PERF 2030 Musicology as a Professional Practice

This is an archived copy of the 2021-2022 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit https://hbook.westernsydney.edu.au.

Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 102858

Coordinator Jacob Leonard Opens in new window

Description This unit offers the opportunity for students to apply musicological skills and knowledge to real-world contexts, such as writing program notes, music reviews, and blogs, researching and retrieving music repertories for performance in various ensemble configurations, researching, analysing and critically writing about music from a range of genres, and adopting key analytical strategies for considering music in its cultural, intercultural and historical contexts. The teaching materials and content in this unit will be designed to closely align with and support the practical projects being chosen and designed by students in two project units (1 and 3) in the Bachelor of Music. The unit will provide students with a broadly informed view of current issues in music practice.

School Humanities & Comm Arts

Discipline Music

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 2 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 2 subject

Equivalent Subjects PERF 2006 - Contemporary Arts Music (Histories) PERF 2007 - Cultural Paradigms and Music
PERF 2018 - Music Culture and Discourse

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  1. Critically analyse the range of program notes used for various genres and styles of music.
  2. Examine the cultural, intercultural, and historical contexts of music in a program-note, music blog or formal music review.
  3. Evaluate the role of descriptive musical analysis and apply it to the written program-note.
  4. Explain the function of music in multi-media and interdisciplinary contexts and their relationship to the program note, blog, and formal music review.
  5. Assess and apply various modes of writing in the program-note, music blog and formal music review.
  6. Those attending Art of Sound will be able to: Participate in and contribute to Art of Sound activities and projects, collaborating with students across the Music program to develop and enhance production, technical and performance skills.

Subject Content

Critical analysis of the range of program notes used for various genres and styles of music
The relationship of the cultural, intercultural, and historical contexts of music to the program note
The role of descriptive music analysis in the program note
The function of music in multi-media and interdisciplinary contexts
The relationship of music repertories to program-note writing and reviewing
The role of musical blogs to the practice of music
Assessing and applying various modes of writing in the program note, the music blog and the formal music review
How to write about music

Assessment

The following table summarises the standard assessment tasks for this subject. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated, where there is a difference your Learning Guide takes precedence.

Item Length Percent Threshold Individual/Group Task
Presentation 15 minutes 30 N Individual
Critical Review 2000 words 35 N Individual
Portfolio 3000 words 35 N Individual
Art of Sound Minimum 2 hours per fortnight S/U Y Individual

Prescribed Texts

  • Beard, David and Gloag, Kenneth, Musicology: The Key Concepts. London & New York: Routledge, Second Edition, 2016.
     

Teaching Periods

Spring

Penrith (Kingswood)

Day

Subject Contact Jacob Leonard Opens in new window

View timetable Opens in new window