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Overview

Course Prescription

The development of vocal technique and interpretative skills through the in-depth study of vocal production techniques pertinent to contemporary popular music vocal performance. The emphasis is on the development of practices to enhance the performance of original songs written by the students.

Course Overview

This course aims to assist students to understand and utilise a set of essential vocal performance techniques that will support their ongoing development as vocal performers and songwriters. It will encourage students to study and analyse core vocal performance techniques that will assist them to build their expressive and interpretive skills when singing their original songs. Students will learn how to identify and describe a set of core vocal performance techniques and as well as how to maintain practices that support good voice care.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 9 hours of 1:1 lessons, 20 hours of a large group popular music performance workshop, 96 hours of individual performance practice including handing in weekly coursework, and 25 hours thinking and researching the general course content and preparing and completing the two performance assessments.

Course Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions

Prerequisite

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City
City

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including 1:1 studio lessons and performance workshops to complete components of the course.
Learning activities such as 1:1 studio lessons will not be available as recordings.
Attendance on campus is required for all of the songwriting and performance assessments.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a weekly timetable.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Course Content
Students receive nine one-hour 1:1 lessons with their artist-teacher. At each 1:1 performance lesson, students will be assigned relevant musical exercises to learn and prepare for the following lesson. Student assignments will include tasks such as technical studies, set pieces, applied theory and listening exercises designed to facilitate stylistic awareness. This course focuses specifically on the development of fundamental vocal technique and vocal interpretative skills appropriate to the performance and songwriting style of the student.
There will be a formative assessment by week 3.
Learning will include the study and application of personal vocal techniques exercises, the exploration of vocal sound, colour and phrasing, and the study of relevant vocal performances by other artists. During the course, students will compile a portfolio of recordings of their vocal performances.
Students will attend weekly performance workshops in KMC 318.
All students are required to maintain an average daily practice period of at least an hour a day throughout the course. It is worth keeping in mind that due to changing work pressures during the week this will mean that some days you need to be scheduling more than an hour (for example a couple of 45-minute sessions) to be able to maintain this average. It is very important to maintain a practice routine that focuses on all aspects of the course materials, topics and assignments from the start of the semester.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

Students need to have ready access off-campus to their primary instrument and/or guitar/piano/keys. We strongly advise students to have ready access off-campus to a microphone, a basic audio interface, a computer and computer DAW software to record their original songs and arrangements. Music production and composing techniques will be taught using Logic Pro software and may be assessed via the same platform. Private ownership of recording equipment and Logic Pro software is not compulsory to complete the coursework—this software is available on the School of Music's computer lab computers, however, it is highly recommended.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Health and Safety

Students need to complete vocal warm-up exercises before each of their nine 1:1 lessons.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Other Information

CanvasStudents will submit coursework to CANVAS recorded examples of recent vocal performances and vocal exercises as a way of illustrating progress and improvement during their self-directed study time. As well students will record demos before their mid-semester and final assessment to receive feedback from the lecturer. CANVAS is used to communicate relevant information including class handouts, musical examples and assignments.
Mental and Physical Wellbeing
The School of Music takes the mental and physical wellbeing of its students and staff seriously. If you are aware of a situation in which someone’s welfare is compromised, you must alert the Course Coordinator. The University counselling service can offer advice on mental health. Student Disability Services can advise and advocate for students with medical disabilities. Please liaise with SDS about disability accommodations well in advance of assignment due dates or tests.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Additional Information on Assessment

Assignments are to be submitted, according to submission type specified on CANVAS, by the due date. If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, please complete an application for extension form at the following link

https://www.forms.auckland.ac.nz/en/student/creative-arts-and-industries/te-whare-o-ng_-pkrero-poro---school-of-music-undergraduate-exten.html

You must submit your extension application as early as possible before the assignment due date.

Late assignments that do not have an approved extension will be penalised 10% for each day or part thereof and will be automatically deducted on CANVAS. No assignment will be accepted after that assignment has been returned to students.

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type12345

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Students will have earlier access to upcoming assessment overviews and resources

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.