Music 1: From the Present to the Past

I needed a course to fit around my life and OCA provides just that

Level:: 1 (HE4)
Credits:: 40
Length:: 15 months approx.
10hrs per week
Cost:: £625
payment options

Course Overview

Elective Option for BA Hons Creative Arts

This course starts with the present day, including contemporary ‘classical’ composers, film and world music, and works backwards, focusing on how one generation has influenced another. Students are not required to have any formal qualifications, instrumental expertise or prior knowledge of music theory. It is suitable for all those with an interest in classical music who want to develop a deeper understanding of composers, their context, repertoire, and instruments.

As a special bonus this year (2012) we are offering free access to an online music theory course for those enrolling on the new course. This is entirely optional but provides an excellent opportunity to learn more about theory, especially from a popular music or jazz perspective.

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Music Today
Listening to music in the modern world; genres; instruments of the orchestra...
20th Century Music
Impressionism; symphonies (e.g. Sibelius); Shostakovich and politics; electronic music...
19th Century Innovation
Artist as hero; program music; musical instrument development; Wagner and opera...
Classical Style
Compositional forms (especially symphony, concerto and string quartet); performance styles...
Renaissance and Baroque
Musical instrument development; style, composers and form; influence on later composers.

The main aims of the course are:

To give a general survey of Western classical music from c1450 to the present day
To provide an introduction to key composers and repertoire
To introduce basic musical notational and theoretical concepts To give a basic understanding of the sociological aspects of musical performance

Students will be encouraged to listen to music from each era, and to develop their own opinions, preferences and responses to the music.