Bachelor of Music (Performance) Honours

Information for Prospective Honours Students 2010

This is an outline of key features of the BMus (Performance) Honours program at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney. Official descriptions of the components and assessment procedures for the BMus (Performance) Honours degree are contained in the 2009 Conservatorium Handbook.

For information concerning Honours in BMus (Composition), BMus (Music Education), BMus (Musicology) and BA/BMus Studies please see the 2009 Conservatorium Handbook. Prospective Honours students are also encouraged to speak with their teachers, academic advisers and Chairs of Units about entry to the Honours programs.

The BMus (Performance) Honours program is designed to allow students with superior performance ability and potential to extend their knowledge and skill bases and to develop artistic autonomy in the area of their Principal Study. By the conclusion of the Honours program students will have demonstrated superior performance ability in at least one public recital and the understanding and artistic autonomy to develop and to carry out an additional specialised performance project. It provides opportunities for students:

1. to extend their pass degree work and gain excellence in performance and performance-based research in a specific area relevant to their own professional and musical interests and needs;
2. to develop performance, research and writing skills essential to a level suitable for entry qualification for quality postgraduate programs;
3. to obtain an extra professional qualification that may assist employment prospects; and
4. to work closely with performance and academic staff of the Conservatorium.

The Honours program of the BMus (Performance) strand runs concurrently with the Pass degree and Honours students continue to study other subjects from the Pass degree in BMus (Performance) while completing the Honours component. Honours work commences in Semester 7 of the degree program and requires two semesters’ study to complete. Except with the permission of the Undergraduate Studies Committee, all Honours study will be undertaken full-time.

Candidates are required to undertake a Performance Project in the area of their Principal Study in each of the two final semesters. Usually at least one of these will be a unified project displaying focus on a particular area of specialisation in Principal Study (Honours) 7 and a recital of 45-50 minutes to be given in Principal Study (Honours) 8. Each Performance Project will be accompanied by notes that give the aim of the project, background to the project in terms of relevant work or critical writings, and critical commentary or analysis. Most recent semester 7 Performance Projects have been recitals accompanied by research essays/theses and program notes, but students have also completed recording and interview projects: these must also be accompanied by an essay/thesis and program/liner notes.

To be eligible for admission to BMus (Performance) Honours, candidates must gain permission from their Chair of Unit to enrol in Honours and must have achieved the following:

• A Distinction in Principal Study 4 and 6 (Major), and
• At least a Credit average across all other units of study in semesters 1-6, and
• Successful completion of 144 credit points of study including the prerequisites for PERF 4002 Principal Study 7 (Honours) as set out in the 2009 Conservatorium Handbook.

Prerequisites

• at least 18 credit points in the History and Analysis of Music; including
  *Harmony and Analysis 4 or Jazz Harmony and Arranging 4; and
  *Aural Perception 4 or Jazz Ear Training 4; and
  *Writing Skills for Music Professions; and
• Music Technology 1; and
• Historical and Cultural Studies 2

Unit of Study Descriptions

Semester 7 PERF 4002 Principal Study (Honours) 7 12 credit points
Classes: 14 x 1hr one-to-one lessons in Principal Study; weekly workshop/seminar supervision in Performance Project; 2 hrs performance workshop/wk.
Assessment: Principal Study (Major) 7 teacher’s report (20%); Performance Project consisting of project [recital/recording] 50% and project notes [thesis and program notes] 30%.

Students must complete requirements for Principal Study (Major) 7 in their instrument or voice at mid-semester and complete Performance Project 1 at the end of the semester. Normally the Performance Project 1 will display a unified focus on a specialized performance area relating to the candidate’s Principal Study in an area such as repertoire, style, performance practice, aesthetic ideology or innovative use of instrumental techniques or technology. The Performance Project must be accompanied by notes, usually in the form of a 5000-word essay plus program notes/critical notes that give the aim of the project, background and critical commentary or analysis. Performance Project 1 may take the form of a recital (40-45 minutes) or lecture recital or recording or other innovative performance medium. Performance Projects will be developed and workshopped in meetings of the weekly Honours Seminar and with the Honours supervisors. Performance Project 1 will be assessed according to three broad criteria: exposition of aims and background; originality; musical and technical achievement (as detailed for each instrument in recital assessment).

Semester 8 PERF 4003 Principal Study (Honours) 8 12 credit points
Prerequisites: Satisfactory progress (at least a Credit in Principal Study overall and a Pass in all components of PERF 4002); permission of Chair of Unit
Classes: 14 x 1hr one-to-one lessons in Principal Study; weekly Honours workshop/seminar; up to 5 hours of supervision; 2 hrs performance workshop/wk
Assessment: Performance Project 2, consisting of recital (90%) and program notes/critical notes (10%).

Normally Performance Project 2 will be a public recital of 45-50 minutes that demonstrates superior performance knowledge and skills. The Project must be accompanied by program/critical notes that give, where appropriate, the aims of the project, background, historical and critical commentary and analysis. Project 2 will be assessed according to three broad criteria: exposition or aims and background; originality; musical and technical achievement (as detailed for each instrument in recital assessment).

Application Procedures

Third Year students undertaking the BMus (Performance) course are invited to apply for Honours candidature, to commence in the seventh semester of the degree program in 2010. Candidates wishing to take Principal Study (Honours) 7 must apply in writing, setting out their proposed Performance Project (semester 7) and proposed recital program (semester 8).
Applications are considered by the Undergraduate Studies Committee on a competitive basis and may be accepted or rejected on merit.

Applications should be submitted to Student Administration no later than Friday, 20 November, 2009. Students will be notified of the result of their application by 18 January 2010.

Enrolment

To qualify for an Honours degree, candidates should enrol in Principal Study (Honours) 7 (12 cpts) and Principal Study (Honours) 8 (12 cpts) in place of Principal Study (Major) 7 and 8 and successfully complete those units of study. The units of study are taken as part of the normal full-time load of 24 credit points per semester in semesters 7 and 8 of the degree course.

Enquiries

Interested students are encouraged to discuss the Honours program with the Undergraduate Coordinator, Mr Karol Foyle.
Ph: 02 9351 1271
email: