Master of Music (Performance Teaching)

The Master of Music (Performance Teaching) is a specialist coursework degree enabling graduates in Western classical and contemporary music to work as performer-teachers in a variety of situations including community, private provider and further education settings and as instrumental or vocal instructors in schools.

The course provides advanced music performance tuition, second instrument studies, ensemble participation and conducting, alongside performance teaching pedagogy studies (with associated professional practice) and a comprehensive range of elective subjects. The course also offers the opportunity for Primary Level Suzuki Teacher Accreditation through an elective subject.

The course will prepare graduates for the diverse range of instrumental and vocal music teaching settings found in the community and schools both in Australia and overseas and will enable students to obtain advanced standing with a range of Grad.Dip.Ed. providers (subject to the discretion of the relevant educational provider), creating a pathway to VIT teacher registration upon completion of a Grad.Dip.Ed. The Master of Music (Performance Teaching) also offers a pathway into the PhD.

On completion of this course, graduates will be able to demonstrate

• a high standard of performance on their selected instrument or voice as required of a teacher of music performance;
• a professional level of expertise and competence as an instrumental or vocal music teacher;
• excellent communication skills in diverse contexts including clear articulation of the issues concerning instrumental or vocal music teaching and performance;
• an applied understanding of research principles and methods applicable to music performance learning and teaching and including skills in critical reflection, writing and artistic communication;
• the application of the links between planning, teaching and evaluating for learning in the context of music performance;
• a range of teaching approaches and the use of a variety of technologies in the delivery of instrumental or vocal individual lessons that will serve to foster independent, reflective, motivated and cooperative learning;
• a mature engagement with and understanding of the principles of teamwork in collaborative music making;
• an enhanced ability to apply their expertise in music performance teaching to a range of individual students with specific needs and from culturally diverse backgrounds;
• a commitment to developing and refining their performance and teaching practices; and
• a coherent personal philosophy of instrumental or vocal music teaching.

This course is offered as a 1.5 year full time, 3 year part time program.

Course Structure

Semester 1

• MUSI90150 - Music Learning, Teaching and Research (12.5)
• MUSI90147 - Performing to Teach 1 (12.5)
• MUSI90144 - The Teacher as Conductor (12.5)
• Elective 1 (12.5)

Semester 2

• MUSI90179 - Evidence-Based Performance Teaching (12.5)
• MUSI90156 - Performing to Teach 2 (12.5)
• MUSI90155 - Second Instrument/Vocal Study 1 (6.25)
• MUSI90154 - Professional Practice 1 (6.25)
• Elective 2 (12.5)

Semester 3

• MUSI90149 - Applied Instrumental and Vocal Teaching (12.5)
• MUSI90151 - Music Performance Curriculum and Assessment (12.5)
• MUSI90152 - Second Instrument/Vocal Study 2 (6.25)
• MUSI90153 - Professional Practice 2 (6.25)
• Elective 3 (12.5)

Core subjects

Elective Subjects

Elective Subjects (37.5 points) provide students with opportunities to acquire further new knowledge and skills in pedagogically relevant music subjects. In addition, one or more elective subjects, some in combination with one of the core subjects, will form the 25 credit points of research project or specialisation required for a Masters Coursework degree. The elective subject(s) forming the research project or specialisation would normally be undertaken in the second and third semesters of the course.

In order to complete the Master of Music (Performance Teaching) students must complete 37.5 points of elective subjects which include the specialisation/capstone.

There are 3 pathways to meet this requirement:

Research Project

Enrol in MUSI90052 Professional Research Project (25 points across two semesters) and 12.5 points of elective subjects.

Suzuki Specialisation

Enrol in MUSI90158 Suzuki Practicum (25 points across two semesters) and 12.5 points of elective subjects

Specialisation within an area of Music Performance and/or Music Performance Teaching

Students enrol in subjects that, with the approval of the course coordinator, represent a specialisation focused on one area. This pathway can be completed in one of two ways as follows:

(i) After completing MUSI90156 Performing to Teach 2, enrol in MUSI90157 Pedagogue Recital; plus 25 points of electives to complete the course.

(ii) After completing MUSI90503 The Teacher as Conductor, enrol in one of MUSI90015 Band Direction, MUSI90014 Choral Direction or MUSI90003 Orchestral Conducting; plus 25 points of electives.

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• satisfactory performance in an audition; and
• one of
– a Bachelor of Music with a weighted average mark of at least H3 (65%) in the final year or equivalent, or
– a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Contemporary Music – Improvisation) with at a weighted average mark of at least H3 (65%) in the final year or equivalent, or
– an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than music and a Graduate Diploma in Music (Practical Music) or equivalent, or
– an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than music and a concurrent Diploma in Music (Practical), together with an additional 50 points of appropriate academic music study, or
– a Graduate Diploma in Music (Practical Music) and at least five years of documented relevant professional performance experience.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• performance in the audition, and
• prior academic performance.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Student Application and Selection Procedure.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

(a) Potential applicants who do not hold a Bachelor of Music degree or equivalent and require additional academic music study should seek advice from the Faculty of the VCA and MCM concerning the choice of appropriate subjects.
(b) Students graduating from the University of Melbourne Bachelor of Music (having commenced in 2008 or later) with an average of at least H3 (65%) in the final year, combined with a result at least H2B (70%) in the Bachelor of Music subject Music Performance 6 or Performance Study 6 are guaranteed entry into Master of Music (Performance Teaching). For these applicants, an audition is not required, providing that a result of at least H2B (70%) in the Bachelor of Music subject Music Performance 6 or Performance Study 6 has been obtained no more than one year preceding application for the Master of Music (Performance Teaching).
(c) Students graduating from the Graduate Diploma in Music (Practical Music) with an average of at least H3 (65%), combined with a result of at least H2B (70%) in the Graduate Diploma in Music (Practical Study) subject Practical Music 4-2 are guaranteed entry into Master of Music (Performance Teaching). For these applicants, an audition is not required, providing that a result of at least H2B (70%) in the Graduate Diploma in Music (Practical Music) subject Practical Study 4-2 has been obtained no more than one year preceding application for the Master of Music (Performance Teaching).
(d) Students graduating from the University of Melbourne Bachelor of Music (honours) with an average of at least H3 (65%) in the honours year, combined with a result at least H3 (65%) in the Bachelor of Music (honours) subject Recital are guaranteed entry into Master of Music (Performance Teaching). For these applicants, an audition is not required, providing that a result of at least H3 (65%) in the Bachelor of Music (honours) subject Recital has been obtained no more than two years preceding the application for the Master of Music (Performance Teaching).

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The graduates from the MMus(PerfTchng) course should be:

Academically excellent and musically skilled as teachers of music performance as a result of:

• intensive and rigorous one-to-one and group tuition in performance and group-based learning in performance pedagogy and related music discipline areas; and
• participation in a diversity of teaching and learning experiences in music including individual tuition, group tuition, practicum experience, tutorials, master classes, on-line learning, seminars, lectures, and subjects taught in intensive mode.

Artistically sophisticated with a high level of understanding of the aesthetic of their discipline, honed through learning, practice, critical reflection and performance, with high levels of personal autonomy and accountability.

Experienced in assessment practices that demand independent thinking, critical analysis and an openness to new ideas through:

• informed discourse about instrumental and/or vocal music pedagogy; and
• focussed study of assessment practices suitable for music performances and their implementation.

Familiar and competent with written and spoken communication, the ethics of scholarship, basic research protocols through a program of specific music performance teaching subjects, including individual tuition, applied and pedagogical music studies, and professional teaching practice.

Creative and critical music performers, teachers and thinkers with highly developed skills for on-going, self-directed professional learning.

Knowledgeable across the disciplines of music performance and instrumental / vocal teaching including the associated areas of cognitive development and psychology of music.

Accepting of the responsibility to move towards intellectual independence and towards accountability in terms of both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Able to plan and execute a research project or a capstone project in music performance, music performance teaching or conducting.

Leaders in performing and teaching communities with knowledge developed through:

• a program of professional (teaching) practicum;
• high level development of teamwork and group dynamic skills through participation in group activities in music learning; and
• extensive knowledge of curriculum development and implementation that would be appropriate to a range of community, TAFE, studio and other educational settings.

Attuned to cultural diversity through:

• the opportunities provided 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 conceptualizing, discussing and teaching instrumental and vocal music; and
• performing and learning in groups with students from varied cultural and musical backgrounds.

Active global citizens through:

• participation throughout the course in the inherently international nature of music in all its manifestations; and
• striving to be facilitators and communicators between the diverse cultural communities found in the range of settings where performing and/or music performance teaching takes place.

The course offers Primary Level Suzuki Teacher Accreditation through the elective subject Suzuki Practicum which is provided in conjunction with the Suzuki Talent Education Association of Australia [Victoria] Inc. and is recognised by the Talent Education Research Institute [Japan] and the International Suzuki Association.