Please note
This document only provides information for the academic year selected and does not form part of the student contract
School:
School of Arts and Humanities
Credit Rating:
20
Level (including FHEQ):
I (FHEQ Level 5)
Graded or Non Graded:
Graded
Version Valid From:
2024-09-16
Module Leader:
Mary Bellamy
Version Number
2024.02
Learning Methods
Lecture
Guided Independent Study
Synopsis
You will explore the ranges of all commonly used instruments, their strengths and weaknesses, their technical and timbral characteristics, and their notational idiosyncrasies and requirements. We will develop techniques of writing idiomatically and resourcefully for ensembles of various sizes and instrumental combinations and for orchestra, including timbral blending, the creation… For more content click the Read More button below.
Learning Strategy
Lectures and seminars in which the instruments of the orchestra are explained, with in-class demonstrations where possible.
Analyses of prescribed scores from different styles and periods and in-class orchestration tasks in which selected keyboard works are adapted or arranged for ensemble or orchestra.
Outline Syllabus
A survey of all woodwind, brass, percussion and string instruments in common useSmall chamber ensemble formations, primarily of homogeneous instrumental combinations, both with and without keyboardLarge chamber ensemble formations, focusing in particular on heterogeneous instrumental combinations, including special attention to the inclusion of percussionWriting for orchestra, including examination of both… For more content click the Read More button below.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will
1.
have developed an understanding of the technical capabilities of the most widely used instruments of the orchestra.
2.
have developed an understanding of the correct notational methods for each instrument.
3.
have developed an understanding of the particular stylistic characteristics of different historical schools of orchestral writing, including from the recent past.
4.
have developed an understanding of common approaches to the combination of instrumental resources in standard small and large ensemble formations.
5.
will have developed the ability to write idiomatically and resourcefully for the most common orchestral instruments.
6.
will have developed the ability to combine instrumental timbres effectively, including demonstrating a control of foreground and background and a clarity of ensemble texture.
7.
will have developed the ability to manage the extended resources of a small chamber orchestra.
Formative Assessment
Assessment 1: In-Class Test
Summative Assessment
Assessment 1: Project Work
Assessment 2: Project Work
Assessment 3: Project Work
Assessment Criteria
Three transcription assignments designed to test understanding of the technical capabilities of standard orchestral instruments and the combination of those instruments in small, medium, and large ensemble contexts. The instrumentation for the transcriptions will be specified in advance by the module tutor. The module will be graded in line with… For more content click the Read More button below.