Instrumental Composition

MUSC20321 Instrumental Composition 20 Semester 1 Undergraduate Level 2 Richard Whalley Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Middle part of Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 10.0 A practice-based course in which students create original compositions for instrumental and vocal resources to set briefs. A practice-based course in which students create original compositions for a variety of instrumental resources to a set brief. Students are introduced to the technical and timbral qualities of string instruments, wind instruments, brass instruments and piano, and how to use these to articulate temporal and dramatic strategies through sound.  Students prepare performance materials for the realization of their ideas and organize rehearsals and workshops with other students. Each of the two projects ends with a series of concerts in which the produced work is performed and recorded. This course unit provides knowledge of instrumental resources (their technical features and sonic characteristics) and how these may be employed in the handling of musical parameters to articulate musical shapes.  By the end of the course students will have applied this knowledge by completing two original compositions and bringing these to a well-prepared performance standard.   By the end of this course-unit students should be able to:<ul> <li>Apply the technical and timbral features of string instruments, wind instruments, brass instruments and piano creatively. Students will be able to use musical parameters (pitch, rhythm, timbre, register, dynamics, articulation etc.) in a sophisticated manner, and use these to articulate coherent musical shapes and temporal strategies.</li> <li>Understand the technical and sonic characteristics of instrumental resources.</li> <li>Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of their combination in scoring.</li> <li>Be knowledgeable of the craft of composing within musical parameters.</li></ul> By the end of this course students will be able to:<ul> <li>Analyze, evaluate and develop sonic material within aesthetic and technical contexts;</li> <li>Research existing repertoire for guidance on completing the set tasks;</li> <li>Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different compositional strategies in bringing their own ideas to fruition;</li> <li>Plan sophisticated musical structures and solve technical and practical problems in bringing these to successful realization in performance;</li> <li>Apply standard professional musical notation and evaluate its applicability to creative objectives.</li></ul>  By the end of this course students will be able to:<ul> <li>Apply knowledge of the technical and practical features of instruments creatively;</li> <li>Articulate shapes and dramatic strategies through sound;</li> <li>Supervise and direct rehearsals;</li> <li>Produce performance materials to professional standards;</li> <li>Notate musical ideas such that they can be learnt by musicians without the composer.</li></ul> By the end of this course students will be able to:<ul> <li>Demonstrate organizational and management skills in booking musicians, arranging rehearsals and preparing performances</li> <li>Demonstrate attention to detail through preparing and editing performance material to professional standards</li> <li>Demonstrate creative problem-solving;</li> <li>Collaborate with other students in realizing their ideas, and the ideas of others.  </li></ul> Analytical skills Analytical Skills (surveying repertoire, analysing materials for musical potential Group/team working Team work (collaborating with musicians); Interpersonal skills (collaborating with musicians) Innovation/creativity Initiative (inventing a creative concept and putting into motion); Creative problem-solving (fulfilling set task with set resources Leadership Leadership skills (being responsible for overseeing a creative product from inception through to final performance); Time management (Running workshop and rehearsal) Project management Working to tight deadlines (composing music, and preparing performance materials in time for workshops and performances) Other Time management (participating in workshops and rehearsals); Editing (in preparing performance materials); Organizational skills 0 Other 100% <table align="left" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:500px;"> <thead> <tr> <th scope="col">Asessment task</th> <th scope="col">Weighting within unit</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Original composition for solo, unaccompanied string instrument</td> <td>   40%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Original composition for wind or brass instrument and piano</td> <td>   60%</td> </tr> </tbody></table>   <ul> <li> Weekly tutorials and workshops on work in progress</li> <li> Feedback from peers in tutorials, workshops and in collaboration with performers</li> <li> Written feedback on two summative assignments</li> <li> Oral feedback on two formative assignments</li> <li> Additional one-to-one feedback (during consultation hour or by making an appointment)</li></ul>  MUSC10311 Sonic Invention A Pre-Requisite Compulsory MUSC10312 Sonic Invention B Pre-Requisite Compulsory MUSC10311 & MUSC10312 are pre req of MUSC20321 BA(Hons) Music & Drama BA(Hons) Music & Drama Second Year Optional MusB(Hons) MusB (Hons) Music Second Year Optional MusB(Hons) (joint with RNCM) MusB(Hons) (joint with RNCM) Second Year Optional BA Film and Music BA Film and Music Second Year Optional N Scores: Harrison Birtwistle – Verses for clarinet and piano Benjamin Britten – three Suites for solo cello Elliott Carter – Duo for violin and piano Ronald Catalbiano - Lines from Poetry (solo violin) Peter Maxwell Davies - Eight Songs for a Mad King GF Handel - Messiah WA Mozart - Don Giovanni Vincent Persichetti - Parables (mostly for various solo instruments) Judith Weir - King Harald's Saga   Books: Blatter, Alfred,  Instrumentation and Orchestration (New York & London: Longman, 1997). Gould, Elaine, Behind Bars: The Definitive Guide To Music Notation (London: Faber, 2011).  Lectures 8 Practical classes & workshops 2 Tutorials 3 0 187