MUSPOP 1003 - Contemporary Musicianship 1A

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2025

Contemporary Musicianship 1A introduces notational, theoretical and aural skills with an emphasis on contemporary popular music. Theoretical skills developed include the recognition of clefs and key signatures, intervals, chords and tonal harmony, simple and compound rhythms, melodic structures and voice leading. Students will examine the principles of theory and progress through the study of the development of tonal and non-tonal theory in Western music. Students learn the theoretical aspects of music making while developing the key skills in music literacy and harmonic analysis that are integral to contemporary music practice. Students will also develop aural skills and sight singing ability, that is centred on honing secure listening and reading skills.

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Course Details

Course Code	MUSPOP 1003
Course	Contemporary Musicianship 1A
Coordinating Unit	Elder Conservatorium of Music
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 4 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Restrictions	Available to BMus, BCtveArts, DipMus students only
Assessment	Ongoing tutorial assessments (25%), transcription assignment (15%), mid-Semester exam (15%), workshop assessment/s (25%), final exam (20%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Luke Harrald

Lecturers

Luke Harrald
email: luke.harrald@adelaide.edu.au

Grayson Rotumah (pop students)
email: grayson.rotumah@adelaide.edu.au

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1	Demonstrate fluency in musical literacy and understanding of musical concepts;
2	Develop aural skills;
3	Recognise musical techniques and develop awareness of musical aesthetics through transcription, analysis and critical listening to a wide range of music; and
4	Gain familiarity with effective means of researching music materials using the Barr Smith Library and related online resources.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1, 2, 3, 4
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	2, 4
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	2
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	.
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	.
Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.	.
Attribute 7: Digital capabilities Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.	.
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	2, 3

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Textbook:
Turek, Ralph and Daniel McCarthy. 2014. Theory for Today’s Musician, second ed. London: Routledge / Taylor and Francis.

This is available for purchase from Booktopia, or other online vendors. It is also available from Barr Smith Library in both hard copy format, and as an eBook (accessible online with your student i.d. and password).

Recommended Resources

Additional textbooks you might find useful:

Bryce, E. (1997) Harmony: a new bridge from traditional to jazz-related harmonic concepts. Noble House Publishing, Oakbank.
Cooper, G. & Meyer, L. (1963) The Rhythmic Structure of Music. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Dorrite, F. & Jones, S. (2000) Essentials of Music for Audio Professionals. Mix Pro Audio Series, Mix Books, North Hollywood.
Fitzgerald, J. (2003) Popular Music Theory and Musicianship. Hazelmount Publishing, Fortitude Valley.
Sturman, P. (2005) Harmony, Melody & Composition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Online Learning

In addition to the materials and interactives available via MyUni, all students are strongly encouraged to make use of the excellent online resources available through the Conservatorium’s subscription to “e-learning resources”.

In addition to comprehensive information that is clearly presented, there are numerous practice questions for aural and theoretical questions, as well as a wide range of other support information. Students who are deficient in certain areas presumed knowledge/skills will be directed to work through relevant portions of the e-learning site in order to bring their knowledge/skill up to the required level.

Some tutors may also utilise the e-learning resources as a basis for specific tutorial assignments or exercises.

The e-learning resources website is located at: e-lr.com.au

Access the site using the following username and password:
User Name: student.elder.sa
Password: stave

Learning & Teaching Modes

Lectures will explore a range of topics and will be supported by tutorials where concepts are applied through practical application and aural training, and by workshops that involve choral singing and critical listening activities. Students' ability to efficiently find music materials at the Elder Music Library will be supported by a brief talk during the first lecture, as well as readings and self-paced tasks available via MyUni.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

In addition to the 4 contact hours per week, it is anticipated that students would spend 6-8 hours per week in reviewing lecture notes, preparing for tutorials, listening to repertoire, preparing for tests and exams, undertaking suggested listening, reading, or viewing, and practising musicianship skills.

Learning Activities Summary

Weekly Lecture Topics (note - these topics are indicative and may change depending on course and student needs)

Schedule
Week	Topic
Week 1	What is Music? Library skills introduction and what are viable sources of information?
Week 2	Pitch Basics - The staff, Clefs and Introduction to Acoustics and Timbre
Week 3	Rhythmic Notation - Time Signatures, Beat Divisions and the Duality of Rhythm and Pitch
Week 4	Introduction to Diatonic Chords and Harmonic Function
Week 5	Perception vs Measurement and Tuning
Week 6	Introduction to Modes
Week 7	Diatonic Harmony and 7th Chords; introduction to Roman numerals
Week 8	Introduction to Form, considering hierarchical relationships in music
Week 9	Musical Form (Part 2)
Week 10	Secondary Dominants (or secondary function chords) - adding interest to common chord progressions
Week 11	Class 11: Non-Diatonic Chords, an introduction to the 12-Bar Blues
Week 12	Revision

Specific Course Requirements

Where tutorials are held in the computer lab, students will need to ensure they bring their own headphones and data storage to use as needed.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Description/Dates	Weighting	Learning Outcome(s)
Ongoing Assessment	Due fortnightly, at the beginning of the tutorial from week 3	20%
Transcription Assignment	Due week 10	20%
Aural Tests	Due in weeks 6 (15%) and 12 (15%), and will be conducted in the tutorial	30%
Theory Exam	Due during the examination period	30%

Assessment Related Requirements

Lectures: Lectures will be pre-recorded and made available in Echo360 (via MyUni). They shoudl be viewed prior to the tutorials.

Tutorials: Full attendance at tutorials is expected and students will be required to attend at least 8 of 10 tutorials. Note that due to the frequent nature of the class quizzes, non-attendance beyond 2 classes will cost Ongoing Assessment marks.

Test and Exam Attendance: All students are required to attend the Aural Tests and end-of-semester Exam on the scheduled dates. No exceptions will be made except on certified medical grounds or on professional/compassionate grounds if approved by the coordinator well in advance of the scheduled exam.

Assessment Detail

Ongoing Assessment
During the tutorials, students will undertake a short quiz at the start of the tutorial fortnightly from Week 3, which will cover the previous two weeks of content. No extensions will be possible on the quizzes. All students will be able to drop their lowest grade for one of the quizzes, so if you are absent for a class you will receive a zero for the quiz but will be able to drop the mark so your grade is unaffected. Students who take all quizzes will gain the advantage of being able to drop the quiz they did worst in.

Multiple absences will impact on your grade for this assessment as you will receive zero for each absence.

Quizzes will be marked immediately in class, so that students can receive ongoing feedback on their progress within the course, and highlight which topics they need to focus on for further study.

Transcription Assignment
Students will complete a short Transcription or Analysis of a contemporary work. The transcription will include the correct notation of pitch, rhythm and any imporatant articulations to enable the performance of the song.

Aural Tests
Students will be tested on the Aural content of the class during the week 6 and 12 tutorials. The Aural test in week 6 will test skills learned in weeks 1 - 5, while the test in week 12 will test skills learned from week 6 - 11.

Final Exam
The Final Exam will be held in the Examination Period at the end of the semester.

The exam will focus primarily on the lecture content for the whole semester, and will give students the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned through the course. It will be made up of 40% short answer and notated questions, 30% multiple choice, and 30% aural questions.

Submission

Submission for the transcription assignment will occur digitally via MyUni, while the other assessments are either practical or paper based and will be completed in class or during the exam period.

All component grades and feedback will be distributed to students via MyUni.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator