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Monash University

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Music - Faculty of Arts

Offered by the School of Music - Conservatorium
Campus availability: Clayton

Relevant courses

  • 2451 Diploma of Arts (Music)
  • 0821 Bachelor of Music (and associated double degrees)
  • 0002 Bachelor of Arts (and associated double degrees)

The school has an extensive collection of musical instruments and ensembles that includes an early music collection comprising a complete consort of Renaissance shawms, crumhorns, recorders and various keyboard instruments, a complete Javanese gamelan orchestra, Sudanese bamboo calung and angklung ensembles, a Ghanaian African drum ensemble, a Chinese orchestra, a piphat/mahori orchestra from Thailand, a large collection of Indian instruments, and a set of Japanese instruments. It also contains an extensive music archive, including the Sumatra research archive, Japanese music archive, the Australian music collection, the Australian Archive of Jewish Music, and the Louise Lightfoot Collection of Dance in South Asia.

The school fosters the cultivation of music on campus and presents many concerts, lecture-recitals and other performances which music students are expected to attend.

Disciplines

The School of Music - Conservatorium teaches, researches, and promotes public outreach in four fields of musical endeavour: performance, composition, musicology and enthnomusicology. Students specialise in one or more fields, but gain experience in a unified way in all four areas.

Performance

Students with a strong musical aptitude undertaking this specialisation are expected to acquire an assured technique and an awareness of the history of performance style and practice. Students develop their performance skills as well as interactive musical skills in a variety of ensembles. Throughout the program students are examined on both solo and ensemble work. Students undertaking the fourth-year honours are required to present a recital with his or her own program notes and a research essay on a topic related to the program or an associated aspect of performance practice.

Composition

Students undertaking this specialisation can expect to acquire experience and skills in music composition. The program offers supervision of students' compositional projects and encourages work in various media, including traditional, electronic, and contemporary solo and ensemble combinations. Honours students will prepare a folio of compositions and arrange an annotated concert performance of their works. The School of Music - Conservatorium organises a number of large and small instrumental and ensemble choral groups and encourages performances of student compositions.

Musicology or ethnomusicology

Students who choose either of these specialisations, or a combination of both, can expect to develop their knowledge and understanding of music to prepare themselves as musicologists and/or ethnomusicologists, studying the music history of various genres, research methods and aspects of systematic musicology such as performance practice, analysis, aesthetics, criticism, music sociology and psychology of music. Students at honours level present a thesis of 15,000 to 18,000 words on an approved research topic in musicology. They may then proceed with masters-level coursework in other aspects of musicology.

In the ethnomusicology stream, students make detailed area studies of selected music cultures of Asia and/or Africa, and may learn to perform in an Indonesian gamelan and in other Asian and African traditions as appropriate for a particular unit for which a student enrols.

Performance assessment

The performance units MUS1980, MUS1990, MUS2980, MUS2990, MUS3980 and MUS3990 are semester units that are examined by practical examination and written work. MUS1980, MUS2980 and MUS3980 are technical exams that have specific requirements as set out in the technical syllabuses. MUS1990, MUS2990 and MUS3990 are repertoire exams, the material for which is decided upon in consultation with the student's studio teacher and instrumental/vocal coordinator. Two examiners are present at all exams with the option of a public recital at third-year level.

Further detailed information regarding expectations are outlined in unit guides as students proceed through the degree.

Sequences

Students studying music follow a structured program which varies between courses. For details of the units required and assessment details, consult the relevant course below.

Note: Prerequisites or prohibitions may apply for individual units - consult the unit entry for details.

Bachelor of Music - performance specialisation

First year level
  • the core units MUS1980/MUS1990, MUS1120/MUS1130, MUS1100/MUS1110
  • plus another 12 points of music units, or units from any other faculty of the University
Second year level
  • the core units MUS2980/MUS2990, MUS2110/MUS2120, MUS2020
  • plus 12 points from chosen from: MUS2070, MUS2080, MUS2030, MUS2040
  • plus 6 points from chosen from: MUS2140, MUS2200, MUS2480, MUS2490, MUS2660
Third year level
  • the core units MUS3980/MUS3990, MUS3610/MUS3620
  • plus 24 points chosen from: MUS3200, MUS3280, MUS3290, MUS3310, MUS3320, MUS3390, MUS3490, MUS3580, MUS3660

Bachelor of Music - composition specialisation

First year level
  • the core units MUS1980/MUS1990, MUS1120/MUS1130, MUS1100/MUS1110
  • plus another 12 points of music units, or units from any other faculty of the University
Second year level
  • the core units MUS2020, MUS2040, MUS2070, MUS2110/MUS2120, MUS2660, MUS2980/MUS2990
Third year level
  • the core units MUS3310, MUS3390, MUS3580, MUS3610/MUS3620, MUS3660, MUS3980/MUS3990

Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Arts (music component)

First year level
  • the core units MUS1980/MUS1990 and MUS1100 and MUS1110
  • plus 12 points chosen from: MUS1120, MUS1130, MUS1040, MUS1060
Second year level
  • the core units MUS2020/MUS2030, MUS2110/MUS2120, MUS2980/MUS2990
Third year level
  • the core units MUS3390 and MUS3980/MUS3990
  • plus 12 points chosen from: MUS3200, MUS3280, MUS3290, MUS3310, MUS3320, MUS3490, MUS3580, MUS3610/MUS3620, MUS3660

Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Commerce (music component)

First year level
  • the core units MUS1980/MUS1990, and MUS1100/MUS1110
Second year level
  • the core units MUS2110/MUS2120, and MUS2980/MUS2990
Third year level
  • the core units MUS3390, MUS3580, MUS3610/MUS3620, MUS3980/MUS3990
  • plus 12 points chosen from: MUS3200, MUS3280, MUS3290, MUS3310, MUS3320, MUS3490, MUS3660

Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education - (Music component)

First year level
  • the core units MUS1980/MUS1990, and MUS1100/MUS1110
  • plus 12 points chosen from: MUS1120, MUS1130, MUS1040, MUS1060
Second year level
  • the core units MUS2020/MUS2030, MUS2110/MUS2120, MUS2980/MUS2990
Third year level
  • the core units MUS3390, MUS3980/MUS3990
  • plus 18 points chosen from: MUS3200, MUS3280, MUS3290, MUS3310, MUS3320, MUS3490, MUS3580, MUS3610/MUS3620, MUS3660

Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Laws (music component)

First year level
  • the core units MUS1980/MUS1990, and MUS1100/MUS1110
  • plus 12 points chosen from: MUS1120, MUS1130, MUS1040, MUS1060
Second year level
  • the core units MUS2020/MUS2030, MUS2110/MUS2120, MUS2980/MUS2990
Third year level
  • the core units MUS3390 and MUS3980/MUS3990
  • plus 12 points chosen from: MUS3200, MUS3280, MUS3290, MUS3310, MUS3320, MUS3490, MUS3580, MUS3610/MUS3620, MUS3660

Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Performing Arts (music component)

First year level - core units
  • the core units MUS1100/MUS1110, and MUS1980/MUS1990
Second year level
  • the core units MUS2110/MUS2120, and MUS2980/MUS2980
Third year level
  • the core units MUS3390, MUS3580, MUS3610/MUS3620, MUS3980/MUS3990
  • plus 12 points chosen from: MUS3200, MUS3280, MUS3290, MUS3310, MUS3320, MUS3490, MUS3660

Bachelor of Arts (units available for a music major)

First year level
  • MUS1120/MUS1130, and MUS1100/MUS1110
Second year level
  • MUS2110/MUS2120, MUS2020/MUS2030, MUS2040, MUS2070/MUS2080, MUS2140, MUS2200, MUS2480, MUS2490, MUS2660
Third year level
  • MUS3610/MUS3620, MUS3200, MUS3280/MUS3290, MUS3310, MUS3320, MUS3390, MUS3490, MUS3580, MUS3660

Units

Note: Prerequisites or prohibitions may apply for individual units - consult the unit entry for details.

Practical study units

Professional practice units

Ensemble studies units

General units

  • MUS1040 American music and popular culture
  • MUS1060 Gamelan performing arts
  • MUS1100 Exploring music I
  • MUS1110 Exploring music II
  • MUS2040 Audio culture: Developments in new music
  • MUS2110 Analytical and compositional techniques I
  • MUS2120 Analytical and compositional techniques II
  • MUS2140 Schubert to Strauss: Music of the Romantic Ideal
  • MUS2200 Neo-traditional musics of the world
  • MUS2480 Performance studies: Indonesian gamelan
  • MUS2490 Indonesian gamelan: Special studies
  • MUS2660 Composition techniques: Structure, pitch and space
  • MUS3200 Neo-traditional musics of the world
  • MUS3280 Applied music I
  • MUS3290 Applied Music II
  • MUS3310 Composition techniques: Chance, sets and computers
  • MUS3320 Jazz history: Readings in history, biography, improvisation and world music
  • MUS3390 Music aesthetics, criticism, sociology and psychology
  • MUS3490 Indonesian gamelan: Special studies
  • MUS3580 Contemporary music
  • MUS3660 Composition techniques: Film and orchestration

Contact details

Enquiries (Clayton): Room 101 Performing Arts Centre, building 68

Telephone +61 3 9905 3231

Email music@arts.monash.edu.au

Visit http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/music