MUSST 3014 - Rhythm in the 20th Century
North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2014
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code MUSST 3014 Course Rhythm in the 20th Century Coordinating Unit Elder Conservatorium of Music Term Semester 2 Level Undergraduate Location/s North Terrace Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 2 hours per week Restrictions Available to Bachelor of Music students only Biennial Course Offered in even years Assessment compositional exercise (treatments of metred rhythms) 25%; compositional exercise (treatments of unmetred rhythms) 25%; written analytical project (approved topic) approximately 2000 words 50% Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Professor Charles Bodman Rae
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Understand rhythmic concepts, rhythmic processes, and rhythmic techniques in selected music of the twentieth century.
2. Demonstrate their knowledge of rhythm through the process of composition.
3. Critically analyse the formal and rhythmic aspects of a musical work written since the beginning of the twentieth century.University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised. 1 The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner. 3 An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems. 2 -
Learning Resources
Required Resources
The primary materials will be musical scores and recordings drawn from the holdings of the Elder Music Library.
Recommended Resources
The Elder Music Library holds musical scores, audio recordings, and books relating to the composers, works and concepts that will be studied. Many of the relevant materials have been placed on Reserve in the Elder Music Library (for use only in the library – not for loan) and students should ask at the library counter for access to the box containing these materials.
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Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
Weekly seminar (2 hours per week)
Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
In addition to the 2 hour weekly seminar, students are expected to spend 5 hours per week listening to assigned pieces, and 6 hours per week in preparing for the compositional tasks and analytical project.
Learning Activities Summary
The course will feature particular works by the following American and European composers (not in order): Charles Ives, John Cage, Elliott Carter, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Conlon Nancarrow, Igor Stravinsky, Bela Bartok, Olivier Messiaen, Witold Lutoslawski, and Gyorgy Ligeti.
The course will consider, inter alia, the following concepts, processes and techniques: added/additive rhythms; ostinati (particularly layered ostinati); polymetres; metrical contradiction; irregular pulsation; chance procedures; aleatorism; aleatory counterpoint; indeterminacy; metrical modulation; folk metres; phasing; minimalism; palindromes; isorhythm; rhythmic cycles (talea); and rhythmic augmentation/diminution.
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Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
a) Short compositional exercise no.1 (25%) - due Week 5
b) Short composition exercise no.2 (25%) - due Week 10
c) Analytical project (50%) - due during Examination period
Assessment Detail
a) Short compositional exercise no.1 (25%) - due Week 5
Students will be required to compose a short piece (an ‘exercise’, of circa 30-50 bars in length), either for solo piano or an instrumental duo, making use of one or more of the following rhythmic techniques: layered ostinati, metrical contradictions, irregular pulsation/groupings.
b) Short composition exercise no.2 (25%) - due Week 10
Students will be required to compose a short piece (an ‘exercise’, of circa 1-2 minutes in duration), scored for three or four instruments, and making use of aleatory techniques.
c) Analytical project (50%) - due during Examination period
Students will be required to write an analytical study (of circa 2,000 words) of a twentieth century (or early twenty-first century) work, with the principal focus being on rhythm and related aspects of form. The choice of topic music be discussed and agreed, in advance, with the course tutor. The topic must be determined no later than the eighth session of the course.
Submission
To be advised in class.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Student Support
- Academic Integrity for Students
- Academic Support with Maths
- Academic Support with writing and study skills
- Careers Services
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- LinkedIn Learning
- Student Life Counselling Support - Personal counselling for issues affecting study
- Students with a Disability - Alternative academic arrangements
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Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy
- Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
- Copyright Compliance Policy
- Coursework Academic Programs Policy
- Elder Conservatorium of Music Noise Management Plan
- Intellectual Property Policy
- IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy
- Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy
- Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching & Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy
- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
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