Bachelor of Music

This BMus commenced phase out in 2007. This information is provided for indicative purposes only.

The Bachelor of Music course is designed to provide students with a perspective for the discipline of music and the specialist knowledge and skills that should prepare them for a professional career in music.

On completion of this course, students should be able to:

• contextualise their performing within the best practices of local, national and international standards;
• be highly articulate and literate in their chosen specialisation;
• pursue knowledge and skills independently, both in a specialisation and in the discipline of music as a whole;
• use and assimilate the potential of technologies to facilitate and heighten the dissemination of skills, knowledge and information;
• make critical, informed and sophisticated responses to new ideas, methodologies and theoretical frameworks, both in their specialisation and in the discipline of music as a whole;
• show empathy, self-reflection and critical intelligence in the dissemination of skills and knowledge in their specialisation;
• provide leadership in international forums in their chosen specialisation in music;
• work competently and productively in a musical setting, both alone and in groups; and
• integrate a holistic view of music from different times and places into their working and intellectual lives.

The course has two core years, followed by two specialisation years.

In the core years students undertake individual practical tuition on the instrument on which they auditioned, a program of ensemble work, a sequence of aural/theoretical and historical studies and a comprehensive music literature requirement.

In the last two years, all students choose a specialisation from:

• Instrumental/Vocal Teaching
• Performance
• Composition
• Musicology/Ethnomusicology
• Music Therapy

Core Years: First Year

PLUS Three Music Skills Electives 18.750

Core Years: Second Year

PLUS Four Music Skills Electives 25.000

Students commencing composition studies in year 2 take Compostion subjects in place of Practical Study and Electro-Acoustic Music in place of 2 Music Skills Electives.

Music Skills electives (including ensemble electives)

See New Generation BMus entry for elective options.

Instrumental/Vocal Teaching Specialisation - Third Year

Instrumental teaching students take Practical Study for at least 3 years, which they combine with the Instrumental Teaching subjects. They receive 24 45-minute lessons of individual tuition throughout the year.

PLUS

Two Ensemble Electives (see above) 12.500

Academic Elective 12.500

Academic Elective OR Applied Elective OR Non-Music Elective 12.500

Instrumental/Vocal Teaching Specialisation - Fourth Year

PLUS

Two Ensemble Electives (see above) 12.500

Academic Elective 12.500

Academic Elective OR Applied Elective OR Non-Music Elective 25.000

Performance Specialisation - Third Year

The Performance Specialisation is for students displaying outstanding promise as performers. They will receive 24 1-hour weekly lessons and undertake a number of other concert and performance-related subjects. Performance 4 students play a concerto and give a final solo recital.

PLUS

Two Ensemble Electives (see above) 12.500

Academic Elective 12.500

Academic Elective OR Applied Elective OR Non-Music Elective 12.500

Performance Specialisation - Fourth Year

PLUS

Two Ensemble Electives (see above) 12.500

Academic Elective 12.500

Academic Elective OR Applied Elective OR Non-Music Elective 25.000

Composition Specialisation - Third Year

Composition students take Composition instead of Practical Study from year 2 and take the subject Introduction to Electro-acoustic Music concurrently with Composition 1, in place of two Music Skills electives. They undertake a series of composition tasks throughout the course, with a mix of class and individual tuition, culminating in the submission of a final composition folio in their final year.

PLUS

Two Ensemble Electives (see above) 12.500

Academic Elective OR Applied Elective OR Non-Music Elective 12.500

Composition Specialisation - Fourth Year

PLUS

Two Ensemble Electives (see above) 12.500

Academic Elective 12.500

Academic Elective OR Applied Elective OR Non-Music Elective 25.000

Musicology/Ethnomusicology Specialisation - Third Year

Musicology and Ethnomusicology students take an array of academic electives. In their third year, students take Research Methods subjects and in their final year submit a dissertation under individual supervision.

Students enrol in either Musicological Research Methods or The Ethnography of Music.

PLUS

Two Ensemble Electives (see above) 12.500

Academic Elective 12.500

Academic Elective OR Applied Elective OR Non-Music Elective 12.500

Academic Elective/s OR Non-Music Elective/s 37.500

Musicology/Ethnomusicology Specialisation - Fourth Year

PLUS

Two Ensemble Electives (see above) 12.500

Academic Electives 25.000

Academic Elective OR Applied Elective OR Non-Music Elective 12.500

Academic Elective/s OR Non-Music Elective/s 12.500

Music Therapy Specialisation - Third Year

This specialisation prepares a student for a career as a music therapist, working with patients/clients in a variety of settings, including special schools, hospitals, nursing homes, community centres and clinics. Clinical training placements form a major component of the course. Selection into the specialisation is made at the end of Year 2, and is based on academic record, an audition and interview. Students are encouraged to prepare for this by observing music therapists in a variety of settings during the year. A list of appropriate facilities can be obtained from the coordinator, Assoc Prof Denise Grocke.
The specialisation is based on a two-year pattern of sequential study at each year level as per the structure below; mid-year entry to this specialisation is therefore not possible.

Music Therapy Specialisation - Fourth Year

PLUS

Academic Elective OR Applied Elective OR Non-Music Elective 12.500

Students may enrol in an Academic Elective or Applied Elective in place of Music Therapy Research Methods.

Academic and Applied Electives

See New Generation BMus entry for elective options.

Bachelor of Music (Honours)

There is no special subject or course for Honours in the BMus. The degree is awarded with Honours, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, on the basis of a student's performance in third and fourth year level music subjects (indicated by subject codes: 740-3xx or 740-4xx), excluding ensemble electives. Non-music subjects taken as electives in third and/or fourth year may also be included in the calculation.

An overall result for third and fourth year is calculated as follows:

• the mark for each subject is weighted according to its point value in the course;
• 4th year marks are weighted 2:1 against 3rd year marks;
• students who achieve an average result of 80 per cent or above will be awarded the degree with Honours.

There will be no further entry into this course from 2008.

For details on the new generation Bachelor of Music degree, please go to - http://vcam.unimelb.edu.au/bmus

The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music policy to take reasonable steps to make reasonable adjustments so as to enable the student’s participation in the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music’s programs, especially the Bachelor of Music. The Music degree is a degree which involves acquisition and refinement of musical knowledge and practice. All students of Music must possess intellectual, ethical, physical and emotional capabilities required to participate in the full curriculum and to achieve the levels of competence required by the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.

A candidate for the BMus degree must have abilities and skills which include the following:

a) Well developed existing proficiency in at least one musical instrument. This instrumental or vocal proficiency is initially measured at the application stage by audition into the Bachelor of Music. This proficiency will involve appropriately developed physical skills to achieve a well developed level of physical control of the instrument;

b) Well developed music literacy. A candidate must be capable of reading music notation fluently whether in standard musical notation or Braille musical notation;

c) Aural discrimination skills. A candidate needs to have well developed hearing to ensure that the aural requirements essential to the study of Music can be met;

d) The ability to comprehend complex music information and material independently. A candidate needs to possess an appropriate level of cognition to deal with required material relating to the theory and history of Music. This material may exist in written, and aural and schematised forms;

e) The capacity to communicate clearly a knowledge and application of music principles and practice in assessment activities and the ability to function as part of a musical team. A candidate must possess the emotional health required for full use of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment and the prompt completion of all responsibilities required by the course. All candidates need to be aware of their personal limitations and be aware of when and where to seek professional advice or supervision. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically taxing musical practice and to function effectively under stress and isolation in musical preparation. They must also be able to function effectively as part of a musical ensemble, to adapt to changing environments and to display flexibility.

f) Behavioural and Social Attributes. A candidate must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Students who feel their disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit.

The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music offers a wide range of graduate courses:

• Master of Music - specialisations available in Performance, Conducting, Composition, Musicology/Ethnomusicology and Music Therapy (by research)
• Master of Music Studies Intensive Mode - designed for music professionals in educational organisations who wish to enhance their expertise in ways directly relevant to their work.
• Master of Music Studies (by coursework) - specialisations available in Performance Studies, Composition, Musicology and Ethnomusicology.
• Master of Music Therapy - A coursework program leading to professional registration as Music Therapists (RMT) with the Australian Music Therapy Association (Inc.).
• Doctor of Musical Arts - a professional coursework doctorate in music performance.
• Doctor of Philosophy - Music (Thesis only)
• Doctor of Philosophy - Performance (50% Performance, 50% Thesis)
• Graduate Diploma in Guided Imagery and Music - an intensive mode coursework degree providing advanced level training in Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) therapy.
• Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma in Music - a pathway for music graduates with a three-year degree to gain an Honours degree equivalent and thereby become eligible for higher degree study. Specialisations available in Instrumental/Vocal Studies, Composition Musicology and Ethnomusicology.
• Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Music - designed for university graduates in any field who wish to undertake university-level study in music.

For other graduate courses offered by the University, see http://www.futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/

Graduates of the Bachelor of Music will be:

• Academically excellent as a result of:
  • intensive and rigorous one-to-one tuition in performance and composition
  • participation in a diversity of teaching and learning models including individual tuition, masterclasses, concert classes, large lectures, seminars, tutorials, on-line learning and ensemble experiences
  • assessment practices that demand independent thinking, critical analysis and an openness to new ideas

• articulate and authoritatively informed in musical discourse
• familiar and competent with research protocols, written and spoken communication skills and the ethics of scholarship through a program of core and elective academic subjects
• artistically sophisticated with a high level of understanding of the aesthetic of their discipline
• knowledgeable across disciplines as a result of:
• participation in a variety of "ways of knowing" within the discipline of music - solo and ensemble performance competency; theoretical, historical and contextual knowledge of music; aural acuity
• able to use the interaction of music and other disciplines with creativity and insight

• Leaders in communities through:
  • undertaking and developing new initiatives in community awareness and understanding the place of music in society
  • a program of work placement through the Melbourne Musicians' Agency
  • leadership roles in University and community based public performances, workshops and outreach programs
  • high level development of teamwork and group dynamic skills through participation in music ensembles

• Attuned to cultural diversity through:
  • a raft of academic elective and ensemble opportunities that involve thinking about difference in ways of being musical as well as participating in music from other times and places
  • familiarity with culturally diverse ways of conceptualising and talking about music
  • hands-on experiences of culturally diverse styles of music making and musical pedagogy

• Active global citizens through:
  • experiences gained through Study Abroad
  • participation throughout the course in the inherently international nature of music in all its manifestations
  • awareness as ambassadors for Australia through promotion of its cultural richness
  • facilitators and communicators between diverse cultural communities

As you progress through the Bachelor of Music you will acquire many specific skills, especially those related to your performance on your instrument or voice both solo and in ensembles, and those related to your learning about many different aspects of music history and theory.

Every subject you take in the BMus has a set of objectives which relate the content of the subject and its assessment requirements to your acquisition, not only of specific skills and knowledge, but also of generic skills. Generic skills will accompany you throughout your life and will provide you with the expertise to enter a huge variety of careers in or related to the music profession. For example:

• Juggling your practice, study, leisure and work time commitments provides you with generic skills in planning and time management, an ability necessary for almost any employment you can imagine.
• Playing in ensembles, and organising rehearsals and performances, involves you in the generic skills of teamwork and leadership, which you will also need in your future career.
• Many of the assessment tasks in your music history and theory subjects involve you in the generic "thinking skills" including critical thinking skills, analytical skills and problem-solving skills. You will also gain a sophisticated attitude towards knowledge, and develop and enhance your abilities in seeking, evaluating and retrieving information.
• Your written and spoken presentations in many subjects develop your communication skills.
• Your life at the Faculty will bring you into contact with students from many different backgrounds with whom you will work closely in practical and academic tasks, increasing your skills in intercultural understanding and sensitivity.

With such a battery of specific and generic skills you will be set for lifelong learning and enjoyment of music. In addition, the words used to describe generic skills which you acquire during the BMus are very useful when you are preparing your resume or curriculum vitae for job applications.