Students
MMCC2063 – Vocal Studies: Song, Composition & Arranging
2021 – Session 2, Weekday attendance, North Ryde
Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update
The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.
This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.
Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor / Tutor
Mary Mainsbridge
Contact via Contact via email
10HA 165E
Email for an appointment
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 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 focuses on singing, song, composition and musical arrangement in a range of styles. It aims to facilitate critical listening and singing through the exploration of vocal stylistic nuances and musically arranging for voice. Creative approaches to repertoire and songwriting are introduced. Students research songs and musical styles/genres and are encouraged to pursue specific interests such as Blues, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Country, Pop and Rock. The unit fosters the development of creative, interpretive, performative and analytical skills appropriate to a variety of contemporary music genres. Original songs may also be explored. No prior knowledge of singing is required. |
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:
- ULO1: engage in, and maintain, vocal practice.
- ULO2: create, perform and/or communicate lyric, melodic and musical components.
- ULO3: apply reflexive strategies for practices, performances and/or presentations.
- ULO4: analyse repertoire through critical listening.
- ULO5: implement and evaluate stylistic nuances that employ appropriate vocal technique and vocal health/care strategies.
- ULO6: apply academic conventions in writing and referencing.
General Assessment Information
Assessment standards
1. Rubrics are used for all assessments and will be available on iLearn.
2. Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available in Schedule 1 at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment
Written Assessment Submission
All written assessment submissions must be through Turnitin by the due date and time. For all written work, students are required to use APA referencing system for all in-text referencing and reference lists. This includes recorded material as appropriate. Please use the Library database for your own research purposes and do not use Wikipedia as a reference.
iLearn Forums
Students are required to participate in iLearn Forums for all group discussions. Please do not use social media, e.g., do not use Facebook. Due to copyright issues, the posting of lyrics, sheet music and/or videos on iLearn is not permitted. If appropriate, please post only links to resources such as websites/YouTube.
Project and Performance Assessments
No songs performed or analysed for assessments in other units may be used for assessment tasks in this unit.
Students are not permitted to read the lyrics or sheet music during their assessments.
No practical assessments (group or solo) may be recorded (video or audio) by students nor uploaded to social media/platforms.
Performances and/or presentations are to be from memory. That is, there is to be no reading of lyrics, music or scripts. If choosing a presentation option, students are required to use PowerPoint slides and to upload these with their outline.
Singing in a language other than English is permitted for one song only. Please email a translation of the lyrics to the unit convenor prior to the assessment date.
Students will be allocated an individual assessment time for the final task.
Late submission
Please note that the University and the Faculty of Arts have launched a new assessment policy effective as of 1 July 2021. This new policy particularly affects LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS.
The Faculty policy in relation to late assessment submissions is as follows:
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests, etc.
To be very clear:
Unless you have applied for special consideration and had your application approved, for each day your assignment is late, 10 marks will be deducted. For example, if you submit your assignment 7 days late, 70 marks will be deducted, which means you will fail that assignment. If your assignment is more than 7 days late (including weekends), you will get 0 for your assignment. These are serious penalties that will substantially alter your final grade and even determine whether you pass or fail this unit. Please make every effort to submit your assignment by the due date.
Special Consideration
If you find you cannot submit your assignment on time, please apply for Special Consideration through AskMQ. Make sure you read Macquarie University's policy regarding Special Consideration requests before you apply:
https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vocal Exercises and Outline | 15% | No | Written: 17/8/2021 23:59. Practical: In Wk 5 tutorials |
| Composing and Arranging | 35% | No | Written: 28/9/2021 23:59. Performances: In Wk 10 |
| Vocal Performance OR Presentation | 50% | No | Written: 26/10/2021 23:59. Practical: In Wk 13 |
Vocal Exercises and Outline
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Written: 17/8/2021 23:59. Practical: In Wk 5 tutorials
Weighting: 15%
Students select and document a range of vocal exercises suited to their individual goals. The exercises are to include those for warming the voice, for individual vocal and stylistic development, and for cooling down the voice. In addition to performing exercises, students are required to submit a fully referenced outline of their vocal exercises. Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- engage in, and maintain, vocal practice.
- create, perform and/or communicate lyric, melodic and musical components.
- apply reflexive strategies for practices, performances and/or presentations.
- implement and evaluate stylistic nuances that employ appropriate vocal technique and vocal health/care strategies.
- apply academic conventions in writing and referencing.
Composing and Arranging
Assessment Type 1: Creative work
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Written: 28/9/2021 23:59. Performances: In Wk 10
Weighting: 35%
For this assessment, students are required to individually write lyrics and compose a melody to a group theme consistent with a 12 bar blues structure. Collectively, students structure a musical arrangement of those segments for performance. Students are also required to submit their individual lyric segments. Each group will engage in a viva voce component. Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- engage in, and maintain, vocal practice.
- create, perform and/or communicate lyric, melodic and musical components.
- apply reflexive strategies for practices, performances and/or presentations.
- analyse repertoire through critical listening.
- implement and evaluate stylistic nuances that employ appropriate vocal technique and vocal health/care strategies.
Vocal Performance OR Presentation
Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 45 hours
Due: Written: 26/10/2021 23:59. Practical: In Wk 13
Weighting: 50%
Students are required to research, analyse and musically communicate two contrasting songs through an individual performance OR a formal presentation. In both options, students are required to discuss the style, composition and arrangement of their songs. They will also detail the vocal nuances that are evident in the songs. The performance or presentation must be delivered from memory, that is, no reading of lyrics or scripts is permitted. As part of this assessment, students are required to submit a fully referenced project outline, together with song analyses, that reflect unit content, individual research and processes. Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- engage in, and maintain, vocal practice.
- create, perform and/or communicate lyric, melodic and musical components.
- apply reflexive strategies for practices, performances and/or presentations.
- analyse repertoire through critical listening.
- implement and evaluate stylistic nuances that employ appropriate vocal technique and vocal health/care strategies.
- apply academic conventions in writing and referencing.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Lectures will be delivered online and will commence in Week 1. Tutorials will start in Week 2.
Required Readings and Resources
Required readings are available through Leganto. An indicative allocation of 12 hours is an estimate of the time required to complete these readings.
Set singing exercises are available on iLearn.
Additional Resources
Additional resources will be progressively introduced in tutorials as appropriate.
Individual Learning
Due to the practical and interactive components of this unit, students are encouraged to attend weekly tutorials and watch online lectures beforehand, to read the essential readings prior to attending weekly tutorials, to conduct individual research and to work on vocal development progressively throughout the session. Students therefore need to devise a progressive rehearsal schedule that enables regular practice of vocal exercises, which is a key component of the Vocal Exercises assessment.
An indicative allocation of 25 hours is an estimate of the time required to complete additional research and practice. This is in addition to the hours allocated or each assessment task.
Vocal Health and Care
Students should have access to bottled room temperature water to all tutorials. Students are requested to advise their convenor/tutor of any vocal health issues.
Feedback
Formal and informal feedback will be available throughout the session.
Technologies used and required
A computer and Internet access are required. Music playback facility is also required.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
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
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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.
Unit information based on version 2021.04 of the Handbook