MUS 193A/B : Performance Skills for Singers 1

Creative Arts and Industries

2025 Semester One (1253) / Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)

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 languages
4. Build kinaesthetic awareness of healthy vocal function 
5. Supplement proprioceptive knowledge with relevant evidence-based iconic and contemporary vocal pedagogical information.


Course Requirements

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

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Music

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of of how our place in Aotearoa impacts speech habits and by extension vocal delivery across languages. (Capability 1.2, 3.1 and 4.1)
  2. Understand and critically evaluate how language articulation impacts vocal quality (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 5.1)
  3. Interpret and communicate text through efficient and authentic articulation and quality translations (Capability 2.1, 3.1, 5.1 and 8.1)
  4. Demonstrate autonomy as a singer (Capability 2.1, 3.1, 3.2 and 5.1)
  5. Demonstrate capacity to commit to intensive self-demands in order to achieve goals (Capability 3.1, 3.2 and 5.1)
  6. Demonstrate an evolving ability to critically self-evaluate and evaluate others (Capability 5.1, 6.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  7. Understand the mechanics of the vocal instrument (Capability 3.1 and 5.1)
  8. Analyse and predict vocal health issues in studio and rehearsal (Capability 4.1 and 5.1)
  9. Analyse speech habits (Capability 3.1 and 5.1)
  10. Develop an understanding of the field of Vocal Science (Capability 3.1, 3.2 and 4.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Quizzes (Italian, French, German) 15% Individual Coursework
Workshops (Language) 5% Individual Coursework
Workshops (Repertoire) 5% Individual Coursework
Practical (Language demonstration) 25% Individual Coursework
Quizzes (3 vocal anatomy) 15% Individual Coursework
Workshops (Vocal anatomy) 10% Individual Coursework
Pecha Kucha (Vocal Anatomy focus) 25% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Quizzes (Italian, French, German)
Workshops (Language)
Workshops (Repertoire)
Practical (Language demonstration)
Quizzes (3 vocal anatomy)
Workshops (Vocal anatomy)
Pecha Kucha (Vocal Anatomy focus)
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.


Teaching & 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. 

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.

Delivery Mode

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.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes 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.

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

Health & 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. 

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching 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.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

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. 

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations 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. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

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.

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 http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework 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 https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

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 your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the University website.

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 https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.