MUSI43260: Topics in Contemporary Composition

• We require evidence of standard at least equivalent to a strong 2:1 degree final year composition portfolio. A portfolio of at least two contrasting works of at least ten minutes total duration must be submitted to prove that the applicant is of the required level.

• None.

• None.

• To facilitate the acquisition of advanced skills and techniques through close engagement with specific learning contexts in composition.
• To enable students to develop a critical understanding of, and reflective approach to, new directions in art music, above all as the basis for evaluation of their own compositional research.

• Representative topics may include (but will not be restricted to):
• composing for ensembles
• composition for a given film extract
• composition for antiphonal ensembles
• composition using borrowed materials
• music theatre
• composition for dance
• vocal and choral composition
• computer-assisted composition
• composing for film
• Students will be guided through the writing of varied compositional studies which will develop and exploit specific skills. The student can tailor aspects of the module to their own compositional strengths, interests, and learning needs.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• students will become familiar with a range of advanced compositional techniques, as well as the perspective and critical understanding required to apply them, where appropriate, to their own compositional research.
• critical understanding of theories and methodologies pertinent to the composition of music
• advanced knowledge of relevant musical repertories from a range of historical periods and geographical locations
• advanced knowledge of relevant performative praxes.

Subject-specific Skills:

• students will acquire the skills necessary to write compositional exercises with fluency, authority and originality.
• through organised workshops and performance opportunities, students will engage directly with the practicalities of creative communication and expression via the medium of music composition.
• an advanced ability to engage critically with theories and methodologies pertinent to the academic study of composition
• an advanced ability to describe and analyse musical works from a range of repertories, informed by an understanding of the socio-cultural matrices from which they emerged and of their specific formal and stylistic features
• an advanced ability to draw upon appropriate theoretical perspectives and methodologies to compose music while simultaneously deriving independent intellectual and creative insights from these activities
• advanced competence in musical literacy
• advanced competence in engaging with musical materials of different kinds, whether as physical objects (e.g. scores) and or in electronic formats (e.g. recordings, audio-visual materials)

Key Skills:

• engage in close readings of a wide range of challenging texts (musical, verbal, audio-visual, as appropriate)
• deploy independent research skills using appropriate specialist tools and resources;
• synthesise complex materials from a wide range of sources and to present them cogently in the form of written documents, oral reports, presentations, and musical performances, as appropriate
• demonstrate competence in information technology skills to support MA learning and research (e.g. by means of: word-processing and music-processing software; databases; presentation software; audiovisual editing and analysis software; graph- and image-processing; web-based resources; relevant technologies)
• deploy advanced knowledge of professional conduct in meeting academic standards, including appropriate use of relevant ethical codes of practice and correct referencing of sources
• deploy problem-solving skills
• deploy organisational skills, including time management.

• The seminars will enable students to express their own creativity and develop their own compositional voice in response to a range of ideas associated with contemporary art music.
• Typically, tutorials may include assigning student(s) an issue, theme or topic that can be independently or collectively explored within a framework and/or with additional materials provided by the tutor. This may function as preparatory work for presenting their ideas or findings (sometimes electronically) to their peers and tutor in the context of a seminar.

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