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MMCC3032 – Music at the Limits: Experimentation and Innovation

2023 – Session 2, Online-scheduled-weekday

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, lecturer, tutor
Adrian Renzo
Contact via Email
191E-10HA
Please email for appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit addresses musical experimentation and innovation. It examines key movements, innovations, and major ideas that have shaped, and continue to shape, the evolution of musical forms and practices. The unit also addresses contemporary approaches to musical hybridity and sound production as related to contemporary performance practice in a globalized environment. This includes approaches to songwriting and digital production. In particular, the unit will explore examples of musical creativity such as progressive rock, jazz, psychedelic music, punk/post-punk, ambient, mash-up, minimal techno and electronics, glitch and noise, post-rock and post-classical music. Students will gain a current and historical overview of the dynamic pattern of innovative ideas in music across writing, performance and production.

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: demonstrate an historical knowledge of the seminal moments in contemporary music practice.
  • ULO2: evaluate critically the way changes in musical practice reflect broader changes within society.
  • ULO3: analyse the way technological developments affect musical practice.
  • ULO4: synthesise and communicate independent judgement in musical experimentation.
  • ULO5: utilise historical models to assess and/or create musical works.

General Assessment Information

Late Assessment Submission Penalty  

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.    

This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Concept Essay 40% No 23:55 07/09/2023
Creative Work OR Analysis 60% No 23:55 02/11/2023

Concept Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 23:55 07/09/2023
Weighting: 40%

Students will write an essay based on a topic chosen from a list of options provided by the lecturer. The essay topics will draw on unit content and require students to explore concepts of experimentation in contemporary music. The essay will require students to demonstrate their understanding for the way particular music practitioners stretched the boundaries of conventional music practice.

Refer to iLearn for further information.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • demonstrate an historical knowledge of the seminal moments in contemporary music practice.
  • evaluate critically the way changes in musical practice reflect broader changes within society.
  • analyse the way technological developments affect musical practice.
  • synthesise and communicate independent judgement in musical experimentation.

Creative Work OR Analysis

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 60 hours
Due: 23:55 02/11/2023
Weighting: 60%

There are two options for this assignment. The first is more creatively oriented while the second is more analytically oriented. The assessment takes the form of either 1) a creative task or 2) an analytical task.

1. Create a musical work that uses ideas examined in this unit. The creative work may be a song, instrumental composition or soundscape. The length of the musical work will depend on your individual project. A written reflection on process that details the sounds, form/structure of the work, and the factors that influenced the creation of the work needs to be submitted.

2. The analysis should begin with a detailed description of the sounds as well as the form/structure of the work. Thereafter, the analysis should explore the historical, creative, technological, and/or social factors that influenced the creation of the work/event.

Refer to iLearn for further information.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • demonstrate an historical knowledge of the seminal moments in contemporary music practice.
  • evaluate critically the way changes in musical practice reflect broader changes within society.
  • analyse the way technological developments affect musical practice.
  • synthesise and communicate independent judgement in musical experimentation.
  • utilise historical models to assess and/or create musical works.

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

Delivery

There is one lecture and one tutorial per week. Lectures will be recorded and available on iLearn. It is expected that all students will have viewed each lecture on iLearn before they attend the associated tutorial. Tutorials will begin in Week 2. Please see iLearn for further information about delivery and resources in this unit.

 

Class Times

All lecture and tutorial times will be available on the MQ Timetables website (timetables.mq.edu.au).

 

Late Submissions

Please see “Late Assessment Submission Penalty” above.

Unit Schedule

Please see iLearn for details.

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:

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

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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 2023.01R of the Handbook