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Overview

Course Prescription

The introduction of vocal practices that help voice students develop and sustain a professional career. This course aims to give students the knowledge and practical experience necessary to develop and maintain vocal health in diverse performing contexts.

Course Overview

The course is made up of two modules. In these modules voice students develop non-musical skills related to foreign language acquisition and delivery and information about the anatomical structures associated with singing. 
The first semester of this course focuses on International Phonetic training for singers with application to the Italian, French and German language repertoire. This is delivered through interactive workshops that enable student engagement and include tasks that scaffold them through standard classical voice repertoire and the student's studio repertoire. 
The second semester focuses on vocal anatomy and introduces singers to the field of vocal science.  The course is delivered through interactive workshops that bring research studies  on objective voice measurement into conversation with metaphoric pedagogical pedagogies.
The aims of this course are to: 1. Build connections between the acquisition of performance skills and the application of these skills in a professional context (performance enhancement) 2. Provide a group learning context to experiment with and enhance foreign language articulation in speech mode 3. Provide an introduction to the International Phonetic Alphabet transcription with application to the Italian, German and French languages4. Build kinaesthetic awareness of healthy vocal function 5. Supplement proprioceptive knowledge with relevant evidence-based iconic and contemporary vocal pedagogical information.

Main Programme

Workload Expectations

This course is made up of two standard 7.5 point courses offered over two semesters 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 24 hours of lectures/workshops, 74 hours of score reading, scholarly research, assessment preparation and study  and 52 hours of application through personal practice.

Course Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions

Prerequisite

Additional Advice on Prerequisites

To complete this course students must enrol first in MUS 193A and then 193B

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled lectures and workshops to receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures presentations will be available on canvas. Other learning activities, workshops, will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the workshops assessments and presentations.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Teaching and Learning Methods

This module is an interactive language class that explores the sounds of Italian, French and German through IPA, texts, poetry, videos and interactive games. This class is designed to make singers kinaesthetically aware of the role of the primary and auxiliary language articulators and develop an awareness of their own language habits. Students will work on individual repertoire in a class context with group critique. The second semester module focuses on vocal physiology, vocal function and  exploring the vocal science literature through workshops, lectures and interactive demonstrations. 

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

There are no other required resources. Everything is provided on Canvas.

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

Vocal health, and sustaining optimum health is a priority for practical singing courses. If ill, please mask in class, and if tested positive or suspect that you have COVID please do not come to class.  Everything will be on CANVAS and the tutor will reschedule any practical assessment if impacted. 

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.

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

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

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.

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type12345678910

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

These workshops continue to be appreciated for their direct relevance to studio activities. The classes are small, and feedback is gained through class discussion and qualtrics evaluations. At this time, there is no plan to modify this course for 2025. 

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.