This is a core module for all Stage 1 BMus students and is available as an option to students on other courses.
Unit A: Music Technology 1
Students acquire the skills and knowledge to create music scores (with a variety of instrumentation) in digital formats using industry-standard music notation software.
Unit B: Professional Studies 1
Professional Studies focuses on developing specific professional skills that will support students’ musical skills as they prepare for their musical careers. It also aims to enhance the quality of the students’ 1st year learning experience as they transition from 2nd level to 3rd level education, by providing them with skills that will facilitate independent and effective learning. The module has three separate but related components:
- Practice 1 aims to facilitate students in developing their practice skills, enabling them to explore and examine their own approaches to practice and providing them with tools to further develop their skills.
- Social Media introduces students to issues relating to the possibilities and responsibilities of working with and through social media and explores the use of social media as a practice tool.
- Academic Writing Skills develops students’ research, writing and referencing skills. The skills acquired in this component are assessed in modules that involve written assignments (for example, essays in History of Music).
Unit A: Music Technology 1
In the lectures, students study:
- General knowledge about music notation software, such as history, products, developers and type of license.
- Manipulation of the software, such as define paper, set instrument, input and edit note / text / symbol, transpose / modulate, publish and export/import.
In the workshops, students:
- Create digital copies of music scores for orchestra, for choir and for piano using industry standard software, such as Sibelius, Finale, etc.
- Publish the created copies in digital format, such as Adobe PDF.
- Export the created copies in digital image format then import to an office software, such as Microsoft Word.
Unit B: Professional Studies
Practice 1: developing good practice techniques, preparing for a rehearsal, effective rehearsal techniques, goal focused practice, keeping a practice journal, recording as a practice tool, designing a practice contract, physical awareness while working with an instrument/voice.
Social Media: working with social media as a learning tool, self-promotion using social media, possibilities and challenges of using YouTube, Facebook and other online media, podcasts, contrasting social and traditional media.
Academic Writing: academic style for assignments, referencing (footnotes and bibliography), locating and using sources, revising and editing text.
Unit A: Music Technology 1
This unit is taught through lectures and workshops.
The lectures equip students with the necessary knowledge to use music notation software.
The workshops enable students to exercise and develop skills to create digital scores based on the acquired knowledge.
Unit B: Professional Studies 1
Practice 1 and Social Media: The Lecturer will act as facilitator in a seminar setting, leading discussion and facilitating student interaction and involvement. Twelve 1-hour lectures/seminars.
Academic writing: Lecturer-led discussion with examples of best practice. Students complete practical in-class exercises on writing, referencing style and the use of sources. Four 1.5-hour lectures.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |