- Course type: Complementary.
- Year of study: Over semesters 1–2.
- Final assessment: Reflection paper.
- Prerequisites: Admission to the Master of Music in Performance Programme.
- Language of instruction: English.
- Study component: MAUT Master of Music Performance Degree Programme.
Course description
The course is for ECMAster students starting and ending their studies in Oslo. It is strongly linked to UTMASTER76 Master's Project. The course is partly taught in connection with the courses MASTFOR70 Master Forum and MUSPER71 Music in Perspective and partly as group tuition with the ensemble's chamber music coach, who will act as supervisor for the Master's project.
The course is designed to give the students a basic methodology for project development and project work. They will also develop their own project description for the Master project during the course. Students take this course in their first semester but remain in contact with their supervisor throughout semester 2 to revise and refine their project description. In semester 4, the Master's project will be implemented according to the final project description (see UTMASTER76 Master's Project).
Learning objectives
On completion of the course, students are expected to
- have tools to initiate and direct artistic projects alone and with others
- be able to develop project ideas
- reflect on their own and others' artistic practice on the basis of the subject area's history, traditions, unique characteristics and place in society
- be able to assess material from artistic development activities and research
- show insight into and critically assess ethical norms and issues of musical and professional nature
Overview
Introductory seminar
The seminar will include presentations and introductions to the different elements of the Master's programme, including the demands the study poses to the student. ECMAster students will participate in parts of the common introductory seminar for all students of Master in Performance.
Master's forum
The ensemble should participate in at least 4 Master's forum sessions. During the course, the Master's project should be presented to the other students.
Music in perspective
The course MUSPER71 Music in perspective is mandatory for other Master of Music Performance students. The course covers topics such as «The Musician and the Society and Music Aesthetics». Lectures are open for ECMAster students, and some of the lectures can be made mandatory for ECMAster students. Details about mandatory lectures can be found in the semester plan for the course, which is made available at the beginning of the academic year.
Trying out and reflecting
Drawing on experiences and repertoire from work with UTKAMM70 Chamber Music and ECMA IP, the ensemble should reflect on questions such as the following:
- The composer's intentions vs The musicians' freedom of interpretation.
- Music for whom? The audience, the society and the art itself.
The ensemble should carry out a mini artistic research project during the course exploring these or other artistic research questions (see more details in «Course requirements»).
Group tuition
The ensemble will, with supervision, discuss and develop their own project ideas for the Master's project.
Structure
The course will combine separate tuition in the ensemble and tuition together with other students in the Master of Music Performance programme.
For an overview of recommended amounts of instruction and organisation, please see the description of the individual study programme.
Students have registered automatically for instruction/supervision and assessment in the course in accordance with the study progress requirements set out in the individual education plan.
Course requirements
Introductory seminar
Active participation in the introductory seminar is mandatory.
Master's forum
The ensemble should normally participate in at least four sessions of the Master's forum.
Mini artistic research project
The ensemble should choose an unusual/unexpected venue. Before the performance, the ensemble should come up with one or more artistic (research) question(s) that they want to explore. The performance event should hold the potential to answer the research question(s).
The results should be documented in a format of the ensemble's choice (i.e. video, blog, podcast, reflection paper) and presented in the Master's forum, instrument forum for bachelor students, or for another relevant group.
Project description
- The ensemble should write and submit one mutual project description. The project proposal for the Master's Project (1200–2000 words / 3–5 pages) should state the title, theme, project topic, motivation/rationale and a progression plan for the project. See more information in the guidelines for the project proposal. It is the students' responsibility to contact and stay in touch with the supervisor.
- When the project description has been approved and signed, a supervision agreement must be entered into between the students, the supervisor and the Academy. The supervision agreement states the obligations and rights of the students as well as the responsibilities and obligations of the supervisor. Deadline: Project description and signed supervision agreement should be submitted electronically through NMH's digital learning platform by 15 December in the first semester.
- During semester 2, refinement of the project description should be an ongoing process. Students will meet with their supervisor in two ECMA IP sessions during the semester. No later than two weeks after each meeting, a revised version of the project description should be submitted through NMH's digital learning platform. Changes must be approved by the ensemble's supervisor.
Deadline: The final project description should be submitted electronically through NMH's digital learning platform by 15 May in the second semester.
Final assessment
All course requirements must be fulfilled and approved before the student is given a final assessment.
Student assessment is based on the learning objectives. The final assessment will be given as a pass/fail mark determined on the basis of a reflection paper. The paper will be assessed by two internal examiners.
Reflection paper
Students must write a reflection paper (approx. 2000 words / 4–6 pages) that puts their own role as a musician in perspective and discusses it in light of the experience and knowledge the student has gained in the course.
Deadline: Reflection papers must be submitted to the Exams Office no later than 1 June of the second semester of studies. The paper must include the student's name and programme.
New assessment
In the case of re-assessment, the same procedures apply.