units

ATS2687

Faculty of Arts

18 September 2017 29 April 2024
Monash University

Undergraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

LevelUndergraduate
FacultyFaculty of Arts
Organisational UnitSir Zelman Cowen School of Music
OfferedClayton First semester 2015 (Day)
Coordinator(s)Dr Adrian McNeil

Synopsis

This unit provides a series of structured strategies and devices for developing a systematic approach to melodic based improvisation skills. It looks at melodic elements and structures in terms of modes, intonation, microtonal inflections and flavours and draws upon systems and processes for developing improvisatory approaches from Jazz, Blues, Hindustani music, Arabic music, Latin music and other musical sources. The course involves both practical and theoretical components.

Outcomes

Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a broad understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of improvisation in music.
  2. Critically evaluate and analyse the formative relationship between culture, music and improvisation practices.
  3. Interpret the forms and processes of improvisatory practices from a diverse range of cultural sources.
  4. Implement practical skills and strategies for developing individual improvisatory approaches to music.
  5. Critically engage with the primary connections between compositional and improvisational skills.
  6. Evaluate and analyse the skill levels required, and developed, by great improvisers in different musical contexts.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 100%

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Adrian McNeil

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Music