MU2902: CONTEMPORARY CHORAL MUSIC (2014-2015)

This course is intended for composers, singers, conductors and students with a general interest in the choral music of the 20th and 21st Centuries. During this course we will examine the music of some of the greatest composers of choral music in our time. We will study mostly sacred choral music by British composers – such as Britten, Tavener and MacMillan; American composers –Bernstein, Lauridsen and Whitacre, and the Europeans particularly those developments in Eastern Europe and the Baltic States. The developments of these nations and regions will be put in historical perspective with the compositional and aesthetic developments of the previous generations. There is a strong practical element to this course with students either conducting or composing for choir in their final assessment.

The assessed output for this course will be in two sections:-

1:            A 10-minute presentation on a work (or works) of your choice on any aspect of contemporary choral music (25% of the final mark);

2:            Either:

(a)          A performance as a conductor of a short recital of contemporary choral music (75% of the final mark); or:

(b)          An original composition (3-5 mins in duration for SATB) inspired by contemporary choral techniques (75 % of the final mark). 

Please note that this course requires a high level of musical literacy and compositional ability.

This course is taught intensively in weeks 41 to 44 and is intended primarily for single honours BMus students.

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

View MU2902 Timetable

More Information about Week Numbers

1st Attempt: A 10-minute presentation on a work (or works) of your choice on any aspect of contemporary choral music (25%); and Either: (a) A performance (as conductor or singer) of a short recital (10 mins) of contemporary choral music (75% of the final mark); or: (b) An original composition (3-5 mins in duration for SATB) inspired by contemporary choral techniques (75 % of the final mark).

Resit: Students resit all failed elements of assessment.

Oral feedback will be provided in seminars and workshops, which will be recorded for the purposes of external moderation by external examiners when the work presented in a performance context contributes to the final CAS mark.

None.