Undergraduate Course: Performance 1 (MUSI08073)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | In this course, students develop their practical music performance skills hand in hand with the abilities to approach, evaluate and discuss performance critically. Students will learn fundamental techniques for strategically preparing performances, deepen their knowledge and improve their skills on their first-study instrument (or voice), analyse and evaluate their own, their peers' and professional musicians' performances and gain confidence as performers. |
| Course description |
This course begins to guide students towards a research-led approach to musical performance and allows students to deepen their subject knowledge of their own instrument or voice type. The course addresses topics such as strategic preparation for a performance or demonstration/presentation, techniques to manage performance anxiety, critical use of performance materials, interpretation and methods for finding suitable repertoire.
Teaching and learning takes place through weekly 2-hour whole-cohort sessions throughout both semesters, alongside individual vocal and/or instrumental lessons with external specialist teachers. The weekly sessions involve various formative tasks including performance opportunities, group assignments and writing-based activities. These are designed to support the development of skills and knowledge required for advanced solo or ensemble performance. As part of their performance studies, students will also be required to attend at least one 50-minute free lunchtime concert put on by the Reid School of Music
The University offers course participants a bursary for vocal/instrumental tuition. Students are reimbursed up to a specified amount; costs of lessons in excess of this sum are paid by the student. Vocal and instrumental teachers are asked to provide the course organiser with brief progress reports on each student's work. Expenses for travelling to lessons and instrument maintenance may also be incurred by the students; these are not reimbursed.
Performance 1 students will be allocated to instrumental/vocal tutors by the course organiser.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Performance 1 is only available to single honours Music students on the BMus and BSc Acoustics and Music Technology degrees in year 1.
ABRSM Grade VIII (or equivalent) on students' first-study instrument or voice. Students who do not hold certification at this level will be required to audition during Welcome Week.
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| Additional Costs | This Course does not require any additional costs to be met by the Student. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 32,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 8,
Fieldwork Hours 1,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 4,
Summative Assessment Hours 3,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
148 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
50 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
This course has 3 assessment components.
- Concert review (900-1,100 words), 20%, S1, Week 10, relating to LO1
- Group presentation (8-10 min), 30%, S2, Week 4, relating to LO1, LO2
- Performance Exam (8-10 min), 50%, May exam diet, relating to LO1, LO3
Further information: In addition, students are required to submit a programme (list of pieces to be performed in the performance exam) in semester 2 whose contents must be approved by their vocal or instrumental teacher. This submission is not marked, but failure to submit it by the due date will result in a penalty of 5% on the Performance Exam.
Resit Information
The resit arrangements for this course are as follows.
- The resit task for assessment component 1 is Concert review (900-1,100 words), 20%.
- The resit task for assessment component 2 is Presentation (8-10 min), 30%.
- The resit task for assessment component 3 is Performance Exam (8-10 min), 50%.
Students will receive further resit information as per University regulations where necessary. |
| Feedback |
Formative Feedback
This is delivered verbally in whole group sessions directly following the relevant activity. For example:
- Semester 1, Weeks 3-5, formative presentation: small group (2-3 students) presentation on aspect of instrumental or vocal technique
- Semester 1, Week 10 & 11, formative performance 1: duo performances on self-chosen repertoire
- Semester 2, Weeks 3-5, formative performance 2: small group (3-4 student) performances on self-chosen repertoire.
Feedback is delivered by the Course Organiser. Feedback on formative presentations is designed to enable students to improve their communication and presentation skills, leading to an effective and well-researched presentation for their summative assessment in semester 2, week 4. Feedback on formative performances is designed to feed directly into the ongoing development of students¿ performance skills, most notably preparation, delivery and increasing confidence. Students will also receive feedback on their individual progress in their performance specialism from their individual vocal/instrumental tutor on an ongoing basis.
Summative Feedback
This is delivered as written feedback to students individually by the Course Organiser. Summative feedback will be provided according to University regulations.
There is no direct relationship between assessment components, so summative feedback for assessment components does not feed into other assessment components. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Apply fundamental skills and knowledge that are required to prepare a critically informed performance, such as an exam recital.
- Start communicating their musical ideas verbally and through performance.
- Develop and apply performance skills and knowledge in their chosen performance specialism.
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Learning Resources
Gordon, Stewart. Mastering the Art of Performance: A Primer for Musicians. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.
Haynes, Bruce. The End of Early Music: A Period Performer's History of Music for the Twenty-First Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Klickstein, Gerald. The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.
Rink, John, Helena Gaunt, and Aaron Williamon, eds. Musicians in the Making: Pathways to Creative Performance. New York: Oxford University Press, 2017
Rosenberg, Tina. Don¿t Be Quiet, Start a Riot!: Essays on Feminism and Performance. Stockholm: Stockholm University Press, 2016.
Smith, Susan. The Musical: Race, Gender and Performance. London: Wallflower, 2005. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Personal development: you will acquire an understanding of general principles relating to effective, expressive performance.
Communication: applying these skills and knowledge both in practice, independently and collaboratively, will develop and enhance your artistic and verbal presentation and communication skills.
Research and enquiry: drawing on a range of sources and creative methods, you will develop facility in critical analysis and evaluation within individual and group situations.
Personal and intellectual autonomy: working independently and with academic and artistic staff, external specialists and peers, you will learn to adapt to different roles, take on different responsibilities and begin to develop your own artistic voice. |
| Keywords | music performance,performance studies,critical thinking |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Philip Alexander
Tel:
Email: Phil.Alexander@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Rowan Paton
Tel:
Email: rpaton5@ed.ac.uk |
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