end of term 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Experience of Irish traditional music is not a requirement, but students must be able to play a musical instrument.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Individual Project: Students will submit a minor project in the form of a small composition or arrangement, or a short essay, or a performance on an accompanying instrument.
n/a Graded No

30
Individual Project: Students will be expected to demonstrate that they are making clear progress either rehearsing, composing, or arranging a major project week-on-week. n/a Graded No

70

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
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, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will submit weekly recordings of tunes, or drafts of their musical works-in-progress, and they will receive personal feedback on these weekly submissions from the Module Coordinator throughout the semester.