This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2021-2022 (archived)
Module MUSI3801: ORCHESTRATION
Department: Music
MUSI3801: ORCHESTRATION
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 3 | 20 | Not available in 2021/2022 | None. | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- A-Level in Music or equivalent.
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- To equip students with skills in arrangement and orchestration.
Content
- Students are provided with an introduction to orchestration techniques and the arrangement of piano pieces. The study of the sections of the orchestra is provided, including strings, woodwind, brass and percussion. The layout of scores and notational conventions is examined, as is the preparation of parts when and if relevant. Historical overviews are given through the study of techniques from the Classical period to the first half of the twentieth century. Practical workshops may be given on an ad hoc basis.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- Knowledge of the capabilities of individual instruments and their historical and modern function within the orchestra. Students will also study how specific syntactical and expressive factors motivate scoring decisions.
Subject-specific Skills
- The development of instrumental writing and scoring in an orchestral context.
Key Skills
- The development of problem-solving issues of a practical nature in the craft of orchestration, taking into account the possibilities of individual instruments and their use in wider compositional contexts.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Lectures
- Tutorials/seminars
- Independent study of set texts and scores.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 | Weekly during terms 1 and 2 | 1 hour | 20 | |
| Tutorials/Group seminars | 3 | During terms 1 and 2 | 1 hour | 3 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 177 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orchestration Exercise | 100% | Task – orchestrating a short piano piece between 6 and 9 minutes in length (suiting what is expected and required of Level 3 students) | 6-9 minutes duration | 100% | No |
Formative Assessment
Students are given several formative assignments directly related to the type of work they prepare for their summative assessment. The first assignments generally revolve around orchestrating piano music for individual sections of the orchestra or sections in combination. Later formative assignments involve orchestrating piano music for full orchestra based on historical models. Assignments may also include making a condensed score of a passage from an orchestral work.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.