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Principal Study Performance 1

The Principal Study is the primary focus of your learning experience, supported by regular individualised learning in your discipline. You will be expected to devote a substantial amount of time to independent study, as part of a continuous cycle of lessons, individual practice and reflection.

Module aims

This module is designed to:

  • Foster technical and expressive mastery in the Principal Study
  • Develop a mature musical personality and provide opportunities for its projection in-and-through practice
  • Develop a knowledge base that supports understanding and facilitates the solving of complex musical problems
  • Enable students to acquire the skills to pursue and sustain fulfilling, lifelong learning leading to informed performance at a professional level

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

  • LO1 Demonstrate technical and expressive mastery in your principal study
  • LO2 Project a mature musical personality in-and-through your principal study
  • 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 your principal study

  • perceptive listening
  • agility/fluency
  • range and quality of production/projection of sound/tone/timbre
  • exploitation of the capabilities of the instrument
  • melodic shaping, line and texture
  • dynamic range and shaping
  • rhythmic structure and control
  • intonation
  • accuracy, technical and textual
  • in vocal performance: pronunciation, accent, languages

LO2 – Project a mature musical personality in-and-through your principal study

  • committed, communicative and engaging response to the music
  • performances which can challenge both the artist and audience
  • creativity in performance
  • stage presence
  • give and take in ensemble partnerships
  • musicality in relation to technique (technical freedom and mastery to 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.

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 titlePrincipal Study Performance 1
SCQF level11
Credit rating80 SCQF (40 ECTS)
Total notional student effort hours800
StatusCore
Module coordinatorHead of Department
Pre-requisitesNone
Co-requisitesSupporting Studies 1
Anti-requisitesNone
Next stepsPrincipal Study Performance 2 or MA Negotiated Study
Learning modesIndicative hours
Scheduled study30 (minimum)
Independent study770 (maximum)
Total notional student effort800