| CODE | MSP1389 | ||||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Theoretical and Practical Issues in Wind Band Playing and Conducting | ||||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Music Studies | ||||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit provides students with the opportunity to focus on a range of interrelated practical issues in wind band playing, such as the selection of repertoire, rehearsing, practical matters on band instruments, intonation, balance, and ensemble playing. Students will be given the opportunity to discuss these and other practical matters with tutors specialised in their respective musical instruments and, when possible, play the same instruments. This will give students the chance to attain knowledge and a direct basic experience of the various instruments employed in a wind band and the challenges encountered to play them well. It will also introduce students to good rehearsing practices and planning. A theoretical underpinning will be given to these areas of wind band playing and performance. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit aims to assist students gain practical knowledge in the challenges faced by musicians to play a band instrument at a more professional level. It should also provide them with skills on how such challenges can be dealt with by conductors during rehearsals. The theoretical aspect of the study-unit will assist students to create self-reflective strategies on their practice within the context of wind band playing. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (a) identify the elements of good ensemble planning, playing, and coordination; (b) apply principles in the production of good tone quality on a range of band instruments; (c) investigate problems of intonation and articulation; (d) explore methods of problem-solving in instrumental playing and conducting; (e) appraise a range of physical motor skills in the playing of different band instruments; (f) evaluate a repertoire and its implied expectations and demands. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (a) write critically about the practical issues raised by the different tutors participating in this study-unit; (b) apply principles to practice; (c) discuss critically and broadly points of intersection between theory and practice; (d) organise targets and structures for a successful performance; (e) explore and develop further motorial skills in musical playing and conducting. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Text: - McCauley, Thomas. 2016. Adventures in Band Building: How to Turn "Less Than It Could Be" into "More Than It Should Be" (Chicago: GIA Publications, Inc). Supplementary Reading: - Miller, Donald. 2015. Rehearsing the Band (Vol.2) (Florida: Meredith Music Publications). |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Tutorial | ||||||||||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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