Overview

This module allows you to conduct an independent research project over several months, guided by an experienced researcher / creative practitioner. Depending on your programme of study, the project may take the form of an extended dissertation, a composition (or portfolio) or a recital.

Over the course of the summer you will implement the project plan designed in the Researching Music module. You will choose the topic based on your own interests and skills, and will work under the guidance of an experienced supervisor.

The project allows you to fully explore a topic you are passionate about and say something new and original about it.

You will gain essential skills project management, organisation, research, communication and dissemination.

The project has a single assessment. The nature of this depends on your programme of study: a dissertation (or portfolio of musicological items), a critical edition, a composition (or portfolio of works), a recital, or a lecture-recital.

Successful completion of Researching Music is a pre-requisite for this module.

The module content will be dictated by the student’s chosen field of study (Musicology, Composition, Performance) and area of interest.

Format and Length Guidelines: • Dissertation (MA Music, Society and Culture): around 12,000 words. The word count may be reduced if the dissertation contains extensive graphical or tabular material (e.g. Schenkerian analysis). It is also possible to submit a portfolio of musicological items. • Edition (MA Music, Society and Culture): a portfolio of notated transcriptions of works agreed with the supervisor (typically around 500 bars), together with a full commentary and prose study of normally 3,000 words. • Composition (MMus Composition and Sonic Art): one large-scale work or a portfolio of works of substantial scope, resulting in about 30 minutes in performance, with a commentary of around 2,000 words. • Recital (MMus Performance): a public performance of around 50–60 minutes’ duration (excluding breaks), with a programme note (typically not more than 2,000 words). • Lecture-recital (MMus Performance, MA Music, Society and Culture): a performance of around 40 minutes’ duration (excluding breaks), with a written commentary of around 2,000 words (the performance and commentary are marked as a single item of assessment).

Assessment Strategy

Threshold (50-59%) Work which displays a good grasp of factual knowledge, with adequate ability at conceptual thought, and some awareness of methodological issues (albeit limited), and showing sufficient evidence of a generally intellectual approach, with fair expression.

Good (60-69%) Work which displays a sound grasp of the subject, a good level of conceptual thought, awareness of methodological and other issues, with evidence of intellectual acumen and good expression.

Excellent (70%+) Work which displays a thorough grasp of the subject, with evidence of extended study, profound conceptual thought, originality of approach and excellent presentational skills.

Learning Outcomes

• Communicate an argument/position (written and/or musical) persuasively and coherently.

• Critically evaluate relevant scholarship and/or creative practice and build constructively upon it.

• Design an extended piece of work that shows detailed and sustained engagement in the field of musicology/performance/composition.

• Generate new insights through research and/or creative practice.

• Support and develop an informed argument (written and/or musical).

• Support research and/or creative practice with appropriate methodologies.