OXFORD MSt in MUSIC and MPhil in Music 2018-19

COURSE OVERVIEW

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The Master of Studies in Music is a one-year taught course that offers an introduction to
the broad range of current methodologies and approaches in music scholarship. Students
specialize in musicology, composition or performance.

Students on the Master of Philosophy in Music

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follow the same course in the first year.

The main Masters teaching and coursework is done in the first two terms; the third is
reserved for completion of essays, the dissertation or portfolio of compositions, and – for
performance students – preparation of the final recital.

The Masters course consists of

 Core Seminars

 Elective Seminars

 Presentation Seminars
 MUSICOLOGY
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TEACHING 1 – CORE SEMINARS

The following four seminars (6 hours per seminar) will run in the Michaelmas Term:

1. Historical Musicology – Professor Christian Leitmeir

2. Aesthetics – Professor Laura Tunbridge and Professor Eric Clarke
3. Current Trends in Music Theory and Analysis – Dr Sebastian Wedler
4. The Social Study of Music - Dr Mark Doffman
5. Composition – Professor Robert Saxton
Students are expected to participate in at least two seminars (or more). The first formative
assignment will be a short response to a Music Faculty Research Colloquium, Seminar in
Ethnomusicology and Sound Studies, or Seminar in Medieval and Renaissance Music, attended
before the end of week three of Michaelmas term and submitted in week five (week 6 for
composers). The first assessed submission will be an essay written in response to an aspect of
one of the seminar courses attended. This essay will be submitted in week ten of the Michaelmas
term.

TEACHING 2 - ELECTIVE SEMINARS

Each year members of the Faculty convene a series of ‘elective’ seminars (normally six hours per
series), usually based on an aspect of their research interests. The seminars will involve a mixture
of material presented by the seminar leaders, short presentations by students taking the seminar,
and whole group discussions. Seminars will feature target reading that must be regarded as
required reading for each session.

One of the three (or two for performers and composers) submitted essays must be written on a
topic in response to an elective seminar. For musicologists this essay will be assignment 1b.

For 2018-19 the elective seminars on offer will be as follows:-

Music, Theatre and War in Nineteenth-Century Europe – Dr Annelies Andries

Music and Global History – Dr Yvonne Liao
Music, Consciousness & Subjectivity – Professor Eric Clarke
Music and Writing – Dr Giovanni Varelli
Love Songs: The Past 900 Years – Professor Elizabeth Eva Leach & Professor Laura Tunbridge
Electronic Dance Music – Dr Toby Young

TEACHING 3 - PRESENTATION SEMINARS

Led by Professor Elizabeth Eva Leach

The Presentation Seminars are held in Trinity term. Each student will prepare a presentation on their
own research and will be asked to respond to another student’s presentation in another; further
feedback on presentation skills is received from the seminar convenor. Attendance at this seminar is a
compulsory requirement.
 RECOMMENDED LIST C COURSES
Graduate students are welcome to attend any of the Faculty’s undergraduate lectures (see the
course descriptions on the undergraduate teaching pages on WebLearn). They are especially invited
to attend the undergraduate optional (‘List C’) courses. These special topics reflect the
interests and expertise of individual members of the Faculty.
For 2018-19 the following courses are recommended:

Michaelmas Term Sounding North Professor Dan Grimley

Igor Stravinsky Professor Jonathan Cross

Hilary Term Theologies of Sacred Music in Dr Matthew Salisbury

the Twentieth Century

Trinity Term The Trouvères Professor Elizabeth Eva Leach

ASSESSMENT FOR 000950 – MUSICOLOGY

You are required to submit:

FORMATIVE ASSIGNMENT: an essay of up to 2,500 words to be submitted on Wednesday of

Week 5 of Michaelmas Term. The essay should be a critical response to one of the Faculty
Colloquia or seminars (Sound Studies and Ethnomusicology, Studies in Medieval and
Renaissance Music, Theory and Analysis Seminar, New Music Seminar, ‘The Composer Speaks’,
or another seminar subject to the approval of your supervisor) that has taken place since the start
of term. Feedback will be given by your supervisor. Submit to the Academic Office.

SUMMATIVE ASSIGNMENTS:

1. a. an essay of not more than 6,000 words (or equivalent, including notation, visual
documentation, or analytical diagrams) in response to one of the Core seminars you have
attended in the Michaelmas Term. To be submitted on Tuesday of week 10 of Michaelmas
Term.

b. an essay of not more than 6,000 words, in response to an elective seminar, to be

submitted on Tuesday of week 10 of Hilary Term.

c. an annotated bibliography of not more than 4,000 words, explicitly related to the
dissertation. The bibliography should be submitted on Tuesday of Week 3 of Trinity Term.

A portfolio of appropriately assessed language work that is directly relevant to your planned field of research may
be substituted for Part 1c with the approval of the Masters Convenor which must be sought by noon on Friday of
the fourth week of Michaelmas term.

Part 1a and 1b assessments are each weighted at 25% of the final mark, Part 1c is weighted
at 10% of the final mark.
2. a dissertation of not more than 13,000 words in musicology or ethnomusicology, or an
editorial exercise (edition), with prefatory matter, of comparable length, to be submitted by
the Tuesday of week 10 of Trinity Term. The dissertation is weighted at 40% of the final
mark.
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TEACHING FOR PERFORMERS
 Performance Workshops
There are six Performance seminars/workshops, split between the terms. They can be
found in the Lecture List.
 Performers should participate in the Core Seminars as part of preparation for the
Musicology essay submissions. Please see page 5 for more information
 Elective Seminars, Presentation Seminars and Recommended List C courses, please
see previous pages.
 Individual Performance Tuition (see WebLearn page on Notes on Performance Tuition)

ASSESSMENT FOR 003025 – PERFORMANCE

You are required to submit:

FORMATIVE ASSIGNMENT: an essay of up to 2,500 words to be submitted on Wednesday of

Week 5 of Michaelmas Term. The essay should be a critical response to one of the Faculty
Colloquia or seminars (Sound Studies and Ethnomusicology, Studies in Medieval and
Renaissance Music, Theory and Analysis Seminar, New Music Seminar, ‘The Composer Speaks’,
or another seminar subject to the approval of your supervisor) that has taken place since the start
of term. Feedback will be given by your supervisor. Submit to the Academic Office.

1. a A lecture-recital (10 minutes speaking, 20 minutes performance) that explores a research

topic related to the repertoire performed, such as historically-informed performance, new
editions, or a particular style or genre. To be given in an examination in week 0 or 1 of
Hilary Term.

b. A 6,000 word essay, in response to an elective seminar, to be submitted on Tuesday of

week 10 of Hilary Term.

c. A 6,000 word essay, on a topic of the candidate’s choice (probably performance related), to
be submitted on Tuesday of week 3 of Trinity Term.

Each element of the Part 1 assessment is weighted at 20% of the final mark.

2. A recital of not more than forty-five minutes’ duration, vocal or instrumental. The recital
should be accompanied by programme notes of 1200 words. The programme notes can frame
the performance and inflect how the examiners and the audience respond to it, but will not be
separately marked. The recital to take place not later than the tenth week of Trinity Term. The
recital is weighted at 40% of the final mark.
 COMPOSITION
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TEACHING FOR COMPOSERS
 Composition Seminar (minimum 12 hours)
There will be eight composition seminars, split between the Michaelmas and Hilary terms,
each focusing on a different compositional technique, musical genre, or aesthetic issue.
Composers are expected to write either one or two (see below) compositions in response to
these seminars during the course of the year.
 Composition students should participate in the Core Seminars as part of preparation for the
Musicology essay submissions. Please see page 5 for more information.
 Elective Seminars, Presentation Seminars and Recommended List C courses, please
see previous pages.
 Composition workshops (see lecture list)

ASSESSMENT FOR 003015 – COMPOSITION

FORMATIVE ASSIGNMENT: an essay of up to 2,500 words to be submitted on Wednesday of
Week 6 of Michaelmas Term. The essay should be a critical response to one of the Faculty
Colloquia or seminars (Sound Studies and Ethnomusicology, Studies in Medieval and
Renaissance Music, Theory and Analysis Seminar, New Music Seminar, ‘The Composer Speaks’,
or another seminar subject to the approval of your supervisor) that has taken place since the start
of term. Feedback will be given by your supervisor. Submit to the Academic Office.

1. a. composition of not more than 8 minutes duration in response to techniques presented in

composition seminars to be handed in on Tuesday of week 10 of the Michaelmas Term.

b. a 6,000 word essay on a topic of the candidates choice, to be submitted on Tuesday of

week 10 of Hilary Term.

c. EITHER a 6,000 word essay in response to an elective seminar, OR an 8 minute

composition in response to composition seminars to be submitted on Tuesday of week 3
of Trinity Term. The choice between either a composition or an essay must be made with
the approval of the student’s supervisor.

Each section of the Part 1 assessment is weighted at 20% of the final mark.

2. A portfolio of compositions, of not more than twenty-five minutes duration in total, to be

submitted not later than the Tuesday of week 10 of Trinity term. The portfolio is weighted at
40% of the final mark.

SUPERVISION
Supervision for all courses will be arranged at the start of Michaelmas term. Please note that the
following Faculty members are away and will not be able to supervise Masters students- Professor
Georgina Born (all year), Professor Michael Burden (all year), Professor Jason Stanyek (Hilary and
Trinity terms), and Professor Gascia Ouzounian (Hilary term).