Students
MUS 325 – Musical Literacy
2017 – S2 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Andrew Alter
W6A 238
Consultation is anytime by appointment. Please email or discuss with the convenor.
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| Credit points |
Credit points
3
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
39cp at 100 level or above
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit engages students in critical and creative listening, understanding and performance of music, and aims to provide the student with analytical and conceptual foundations for advancing practical, aesthetic and critical awareness. Both the study of theory and aural recognition helps to develop performance skills in melodic and rhythmic competency, aural awareness and theoretical understanding. Assessment for the unit is founded on creative and performance projects, written assignments encompassing theory and notation, and aural recognition tasks.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Analyze and evaluate music theory in conventional European Practice.
- Identify and interpret melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures in music.
- Analyze and apply music theory and practice through both notated and performed media.
- Evaluate and apply theoretical structures to creative practice in music.
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
General Assessment Information
Re-Marks: The in-session re-mark application form is available at http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project proposal | 10% | No | Week 3 August 17 |
| Theory Workbook Tasks | 20% | No | Fortnightly |
| Progress Report | 10% | Yes | Week 8, Oct 8 |
| Aural Test | 20% | No | Week 12, November 2 |
| Final Creative Project | 40% | No | Week 13, November 9 |
Project proposal
Due: Week 3 August 17
Weighting: 10%
At the start of the semester students will provide an outline of a performance/composition task that they wish to complete by the end of the semester. This performance/composition task will be the Final Creative Project for the unit (see below). The Project Proposal should state clearly what the creative task will be and should present a study plan to indicate how you intend to work on the task throughout the semester.
Marking Criteria:
Coherency: Does the proposal provide a clear indication for 1) what activities are intended, 2) how creativity will be explored, and 3) what elements will comprise the submission.
Scope: Is the scope of the project achievable within the time frame for the assignment. Conversely does the proposed project provide enough opportunity to demonstrate the creative endeavor in a meaningful way.
Submission Details:
A written proposal should be submitted through the unit iLearn site by the due date. Turnitin will be used for this assignment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
Theory Workbook Tasks
Due: Fortnightly
Weighting: 20%
Students will be provided with theoretical tasks as part of their in-class activities. Five of these will be identified as assessable and will be handed in for progressive assessment throughout the semester. Students should gather these tasks together into a workbook for future reference.
Marking Criteria:
All tasks will require a written response using musical notation in some form. Each workbook task will be weighted appropriately based on the content of the questions asked and the overall number of workbook tasks assigned. Students will be marked on whether their answers indicate a conventional understanding for the musical analysis and/or symbolic indication required.
Submission Details:
Tasks will be given to students in class on pre-organized workbook sheets. Students should return the hardcopies of these sheets directly to the convenor in the subsequent class.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyze and evaluate music theory in conventional European Practice.
- Identify and interpret melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures in music.
- Analyze and apply music theory and practice through both notated and performed media.
Progress Report
Due: Week 8, Oct 8
Weighting: 10%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)
Students will present a progress report on their final project. The project will be in written and aural form, and may be a preliminary performance (work in progress) in preparation for their final project.
Marking Criteria:
Has demonstrable progress been made towards preparing the project. Demonstrable progress includes conceptual development and practical work.
Submission Details:
Students will give a short aural presentation in class of their work so far. A short (300 - 500 word) report on the progress they have made should be submitted via Turnitin on the day of the aural presentation.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and interpret melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures in music.
- Analyze and apply music theory and practice through both notated and performed media.
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
Aural Test
Due: Week 12, November 2
Weighting: 20%
Students will undertake regular 'non-assessed' activities in class which will be designed to improve their aural understanding of music. These activities will comprise singing and/or listening tasks. At the end of the semester students will be given an aural test in relation to the tasks and activities practiced throughout the semester.
Marking Criteria
Has the student been able to recognize and correctly identify specific musical phrases, idioms and structures as discussed in class? These will include specific rhythmic patterns and melodic elements.
Submission Details:
During the week of November 2 students will sit for an aural test in class.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyze and evaluate music theory in conventional European Practice.
- Identify and interpret melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures in music.
- Analyze and apply music theory and practice through both notated and performed media.
Final Creative Project
Due: Week 13, November 9
Weighting: 40%
At the end of the semester students will submit a score and/or a recording of the Creative Project that they outlined at the beginning of the semester. This creative project may take various forms. It may involve musical performance and/or composition (note: it may involve both) and should demonstrate ways in which they have explored new musical forms and/or sounds. The project outcome may involve theoretical/aural ideas learned in class but may also move into new areas of musical experimentation. Scores may comprise various forms of notation and/or instructions. Performances may be either individually performed or as part of an ensemble. If the project involves performance, this final performance should be submitted as a recording.
Marking Criteria:
Has the student demonstrated a high level of musical understanding through the performance or recorded/composed product they have created.
Does the project demonstrate significant internal musical coherency as a unified idea.
Does the project demonstrate the student's ability to carry through a musical task of considerable complexity.
Did the final outcome from the project demonstrate the student's ability to follow through, in a sustained manner, on plans set at the beginning of the semester?
Submission Details:
Final projects will be in different formats depending on the medium chosen by each student. These could be written compositions and/or recorded expressions of those works. Live performance is also possible. Submission of each of these will vary according to the project chosen. A Turnitin site has been created so that any written component of the submission may be submitted through this mechanism.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and interpret melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures in music.
- Analyze and apply music theory and practice through both notated and performed media.
- Evaluate and apply theoretical structures to creative practice in music.
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
Delivery and Resources
All classes for this unit are organized as two hour seminars. All seminars involve a practical component designed to develop skills as outlined in the Learning Outcomes. Consequently, attendance at the seminars is essential and no ECHO recording will be undertaken for the classes.
There is one mandatory textbook for the unit which must be purchased from the CO-OP: Fitzgerald, J. 1999. Popular Music Theory and Musicianship. East Lismore: Hazelmount.
Late Submissions
Tasks 10% or less. No extensions will be granted. Students who have not submitted the task prior to the deadline will be awarded a mark of 0 for the task, except for cases in which an application for Disruption to Studies is made and approved.
Tasks above 10%. Students who submit late work without an extension will receive a penalty of 10% per day. This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Disruption to Studies is made and approved.
Unit Schedule
Seminar classes in this unit will be directed towards learning skills of music literacy. Topics of focus will include modal and diatonic theory as well as harmonic practice in Contemporary Music.
Learning tasks will be structured in such a way that students develop their musicianship skills throughout the semester. In particular, these musicianship skills include aural perception (the recognition and subsequent description of musical sounds and patterns) and theoretical knowledge (largely, though not exclusively based around notation practice of some kind). By focusing on Modal/Diatonic Theory and Harmonic Practice in Contemporary Music, this unit will equip students with creative ideas and analytical skills related to some of music's most essential parameters.
In the first three weeks of term students will undertake preliminary written and practical activities that are designed to gain requisite rudimentary knowledge. These skills will then be used for creative tasks and exercises of a more advanced nature in the remainder of the semester. These first three weeks will ensure that students who come to the unit with limited knowledge will be equipped for the more complex tasks undertaken later. For students who already have this rudimentary knowledge, the first three weeks will provide performance opportunities that will enhance creativity in other ways.
From the fourth week of term onwards, each class will focus on a different harmonic skill/knowledge as follows:
Week 4 Topic: Modes and Scales: History and Structure
Week 5 Topic: Triads: Qualities and Structures
Week 6 Topic: Chord inversions - (and) the relevance of tessitura
Week 7 Topic: Seventh chords. Normal Thursday class will not be held September 14. Alternative seminar times will be discussed earlier in the semester.
Mid-Semester Break
Week 8 Topic: Mid-Semester Progress Reports
Week 9 Topic: Chords and Modes - connections and ideas
Week 10 The Bass Line and Formal Patterns I: Blues, Kwela, diaphonic and multiphonic singing
Week 11 Topic: Principles of Harmonic Analysis I: Standard cadential progressions and the Beatles
Week 12 Topic: Principles of Harmonic Analysis II: More extended jazz patterns, David Bowie, Elvis Costello and maybe a cameo appearance by someone you choose.
Week 13: Semester wrap-up.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
Creative and Innovative
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Identify and interpret melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures in music.
- Analyze and apply music theory and practice through both notated and performed media.
- Evaluate and apply theoretical structures to creative practice in music.
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
Assessment tasks
- Project proposal
- Theory Workbook Tasks
- Progress Report
- Final Creative Project
Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
Assessment task
- Final Creative Project
Commitment to Continuous Learning
Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Evaluate and apply theoretical structures to creative practice in music.
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
Assessment tasks
- Progress Report
- Final Creative Project
Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Analyze and evaluate music theory in conventional European Practice.
- Identify and interpret melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures in music.
- Analyze and apply music theory and practice through both notated and performed media.
Assessment tasks
- Theory Workbook Tasks
- Progress Report
- Aural Test
- Final Creative Project
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Analyze and evaluate music theory in conventional European Practice.
- Identify and interpret melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures in music.
- Analyze and apply music theory and practice through both notated and performed media.
- Evaluate and apply theoretical structures to creative practice in music.
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
Assessment tasks
- Project proposal
- Theory Workbook Tasks
- Progress Report
- Aural Test
- Final Creative Project
Problem Solving and Research Capability
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Analyze and evaluate music theory in conventional European Practice.
- Evaluate and apply theoretical structures to creative practice in music.
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
Assessment tasks
- Project proposal
- Theory Workbook Tasks
- Progress Report
- Aural Test
- Final Creative Project
Effective Communication
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Identify and interpret melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures in music.
- Analyze and apply music theory and practice through both notated and performed media.
- Evaluate and apply theoretical structures to creative practice in music.
- Critique and summarize one's own, and one's peer's, creative practices in musical performance.
Assessment tasks
- Project proposal
- Theory Workbook Tasks
- Progress Report
- Final Creative Project
Changes since First Published
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 20/07/2017 | Instructions for submission via Turnitin of written components for Assessments 3 and 5 have now been added to the Unit Guide. |
| 19/07/2017 | A notice to adjust/reschedule the seminar time for Week 7 (September 14) has been added to the Unit Topic list. |