Principal Study Accompaniment 1
The Principal Study is the primary focus of your learning experience. Your lessons will concentrate on the specialism of piano accompaniment, and will include aspects of piano technique, sound production, sight-reading and ensemble skills across a range of repertoire including instrumental sonatas, concerti, songs and accompanied pieces. Techniques for vocal coaching, transposition, and ensemble playing will also be explored. The collaborative nature of this module will demand a highly proactive approach: you will be expected to engage comprehensively and generously with all departments within the School of Music.
The Assessment Specifications associated with this module outline a range of options, giving you the opportunity to demonstrate the learning outcomes of the module across a range of contexts and repertoires.
Module aims
This module is designed to:
- Foster technical and expressive mastery in the specialism of piano accompaniment
- Develop a growing skill base that facilitates understanding of the art of accompaniment and begins to fulfil the expectations of the profession
- Develop musical versatility and adaptability in a range of collaborative contexts across all departments in the School of Music
- Provide ample opportunities to develop wide-ranging repertoire, gaining experience through departmental performance classes, masterclasses, competitions, festivals, auditions, concerts and recital exams`
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
- LO1 Demonstrate technical and expressive mastery in piano accompaniment
- LO2 Project a mature musical personality in-and-through piano accompaniment
- LO3 Employ a range of knowledge and understanding in-and-through the process of making music
Assessment
Assessment 1: Performance B (50% or 25% + 25%)
Assessed LOs: 1, 2, 3.
Assessment 2: Performance A (50%)
Assessed LOs: 1, 2, 3.
The Assessment Specifications associated with this module outline a number of different options from which to choose, according to your department and specialism, giving you the opportunity to demonstrate the learning outcomes of the module across a range of contexts and repertoires.
Assessment criteria
Assessors will look for:
LO1 – Demonstrate technical and expressive mastery in piano accompaniment
- secure pianism
- technical foundation
- facility
- accuracy
- expressive detail and textual accuracy
- secure rhythmic foundation
- musical perception and projection, drawing on informed performance practice
LO2 – Project a mature musical personality in-and-through piano accompaniment
- knowledge of varied accompaniment repertoire
- stylistic awareness
- sensitivity, self-critical awareness, perception and responsiveness as a musician
- confident leading and sympathetic support within ensemble partnerships
- an ability to control tonal qualities to compliment instrumental or vocal timbres
- ability in finely tuning balances within ensembles, including tonal transparency and advanced pedalling techniques
- technical control and freedom in order to fully realise musical intent
in Collaboration on Creation of New Work
- critical understanding of the collaborative process
- creative and effective collaboration with the composer
LO3 – Employ a range of knowledge and understanding in-and-through the process of making music
- artistic vision
- imagination
- interpretative decisions
- articulation of structure and form
- understanding of genre, style and idiom
- knowledge of the repertoire
- informed programme choices
- appropriate structure and order of programme
- contribution to audience experience
in Studio Recording Projects:
- an informed and considered choice of recorded sound quality appropriate to the repertoire
- an informed and considered choice of editing points appropriate to the recording
- ownership of and engagement in all aspects of process
- rationale for choice of repertoire, sound quality and edit points
- an understanding of context with reference to other recordings
Feedback
You will recieve regular formative feedback from your tutor in your lessons, and a written report twice a year. In some departments the tutor report will take the form of a mutually constructed feedback session.
You will receive a written feedback report on each A and B assessment.
Resources
Essential
Key resources will be recommended by principal study tutors.
Recommended
Rink, J. S., Gaunt, H., & Williamon, A. (Eds.). (2017). Musicians in the making: Pathways to creative performance (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press.
Tolmie, D. (2020) 2050 And beyond: A futurist perspective on musicians’ livelihoods, Music Education Research, 22:5, 596-610, DOI: 10.1080/14613808.2020.1841133
Welch, G., & Papageorgi, I. (Eds.). (2014). Advanced musical performance: Investigations in higher education learning. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Summary details
| Module title | Principal Study Accompaniment 1 |
|---|---|
| SCQF level | 11 |
| Credit rating | 80 SCQF (40 ECTS) |
| Total notional student effort hours | 800 |
| Status | Core |
| Module coordinator | Head of Department |
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Co-requisites | Supporting Studies 1 |
| Anti-requisites | None |
| Next steps | Principal Study Accompaniment 2 or MA Negotiated Study |
| Learning modes | Indicative hours |
| Scheduled study | 30 (minimum) |
| Independent study | 770 (maximum) |
| Total notional student effort | 800 |