Organ - Royal Academy of Music

Transcription

Organ Handbook
Page 1
September 2015
ORGAN DEPARTMENT HANDBOOK
Table of Contents
Introduction from the Head of Organ Studies .................................................................................. 3
Quick Start Reference Guide ........................................................................................................... 4
Key Dates 2015-2016 ...................................................................................................................... 4
Student Checklist ............................................................................................................................ 4
Organ Department Teaching Staff ................................................................................................... 5
Asimut ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Leave of Absence Procedure ........................................................................................................... 6
Special Circumstances Procedure .................................................................................................... 7
The Concerts Department ............................................................................................................... 8
Royal Academy of Music Performance Protocol ............................................................................... 9
Student Recordings....................................................................................................................... 12
Ensembles and Solo Performance Requirements ........................................................................... 13
Undergraduate Principal Study Weightings.................................................................................... 14
Undergraduate Organ: Year Two ................................................................................................... 17
Undergraduate Organ: Year Three................................................................................................. 18
Undergraduate Organ: Year Four .................................................................................................. 20
Postgraduate Credit Frameworks and Programme Summaries ....................................................... 22
Professional Development Activity ................................................................................................ 24
Postgraduate Organ: Year One (of a two-year course) ................................................................... 25
Postgraduate Organ: Year Two (Final Year of a two-year course) ................................................... 27
Organ (Church Music) ................................................................................................................... 29
Masterclass Guidelines ................................................................................................................. 30
Improvisation ............................................................................................................................... 31
Harmonium .................................................................................................................................. 32
Aural ............................................................................................................................................ 33
Organ Foundation and Year-In Programme.................................................................................... 34
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September 2015
Introduction from the Head of Organ Studies
Welcome to this new academic year at the Academy and especially to those new students joining the
department.
This handbook contains all the information needed to understand the examination and performance
process at the Academy. Please do not underestimate just how important it is that you read and
understand the contents.
Progress in solo study is monitored throughout your studies. Both ongoing technical development and
performance of a variety of repertoire is assessed in annual examinations. The regular, supportive and
constructive tuition you receive from your Principal Study professor, together with your ability to work
independently and self-regulate will contribute to successful results.
The information here should be considered in conjunction with your programme documentation:
Undergraduates – see BMus Handbook
Postgraduates – see Postgraduate Handbook
For information on the Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM), please refer to the LRAM
Handbook.
This document is always accessible on the Academy Intranet website (AIR), but you may wish to print
out the page(s) relating to your specific year to keep ready for quick reference.
You are reminded that Intensive Project weeks are intended as a break from academic classes only and
that your presence will still be required for performance based activities. Any Leave of Absence
requests must be applied for in the usual way.
If you have any queries, please do consult either myself or the Organ Department Administrator. You
should also, of course, discuss all these requirements with your principal study professor at all
appropriate times.
Have a good year!
David Titterington
Head of Organ
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September 2015
Quick Start Reference Guide
Department Contact Details
Head of Organ
David Titterington
0207 873 7339
Departmental Administrator
Helen Wills
020 7873 7390
(Mon/Tues/Thu)
[email protected]
Room 146 (YG)
[email protected]
Room 513
Key Dates 2015-2016
Autumn term
Spring term
Summer term
Summer Examination Period
14th September – 27th November 2015
(Enrolment week 14th – 11th September 2015)
Intensive Projects Week: 19th – 23rd October 2015
4th January – 18th March 2016
Intensive Projects Week: 8th – 12th February 2016
18th April – 10th July 2016
23rd May – 9th June 2016
Student Checklist
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Store the contact details of your principal study professor in your phone.
Store the contact details of your department administrator in your phone.
Check your Performance Class date(s).
Check dates of visiting professors classes and masterclasses (in your Asimut schedule) to ensure
attendance.
Check any orchestral commitments you may have undertaken and store the Senior Concert and
Orchestra Manager’s contact details in your phone (Liz Williams 020 7873 7326,
[email protected]).
Check your annual chamber music/performance requirements and concert voucher submission
dates.
Check potential personal diary clashes.
Check closing dates for internal and external competitions and prizes.
Check how many copies of the score you need to give to exam panels – check with Head of Organ if
more than one copy of each piece is required.
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Organ Department Teaching Staff
Head of Organ
David Titterington MA, HonDMus, HonDUniv, HonFRCO, HonRAM
Professors
Susan Landale BMus, HonFRCO, HonARAM
Gerard Brooks MA, FRCO, PGCE (Improvisation)
Anne Marsden Thomas MBE, BMus, FRCO, FRSCM, ARAM, DipRAM, LRAM, ARCM (LRAM)
William McVicker BA, Ph.D, LRAM, ARCO, HonFIMIT, HonARAM (Organology)
Anne Page BMus, HonARAM (Harmonium)
Alexander Walker, BA (Hons) (Aural)
Visiting Professors
Bine Katrine Bryndorf (Royal Danish Academy of Music)
Jon Laukvik (Stuttgart Hochschule)
James O’Donnell KCSG, MA, FRCO, HonRAM
Lionel Rogg HonDMus, HonFRCO (Improvisation)
Asimut
You must check your ASIMUT account daily for details of your academic and departmental classes and
activities.
It is a disciplinary offence to book two or more spaces concurrently in ASIMUT. Any student shown by
the ASIMUT usage statistics to be misusing the system in this way will be liable to a disciplinary
penalty, ranging from a temporary ban from the room booking system to temporary suspension of the
studentship, depending on the severity of the case. Penalties will be determined by the Programme
Management Team and communicated to students by their Programme Tutor.
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Leave of Absence Procedure
You will need to apply for Leave of Absence if you are going to take any time away from the Academy
during the term, regardless of whether or not you will miss any Academy activities (academic classes,
rehearsals) which are part of your schedule of study. Leave of Absence will only be allowed in
exceptional circumstances and can be applied for by filling out a Leave of Absence form (available on
AIR and from the General Office).
Some guidance on completing a Leave of absence form:
 You must apply for Leave of Absence and obtain all relevant signatures as far in advance as
possible.
 It is your responsibility to check the dates of your assessments and to collect these signatures.
 Your Tutor will notify you via email once the process is complete.
 You may not go on leave until you have received this notification from your Tutor.
 If it is subsequently found that you have missed a timetabled assessment for which the date had
been published in advance, but that you have not declared on this form, then you will be
automatically referred (failed) in the relevant component.
 You must inform your Principal Study teacher before signing this form and collecting the signatures.
 In the case of emergencies or last minute external opportunities, go straight to your Tutor who will
advise you accordingly.
In addition to filling out a Leave of Absence form, you should inform other relevant lecturer(s) or
professor(s) that you have been granted Leave of Absence from a particular class, lesson, rehearsal, or
performance.
Any regular timetable clashes must be brought to the attention of your Tutor immediately.
If you are ill and will miss a class or activity, you should contact the relevant module leader, professor,
coach or director. Visit your doctor in order to obtain a medical certificate. When you return to the
Academy you should report to your Tutor as soon as possible.
Academic classes are suspended for one week each term, but your presence will still be required for
performance-based activities. Any Leave of Absence requests for this time must be applied for in the
usual way.
Please note that the summer term does not end until 10 July 2016. You will therefore be expected to
be available to attend any end of year tutorial interviews or to collect any correspondence that is left
in your pigeon hole up until this date. The Academy will not be responsible for any information which a
student fails to receive in the event that they left the Academy early without making appropriate
arrangements.
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Special Circumstances Procedure
The Special Circumstances Committee considers applications from students in accordance with the
Special Circumstances Regulations, for the following reasons:
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extenuating circumstances which may have affected student performance in assessments
extensions to deadlines for the submission of work for assessment
the deferral of assessments
appeals against penalty marks where the reasons were beyond your control.
You must submit a completed application form no later than 10 working days from the imposition of a
penalty mark; 10 working days before the published deadline for submission of academic work, or 10
working days before the published date of an assessment†.
Please note that retrospective extensions and waiving of lateness penalties will not be permitted
except in very serious cases and where you have provided evidence to explain why you were unable to
submit within the required timeframe.
 Applications must be signed by you and your Tutor and be accompanied by supporting evidence
before it is submitted to the Academic Secretary. If the form is missing either signature, it will be
returned to your pigeon hole.
 If your form requires medical evidence to be provided, you will be given a deadline to provide this.
If you do not meet this deadline without good reason then your application will be dismissed.
 If you are citing a medical issue, you must provide relevant evidence from a medical practitioner
which confirms the relevant timescales and a formal diagnosis. A letter which merely states that
you visited the practice will not be accepted.
 SCC will normally consider cases on a weekly basis during the term (on a Wednesday afternoon)
and, when deemed appropriate, information from the student’s Tutor, the Concerts Department or
any other Academy department shall be sought prior to the meeting.
 SCC will either accept or reject the application and agree any particulars in relation to extensions or
penalties as appropriate. When applications are rejected, a full explanation will be given.
 Students will normally be informed of the outcome within two working days of the meeting by the
Chair of the Committee via Academy email* and their Tutor and other relevant members of staff
(i.e. Module Leaders) copied in.
 The case outcomes are circulated, normally within 2 working days of the meeting, to
representatives from the Registry so that a note of the outcome can be placed on the student file.
 Students have the right of appeal against decisions of the Special Circumstances Committee; via the
Academic Appeals Procedure (see the Regulations).
* All correspondence documenting the outcome of applications will be copied to the relevant Registry
staff, relevant Tutor and any Module Leaders/other administrative staff concerned.
†If you are making an application for a deferral of an assessment due to unforeseen circumstances
such as illness on the day of the assessment, you must provide an application with supporting medical
evidence within five working days of the assessment taking place.
Please see the guidelines on AIR for further information on making applications.
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The Concerts Department
Director of Artistic Planning – Ms Nicola Mutton, Room G6
Tel: 020 7873 7375
[email protected]
Responsible for the artistic planning of all Academy performance activity, including collaborations with
festivals, outside concert series and professional orchestras and venues, as well as the overall
management of the Concerts Department. Concert proposals should be submitted to the Director of
Artistic Planning for consideration by Artistic Planning Group.
Senior Concert & Orchestra Manager - Ms Liz Williams, Room G7 Tel: 020 7873 7326
[email protected]
Concert & Orchestra Manager - Ms Rosie Larkins Room G7
Tel: 020 7873 7426
[email protected]
Responsible for the running of all orchestral and ensemble projects, allocation of students to projects,
production of all schedules and orchestral management of rehearsals and concerts. They are the point
of contact for all schedule enquiries and leave of absence requests.
Orchestral Librarian – Mr Stuart Garden, Room G7
Tel: 020 7873 7414
[email protected]
Responsible for the Orchestral Library and provision of music for all Academy ensemble and orchestral
projects. Also responsible for termly orchestral auditions.
Concerts & Programmes Administrator – Ms Kathleen Rule, Room G7 Tel: 020 7873 7327
[email protected]
Responsible for the provision of concert programmes, Performing Right Society declarations and
working with the Director of Artistic Planning.
Concerts & Prizes Administrator – Ms Francesca Johnson, Room G8 Tel: 020 7873 7308
[email protected]
Responsible for the programming and administration of all lunchtime and early evening student
concerts and Academy prizes and competitions.
External Bookings Manager – Ms Lizzie Sambrook, Room G8 Tel: 020 7873 7304
[email protected]
Responsible for the External Booking service, which exists to offer performance opportunities outside
of the Academy to students. These opportunities include recitals, choral society concerts, concertos
and background music for corporate and private events.
Performance
The Academy’s busy performance schedule is run by the Concerts Department. Training at the
Academy prepares students for an increasingly demanding and diverse professional life and
encompasses chamber, symphonic, and operatic repertoire, historical performance, contemporary and
media music of all kinds, as well as musical theatre and jazz. Care is taken in planning the flow of
repertoire for undergraduate and postgraduate students with the aim that all concerts, rehearsals,
training sessions and sectionals are well-balanced over a student’s period of study at the Academy.
Training is delivered through:
 Repertoire sessions for wind, brass and percussion students (all students).
 Sectional training with section principals from the UK’s major orchestras.
 Public performances through both ‘quick-learn’ projects (designed to reflect the demands of the
orchestral profession), and intensive projects. Projects this academic year will be conducted by
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distinguished visiting conductors and directors including Semyon Bychkov, Sir Mark Elder, Edward
Gardner, Jane Glover, Gareth Hancock, Oliver Knussen, Wolfgang Lischke, Trevor Pinnock, Robin
Ticciati, and Yan Pascal Tortelier.
First-year string undergraduates take part in weekly String Orchestra rehearsals, as well as forming
chamber ensembles for chamber music training. First-year wind, brass and percussion students
participate in weekly Orchestral Repertoire classes (with second-year and third-year undergraduate
students) in which staff and visiting specialists introduce staples of orchestral repertoire and work on
orchestral techniques.
Orchestral auditions (autumn and spring terms) for strings, wind and brass are a means of deciding
seating for all orchestras.
Royal Academy of Music Performance Protocol
This protocol is designed to set out clearly what is expected of students involved in giving concerts and
taking part in other orchestral and chamber music projects at the Royal Academy of Music. Students
are expected to read this document and refer to it as appropriate. The protocol has been designed to
ensure that all students gain the maximum benefit from their involvement in ensemble activity and are
fully trained to meet the demands of the profession.
General Practice for Orchestral and Chamber Music Projects
Following orchestral auditions at the beginning of the Autumn term, Orchestral and Ensemble
schedules will be issued at the beginning of the second week of term for all students. Further
orchestral auditions will take place in the first week of the spring term and project schedules will be
issued in the second week of this term. All summer term schedules will be published by the final week
of the spring term. The schedules will be posted on the orchestral noticeboards opposite the Band
Room and on AIR and will be added to students’ agendas on ASIMUT. Students are expected to keep a
regular check on the noticeboards for any last-minute logistical alterations. Details of rehearsals will
be accurate at the time of going to print, but may be subject to alteration. Any schedule alterations
will be notified by email or text message. Communication will only be done via Academy emails, so
students must check this regularly. If a student has a mobile phone, voicemail is essential in order to
be contactable in an emergency.
Students are expected to be seated and tuned at least five minutes before the time published on the
schedule. All sessions are strictly compulsory and 100% attendance is expected. Lateness will not be
tolerated. Attendance will be recorded and will be reflected in each student’s end-of-year principal
study/Professional Portfolio mark through the penalty mark system. A penalty mark will be issued each
time a student is late or absent without permission from a session. (see Regulation G5, Attendance at
Scheduled Rehearsals and Performances)
Students must telephone the Concert and Orchestra Managers, Liz Williams on 020 7873 7326 (strings,
wind & brass) or Rosie Larkins on 020 7873 7426 (percussion, harp, keyboard, guitar, accordion) as
soon as possible before a session is due to begin to inform them of absence due to illness or if they are
going to be late for a rehearsal. A note from the doctor will be required by the Concert and Orchestra
Manager if you miss a rehearsal due to illness. If you are late due to problems on London Transport,
you will still be issued with a penalty mark. However, in extenuating circumstances, this may be
appealed through the Special Circumstances Committee. For an appeal to be considered, students will
be required to produce official documentation to substantiate the appeal.
One-to-one lessons, coaching sessions or classes must not be arranged during scheduled rehearsals. If
another Academy commitment has been arranged before the publication of the orchestral or chamber
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music schedules, students must see the relevant Concert and Orchestra Manager within five working
days of the date the schedule was produced to resolve the problem.
Leave of Absence must be granted by the relevant Concert and Orchestra Manager and the relevant
Programme Tutor before agreeing to any outside work, even if at the time of engagement your diary
appears clear. If release has not been granted, a student may be prevented from participating in the
outside work. Whilst every effort will be made to accommodate outside engagements, this may not
always be possible. You must not ask the conductor about missing any part of a rehearsal.
All music is kept in G7 and is generally available one month before the commencement of any given
project. If parts are taken out for practice, the signing-out sheet must be completed. Folders are not
to leave the office. Students are responsible for keeping their own music safe. Folders will be placed
on stands in the rehearsal venue for the beginning of each session. Music left after sessions must be
put in the folder, which should be closed for collection. The folders must remain on the stand after the
rehearsal. If the music is not in the folder, it is the responsibility of the student playing it. Music is
expensive and missing parts will be charged to the student responsible for them. Soft pencil only
should be used to mark parts.
Students are expected not only to learn their allotted part before a project begins, but also to be
familiar with the whole work. Recordings of all programmed works are usually available in the
Academy library. Recordings are made of all Academy concerts and an archive copy is held in the
library. Due to copyright laws, you are not permitted to make copies of these recordings.
Dress: Female students - please note that you are all required to have a long black dress or smart long
black trousers and black top for Academy concerts. Shoulders and backs should be covered. Not
sleeveless, not strapless, and with due consideration of professional appearance and sense of
occasion. Dresses should be floor length and trousers should not be casual in style. Both dresses and
trousers must be worn with smart shoes and tights or stockings. Hair ornaments and jewellery should
be in keeping with dress code.
Male students – you will all be required to wear a dinner jacket (with a white shirt and black bow tie)
or all black (a black jacket, shirt and trousers), depending on the type of concert. Smart black shoes
and black socks are also required.
The Academy does not require men to have acquired a tail suit, but it is likely that professional
orchestral engagements will need you to have this available, with white dress shirt and white bow tie.
For most Academy concerts, performers are allowed one free ticket, subject to availability. These can
be collected in advance from the Box Office. Complimentary tickets may not be guaranteed for
external concerts.
Concert Requests
If you have a concert project in mind that you would like to put on at the Academy with fellow
students (lunchtime, early evening or main evening concert), you can submit an application to the
Artistic Planning Group. Students may also apply to play in the Tuesday and Thursday Lunchtime
Concert Series, which are our high-profile Diary of Events series, with a strong emphasis on chamber
music. Proposals should show imaginative and balanced programming, which will be an important part
of the consideration process.
Concert application forms are available on AIR or from the Concerts & Prizes Administrator or Director
of Artistic Planning. If any of the required information is not supplied then proposals will be returned
for resubmission before the next proposal deadline. Termly deadlines for submissions are:
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 Thursday 17th September 2015(for Spring/Summer Term concerts)
 Wednesday 3rd February 2016 (for Summer Term concerts)
 Wednesday 20th April 2016 (for Autumn Term 2016 concerts)
Forms submitted later in the term will be considered at the next Artistic Planning Group for the
following term.
The Artistic Planning Group will consider all concert requests and students will be notified of the result
in writing. Please be aware that Academy-scheduled events will be given priority and their proximity
to your preferred time period will have a bearing on whether or not they are accepted.
Please note that a rehearsal in the concert venue cannot be guaranteed on the day of your concert.
Other Informal Performance Opportunities
Weekly Lunchtime and Early Evening Concerts take place to provide a platform for students to run
repertoire and to gain performing experience. They will not be assessed unless this is requested and,
although open to the public, they will only be advertised within the Academy. Students will need to
apply to play in these concerts by filling out a yellow concert voucher and submitting it to the Concerts
and Prizes Administrator. Concert slots will be allocated according to availability and applications can
be submitted at any time. Each performer in a group will be notified of the date of their performance
via their Academy email address or in discussion with the Concerts and Prizes Administrator and you
will be required to confirm the group’s availability in writing.
It is the responsibility of the ensemble to request large musical instruments (harpsichord/chamber
organ etc) to ensure they are provided in the relevant venue and tuned to the correct specification.
This must be done through the General Office as soon as the concert date is confirmed. Failure to
provide these details in good time may result in the instrument being unavailable.
Vocal Faculty students are expected to supply their own copies of text and translations or a precis.
Fifteen copies should be submitted to the Events Office (next to the Duke’s Hall) 24 hours before the
concert.
Concert vouchers can be found on the noticeboard outside Room G8, in the General Office and on AIR
and need to be completed and submitted to the Concerts and Prizes Administrator in Room G8. They
must be fully completed, with the necessary signatures, otherwise they will not be considered.
Concert dates will be advertised on AIR and any free spaces will be highlighted. On the day of the
concert all participants should report to the stage manager ten minutes before the start of the
concert.
Failing to adhere to these conditions may result in disciplinary action.
External Bookings Service
The Academy offers a booking service through which students are offered performance opportunities.
These include lunchtime and evening recitals at festivals and established concert venues, vocal and
concerto solo work for various UK music societies, and entertainment for private and corporate
events. These bookings provide valuable performance experience, as well as the chance to earn some
money.
Ensembles and soloists must be approved by a Head of Department or professor before commencing
work through the External Bookings Manager.
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This service is intended to help students gain experience and make contacts for the future. Students
are expected to fulfill engagements in a professional manner and coaching will be provided where
appropriate.
For further information about external engagements, contact Lizzie Sambrook, External Bookings
Manager in the Concerts Department at the Academy.
Academy Engagements, Including External Engagements – Right to work in the UK
Before taking on any work engagement through the Academy, all students must present their passport
or other evidence of the right to work in the UK. If you have not already done so at enrolment, you
must present your documents to the relevant administrator, or the External Bookings Manager in the
case of external engagements. Once documents have been checked and copied you will be permitted
to work.
International students studying at the Academy on Tier 4 visas can now perform unpaid and paid
musical engagements provided it is organised through the official Academy channels. The placement
must be considered to be part of the student’s professional development, and therefore logged as part
of their professional portfolio, and all students must complete a Tier 4 Checklist for all performancerelated work, signed off by their Head of Department. Three copies of this documentation must be
taken – one for the Registry, one for the External Bookings Office and one for student portfolios.
Tier 4 students are not permitted to undertake any work on a self-employed basis, and therefore any
payment due must come through the Academy’s payroll, and is subject to deductions in respect to
National Insurance and VAT. Students must also ensure that they do not exceed their 20 hours work
allowance per week.
The above regulation applies to all students who are coming to study at the Academy from countries
outside the EEA (European Economic Area). In addition, Bulgarian and Romanian students will need
to obtain an Accession Worker Card from the UK Border Agency (Application Form BR3) before they
can take any paid work. This document must be presented to the Human Resources Department who
will check the card and take a copy.
If you do not have a passport or would like further information regarding what alternative documents
you can bring, please contact the Human Resources Department on [email protected].
For more information about the employment conditions for Tier 4 students, please refer to the
following link:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/conditions/
Student Recordings
You can access recordings or large scale public performances from the Library for educational
purposes. The Academy cannot provide you with your own copies of these performances for copyright
and resource reasons.
Exceptions may be made in the case of performances with rarity value such as concertos but requests
must be submitted to the Concerts Department at least one calendar month in advance of the
performance. This will allow the Concerts Department time to consider any copyright clearance
issues/licences/costs involved and for the Recording Studio staff to allocate time in their schedule and
recording equipment.
If the Academy is not planning to record a performance that you are performing in (e.g. Tuesday
lunchtime concerts), requests may be made by students to record it but in audio format. In order to
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request this you will need to ensure that all relevant consent forms and copyright clearance is
completed at least one calendar month in advance of the performance.
You are able to record yourselves on Academy premises (in practice rooms and concert venues) either
using their own or loaned equipment (in this case you would retain the copyright on the recordings
and accept all responsibility for any necessary copyright clearance required).
Ensembles and Solo Performance Requirements
Organ students must complete a minimum of one ensemble and one solo performance per year.
Repertoire chosen must include works with other instruments.
All performances must be completed by Friday 13th May2016.
Please refer to the UG Chamber Music Handbook, which is available on AIR, for further details.
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Undergraduate Principal Study Weightings
BMus Years 1, 2 and 3
Principal Study 45 credits
End of year recital 100%
Professional Development Activity 25 credits
Improvisation 40%
Organology 30%
Ensemble performance 30%
Performance class reports FA
Masterclass reports FA
Technical Testing FA
Aural FA
Harmonium FA
BMus Year 4
Principal Study 60 credits
Final recital 85%
Performance Classes &
Masterclasses 15%
Professional Development Activity 25 credits
Improvisation 40%
Organology 30%
Ensemble performance 30%
Technical Testing FA
Aural FA
Harmonium FA
A pass in all components is mandatory in all years.
Formative Assessment (FA) indicates Pass/Fail only.
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Undergraduate Organ: Year One
In many ways this is your most critical and important year of all for you. This should be an exciting but
challenging year of adjustment to working with greater independence, of being responsible for
organising most of your living and working schedule, and of adjusting to living in a new city and
studying in a very different environment and with a new teacher.
In spite of such difficulties, from Week One you will be expected to produce work of real quality for all
your Academy teachers, and it is important that you start off immediately with a feeling not only of
discipline, but also of pride in your work. Above all you will be establishing the rapport with your
organ professor that for most will be the really pivotal relationship in your years at the Academy.
It is impossible to generalise on what you will be achieving this year. You have all been identified at
audition having special talent. Some of you will have quite remedial technical problems that need to
be remedied as quickly as possible if your musical “voice” is ever to be heard clearly; others are
already experienced in performance and will have already have had international competition success.
The important thing is to see real progress in your weakest areas.
The repertoire demanded for exam performance should hopefully not be your only aim for the year,
but it still needs to be chosen carefully in conjunction with your professor. It is important that you
perform well in exams, but the requirements are not heavy and should hopefully only demonstrate a
small part of the work you have done over the year, and should come as a natural event in the work of
the whole year. The next four years will pass amazingly quickly, but they are going to be the years
when you really are building both the solid technique and the repertoire that is going to form the basis
for your life as an organist.
In addition to your solo organ work, engagement in ensemble playing is essential and this forms one of
the most important areas in your BMus degree assessment. Your academic work is carefully
programmed to create a genuine overall educational experience, and the more you can see this as
relating to your performance work, the more useful it will prove.
Try above all not to “get behind” in any area of your work. This can lead to anxiety and impact
negatively on your playing.
You should be making full use of all that the Academy and London offers: masterclass attendance is
expected and you should also get to know the London concert scene as quickly as possible.
Performance classes are essential - you can learn both from the performances of others and the advice
given by a different teacher. Attendance is compulsory and monitored.
PRINCIPAL STUDY
End of Year Recital
J.S.Bach: Prelude & Fugue in C BWV 547 or Prelude & Fugue in a minor BWV 543
Contrasting movements from any French Classical Mass or Livre d’Orgue
Max Reger: Ave Maria Op.80
Jehan Alain: Deux dances à Agni Yavishta
Total timing 30 minutes
Recital Timings
It is your responsibility to ensure that your recital timing is within the limits set for this exam.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY
For weightings see page 14.
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Technical Testing (Spring term)
J.S. Bach: Trio Sonata no. 2 (mvt ii)
G Bohm: Pedal solo (Praeludium in C major)
L Vierne: Impromptu
Improvisation
Please see page 31
Organology
Essay of c.2000 words related to departmental programme.
Choice of essay titles given end of Spring Term for completion and submission by a specified date at
the end of May. Penalties for late submission are outlined in the BMus Handbook on AIR.
Ensembles and Solo Performances
A minimum of one Ensemble and one solo performance is required per year. Please see page 13 for
more details.
Performance Classes and Masterclasses
Participation is assessed via professorial report.
Aural
Please see page 33 for details.
Harmonium
Page 16
September 2015
Undergraduate Organ: Year Two
By now you should have settled comfortably into both musical and social life at the Academy.
Hopefully major technical issues will have been resolved and you will be working for increasing detail
and critical analysis of your playing. You should be taking increasing opportunity to perform in
concerts, competitions and performance/masterclasses. Often by now students are increasingly
supporting and challenging each other by forming their own small, informal performance/discussion
groups.
You will be expected to be more sophisticated and analytical in the way you conduct your own
practice.
The expectations in performance assessments are higher and in your organ performance and end of
year exams, examiners will be looking beyond mere technical security to the ability to communicate
intelligent and personal musical ideas.
Depending on your performance record, you may be considered for outside engagements. Even if
unpaid, these offer valuable performance experience.
Chamber music work will become more focused, and you will be required to gain experience. Do
realise that you are required to give a minimum of one assessed chamber music performance per year,
and that you will need to comply with any deadlines for submission of concert performance requests.
In Year 2, Principal Study Organ requirements are assessed under a single heading ‘Principal Study’.
The main components are listed below. In addition, attendance and participation in all faculty
activities (seminars, masterclasses etc.) are compulsory. Please see page 14 for Principal-Study
weightings.
PRINCIPAL STUDY
End of Year Recital
A large-scale Præludium by Buxtehude, Bruhns or Lubeck
A substantial free-form 16th & 17th century Fantasia, Toccata or Variations from the Netherlands, Italy,
Spain or England
César Franck – one of the following: Choral no.3 in a minor; Pastorale; Fantaisie in C
A contemporary work written after 1970
Recital Timings
J.S.Bach: Trio Sonata no. 4 (mvt i)
J.S. Bach: Pedal solo from Toccata, Adagio and Fugue BWV 564
Petr Eben: Laudes (mvt ii)
Remaining PDA components as outlined for Year One.
Page 17
September 2015
Undergraduate Organ: Year Three
For many this is a year where academic pressures are the most intense. As always, try to keep up with
all demands, rather than end up having to suspend your organ practice and performance while you
complete assignments. But, once you have completed the academic components for this year, you
should find Year 4 very much more free to focus on your organ performance.
This should be a natural progression from what has already been achieved in Year 2. Try to be
conscious of how you are becoming artistically both more informed and more able to make judgments
yourself - increasingly relying less on your teacher for your musical ideas.
For you chamber music performance you will be required to perform a substantial complete work, and
demonstrate a keen sense of interaction with your fellow-performers, as well as the expected level of
organ ability and interpretative understanding.
You should also be increasingly engaged across the full range of Academy activities. Once again, there
could be opportunities to give performances outside the Academy. As in all years, attendance at
Performance Classes and masterclasses is one of the few obligatory requirements for organists.
Continue to bear in mind that collaboration with your peers can be greatly beneficial. You are in an
international educational environment and hopefully will make full use of the opportunities for
stimulation that this provides, and not limit your activities to the rather narrower limits of exam
requirements!
In Year 3 all aspects of organ playing are assessed under a single heading ‘Principal Study’. The main
components are listed below. In addition, attendance and participation in all faculty activities
(seminars, masterclasses etc.) are compulsory. Please see page 13 for Principal Study weightings.
PRINCIPAL STUDY
End of Year Recital
J.S. Bach: Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582
A French Classical Suite – not presented in a previous examination & not exceeding 15 minutes
A Romantic work
A contemporary work written after 1980
Recital Timings
It is your responsibility to ensure that your recital timing is within the limits set for this exam. Penalties
for over or under running are as follows:
Duration of the recital (ideal 50 minutes)
More than 62 minutes
61.01 to 62.00
60.01 to 61.00
59.01 to 60.00
58.01 to 59.00
57.01 to 58.00
56.01 to 57.00
55.01 to 56.00
45 minutes to 55 minutes inclusive
44.00 to 44.59
43.00 to 43.59
Penalty applied
10 marks AND PANEL CHAIR HALTS THE RECITAL
9 marks
8 marks
7 marks
6 marks
5 marks
4 marks
3 marks
NO PENALTY
3 marks
4 marks
Page 18
September 2015
42.00 to 42.59
41.00 to 41.59
40.00 to 40.59
39.00 to 39.59
38.00 to 38.59
Less than 38 minutes
5 marks
6 marks
7 marks
8 marks
9 marks
10 marks
J.S. Bach: Trio Sonata no. 3 (mvt iii)
J.S. Bach: Pedal solos from Toccata in F BWV 540
Ensemble work (15’ max)
Remaining PDA components as outlined for Year One.
Page 19
September 2015
Undergraduate Organ: Year Four
By now, the prospect of preparing a complete 60 minute recital for your final performance exams
should be an exciting, and not a daunting prospect. Be aware that there can be relatively few teaching
weeks between your Technical examinations and recital performances and be sure that your recital
programme is largely ready in very good time.
You are expected to be able to sustain an hour-long recital, demonstrate technical security, stylistic
awareness and fully engaged sense of performance. To gain a high grade, you should be able to
produce playing of artistic individuality and genuine communicative qualities. These qualities apply
equally to any chamber music performances, where similar standards apply.
You should feel - at the end of the year - ready either to embark on a demanding post-graduate course
of study, or to be making clear career paths in your chosen musical direction. Your year should not
only be one of focus on your final recital performances, but also one of trying to establish professional
links for your future with musicians and appropriate people figures in the musical business, both inside
and outside the Academy. By now you may well have identified specialist areas that appeal to you,
and where you see you may have particular qualities to offer.
You should be unquestionably professional in all your activities and communication, and able to
manage your own life in a mature and balanced way.
In Year 4, Principal Study Organ requirements are assessed under a single heading ‘Principal Study’.
The main components are listed below. In addition, attendance and participation in all faculty
activities (seminars, masterclasses etc.) is compulsory. Please see page 13 for Principal Study
weightings.
PRINCIPAL STUDY
Final Recital
Candidates should aim to deliver a recital lasting 60 minutes which should include an original
transcription by the student, of no longer than six minutes. This transcription should not have been
presented in a previous examination or other coursework.
Students are responsible for the content of their recital programme but are urged to consult their
professor and discuss with the Head of Organ Studies to ensure that the programme fully meets with
the requirements of this examination. NB: It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that their
recital timing is within the limits set for this exam.
Your choice of repertoire can have an impact on the mark awarded for the Final Recital. Although it is
important you do not set yourself challenges beyond your reach, you should also recognize that rising
to challenges can be an important element in meeting the criteria for marks in the higher categories.
Penalties for over or under running are as follows:
71.01 to 72.00
70.01 to 71.00
69.01 to 70.00
68.01 to 69.00
67.01 to 68.00
Penalty applied
9 marks
8 marks
7 marks
6 marks
5 marks
Page 20
September 2015
66.01 to 67.00
65.01 to 66.00
54.00 to 54.59
53.00 to 53.59
52.00 to 52.59
51.00 to 51.59
50.00 to 50.59
49.00 to 49.59
48.00 to 48.59
4 marks
3 marks
NO PENALTY
3 marks
4 marks
5 marks
6 marks
7 marks
8 marks
9 marks
10 marks
Performance Classes and Masterclasses
Participation is assessed via professorial report.
J.S. Bach: Trio Sonata no. 6 (mvt iii)
C. Franck: Pedal solos from Final
Ensemble work (max 20’)
Improvisation
Please see page 31
Organology
Essay of c.2000 words related to departmental programme.
Choice of essay titles given end of Spring Term for completion and submission by a specified date at
the end of May. Penalties for late submission are outlined in the BMus Handbook on AIR.
Ensembles and Solo Performances
A minimum of one Ensemble and one solo performance is required per year. Please see page 13 for
more details.
Aural
Harmonium
Page 21
September 2015
Postgraduate Credit Frameworks and Programme Summaries
MA Credits
Breakdown
MMus Credits
Breakdown
180 credits
Principal Study:
Individual lessons and studies –
80 credits
Professional Development
Activity – 60 credits
220 credits
Principal Study:
Individual lessons and studies
– 80 credits
Professional Development
Activity – 60 credits
Professional Portfolio – 40
credits
Project – 40 credits
Professional Portfolio – 40
credits
The MA is normally a two-year course, but where appropriate it can also be taken in one year (twelve
months). An assessment of suitability for a one- or two-year programme will be made at audition,
according to the applicant's standard on entry, educational needs, and funding position. This can be
reviewed during the first term of study.
Students taking either degree over two years receive credits in the second year only. (The first year is
thus non-credit bearing if a student successfully progresses into year two). If a student does not
progress into year two they are awarded credits (which could be transferred to another institution)
according to the activities undertaken. For students on the two-year course progression is dependent
on an End-of-Year Performance examination (pass/fail), a Professional Development Activity Profile
(pass/fail) and an End-of-Year Professional Portfolio (pass/fail). The final portfolio will be marked at
the end of the course.
(ii) Component Areas
Principal Study
Credit Value
Summary Assessment
Summative Assessment
Teaching Delivery
140 credits (80 Individual, 60 Professional Development Activity)
Final performance - 75% MA, 50% MMus
Final Performances:
Ensemble and Technical Examination (concerto equivalent) (33%)
Final Recital (67%)
Professional Development Activity:
Formative Assessment as required and reported on by Heads of
Department
1:1 lessons
Faculty classes and ensembles
Page 22
September 2015
Professional Portfolio
Full details and deadlines for the Professional Portfolio are available in the Postgraduate Handbook.
Your portfolio is like a journal of your musical life and in it you could include the following:







A range of key professional documents (CV, biographies, letters, programme notes)
A log of interesting musical and artistic events that you have attended throughout the year
Examples of your individual creative development i.e particular music that you are excited by
and your own informal research into it
Practical steps you have taken towards your own professional development i.e. attending
seminars and workshops, taking part in discussion groups, initiating projects of your own,
both inside and outside the Academy.
You will be supported in designing your portfolio by your Tutor, with whom you can meet on a
regular basis. The requirements for the Professional Portfolio are laid out in the Postgraduate
handbook.
Organ students are automatically assigned to Organology for the Professional Development Pathway.
Students are required to complete an essay of c.2000 words relating to the departmental programme.
The choice of essay titles is given at the end of Spring Term for submission by a specified date at the
end of May. Penalties for late submission are outlined in the PG Handbook on AIR.
You are also encouraged to choose an additional pathway if you wish – please discuss this with your
tutor.
Project (MMus only)
Credit Value
Summative Assessment
Format of Assessment
Teaching Delivery
40 credits
30%
Either: Concert Project or Dissertation
Research Skills Seminars
Project Preparation Seminars
Modular Classes
Individual Supervision
Page 23
September 2015
Professional Development Activity
‘Professional Development Activity’ is at the core of your Academy experience and we expect it will
form the backbone of your Professional Portfolio. Apart from your individual practice and work with
your teacher, it is likely to account for most of the time you spend working at the Academy.
It is formatively assessed (thus does not directly contribute to your degree result, which is determined
by final assessments only), but you must pass in order to gain the necessary credits for the degree.
Your transcript will record a single Professional Development Activity Profile mark.
There are five key areas, which each department handles differently according to professional
preparation requirements.
SKILLS ONE
(Technical)
All years
REQUIREMENTS (including minimum required to pass)
Feedback
mark (Y/N)
N
Written
report (Y/N)
Y
SKILLS TWO
(Synthetic)
All years
Feedback
mark (Y/N)
Attendance at supplementary courses in Harmonium (see
page 32) and Improvisation (see page 31)
Improvisation
only
Written
report (Y/N)
Y (both)
EXTERNAL
PERSPECTIVES
(Masterclasses
etc.)
All years
Feedback
mark (Y/N)
Written
report (Y/N)
Masterclasses from internationally distinguished
performers and teachers. Performance Classes given by
faculty professors. Attendance and participation
compulsory. Written feedback from Performance Classes
only.
Performance
classes only
Performance
classes only
COLLABORATIVE
WORK
All years
Feedback
mark (Y/N)
N
Written
report (Y/N)
N
SELF-GENERATED
PERFORMANCE/
RECORDING
Two-year
students
(1st year)
One-year and
Two-year
students
nd
(2 year)
Feedback
mark (Y/N)
Written
report (Y/N)
A concert/recording or presentation to include a
contemporary work. An imaginative approach to
programming is desirable.
A recording or performance project; either solo
performance or ensemble. A minimum of 30 mins with
liner or programme notes, with an emphasis on original
programming. The project must include music by a living
composer and may include a commission.
N
N
N
N
Advanced keyboard skills (harmony, continuo, scorereading) and technique classes concentrating on manual
and pedal development
A minimum of one c.15’ ensemble performance (as
opposed to accompaniment); which involves crossdepartment collaboration. Could also be an external
concert.
Page 24
September 2015
Postgraduate Organ: Year One (of a two-year course)
As with undergraduate entrants, you will represent a wide range of experience at this point. By the
time your course is over, this gap should be narrowed very considerably. Some of you may already
have quite established careers, competition, successes, etc., whereas for others this may be the first
time in a highly intensive musical environment where you are expected largely to be mature enough to
be responsible for your working and social life.
For some, expectations can be somewhat daunting, but one of the wonderful things is just how the
apparent gap between the more assured and the less experienced can narrow so dramatically over the
span of your course. For others, this is more of a continuation of a “track” of study already in progress
- but in a new environment.
Establishing a mutually understanding relationship with your organ professor is going to be a prime
aim. Feel able to discuss your career aspirations and enable him or her to guide you as productively as
possible towards those aims.
Many of you will feel confident with the expectations and demands here, but some of you will not
have been accustomed to being expected to prepare so much new repertoire quickly - both solo and
ensemble. You are here not only to pass exams, but also to gain as fully as possible from the breadth
of the course, and you should welcome all performance opportunities and be pro-active about creating
as many as possible inside and outside the Academy. You should feel inquisitive and have a sufficiently
enquiring mind to want to attend all possible masterclasses - not only in your own discipline of the
organ. It is also essential that you use the possibilities that London offers for musical and other
cultural stimulus. Many of the latter cost nothing!
The actual requirements for your End of Year exam are extremely light. This is in order to allow you
and your teacher to plan a two-year course of activities without the need for the interruption of
preparing a major mid-programme recital. But you will be expected to demonstrate both an advanced
technique and a stylistically informed sense of performance.
You should - as early as possible - be identifying fellow students with whom you feel you could
establish sympathetic musical relationships and become involved in chamber music.
The expectation is that - by the end of this year - you feel totally confident that you are “on track” to
deliver a recital performance in the year ahead, and to be well on course for a future life as a
professional musician.
Postgraduate Solo or Chamber Music Concert Performance Assessments (under PDA)
First year Postgraduate/One Year students must complete one assessed performance (solo or
ensemble) within the academic year
Deadline for all performances to take place: Friday 13th May2016.
All first year postgraduates taking part in the Concert Workshop pathway will be automatically
assessed for their performance requirement. Remaining first year postgraduate students will need to
make sure that they have taken part in a concert that has been assessed within the year. You can apply
for your own concert by handing in a completed concert voucher to the Concerts and Prizes
Administrator who will then allocate you a date. Concert vouchers can be found in the General Office
or on AIR. If you wish your Concert Workshop performance to be assessed as part of PDA, your
programme must adhere to the requirements above.
Page 25
September 2015
If students are programmed into a solo or chamber music concert by the Academy, this may count
towards their performance requirement but the Concerts and Prizes Administrator must be informed
well in advance in order to arrange for an assessor to be present.
If a first year postgraduate student is performing within an ensemble taking part in the undergraduate
chamber music assessments, this can also be used towards their performance requirement.
If there is a clash with another Academy event, the Concerts and Prizes Administrator must be
informed in order for another performance slot to be found.
Spring Term
Ensemble and Technical Examination (Pass/Fail)
Ensemble component: An ensemble work of not less than 15 minutes long.
Technical component: A solo work of technical difficulty of no more than 8 minutes long.
Summer Term
End of Year Recital (Pass/Fail): 15 minutes
A balanced performance of at least two contrasting pieces.
26.01 to 27.00
25.01 to 26.00
24.01 to 25.00
23.01 to 24.00
22.01 to 23.00
21.01 to 22.00
20.01 to 51.00
9.00 to 9.59
8.00 to 8.59
7.00 to 7.59
6.00 to 6.59
5.00 to 5.59
4.00 to 4.59
3.00 to 3.59
Less than 3 minutes
Penalty applied
9 marks
8 marks
7 marks
6 marks
5 marks
4 marks
3 marks
NO PENALTY
3 marks
4 marks
5 marks
6 marks
7 marks
8 marks
9 marks
10 marks
Page 26
September 2015
Postgraduate Organ: Year Two (Final Year of a two-year course)
Ideally, rather than being a year dominated by final exam requirements, it should be the gateway to
the life of a professional musician. Of course, we recognise that many of you will continue studies perhaps to doctoral level - but even so, by the end of this year you should be able to feel confident
about your ability to embark on your chosen career path.
Many of you will have found over your time here that you have found a specialist niche contemporary music, ensemble playing, etc. You should also have made contacts - both with fellow
performers and in the profession - that you will hope to maintain productively in the years ahead.
Your final performances should be professional in all aspects. You will be expected not only to be
secure in technique but also to show that you are a musician with a confident sense of what you want
to “say”, and that this is both an understanding reflection of the styles you offer and that this shows
something of you yourself, as an individual and performing musician.
We would hope that you have availed yourself fully of all the Academy and London have to offer as
stimulating ingredients in what should have been a fulfilling and enriching educational experience for
you on your musical path.
Spring Term
Technical Examination
A solo work of technical difficulty of no less than 10 minutes long.
Ensemble Examination (equivalent to concerto examination)
An ensemble work of not less than 15 minutes long. NB: It is the responsibility of the student to
ensure that their recital timing is within the limits set for this exam. Mark deductions in the case of
recitals that under or over-run by 5 minutes are outlined in the Postgraduate Handbook on AIR.
Summer Term
Final Recital: 60 minutes
The Chair of the Assessment Panel will time the recital, beginning at the first note of the first piece and
ending immediately after the final note of the final piece. The Panel chair will make a private note of
the start and end times and will tell the panel how long the recital lasted only after a raw mark has
been agreed by the panel.
Students are responsible for the content of their recital programme but are urged to consult their
professor and discuss with the Head of Organ Studies to ensure that the programme fully meets with
the requirements of this examination.
Your choice of repertoire can have an impact on the mark awarded for the Final Recital. Although it is
important you do not set yourself challenges beyond your reach, you should also recognize that rising
to challenges can be an important element in meeting the criteria for marks in the higher categories.
NB: It is your responsibility to ensure that your recital timing is within the limits set for this exam.
71.01 to 72.00
70.01 to 71.00
Penalty applied
9 marks
8 marks
Page 27
September 2015
69.01 to 70.00
68.01 to 69.00
67.01 to 68.00
66.01 to 67.00
65.01 to 66.00
54.00 to 54.59
53.00 to 53.59
52.00 to 52.59
51.00 to 51.59
50.00 to 50.59
49.00 to 49.59
48.00 to 48.59
7 marks
6 marks
5 marks
4 marks
3 marks
NO PENALTY
3 marks
4 marks
5 marks
6 marks
7 marks
8 marks
9 marks
10 marks
See page 24 for full syllabus.
Page 28
September 2015
Organ (Church Music)
Year One
See page 24 for full syllabus.
Spring Term Technical testing (Pass/Fail)
A solo organ piece of technical difficulty c.10 mins
Improvisation or a work for continuo and soloist (vocal or instrumental) c. 10 mins
End of Year assessment (Pass/Fail)
A twenty minute programme to include solo organ performance and either a vocal/choral
accompaniment or improvisation.
Year Two
As in year one (see page 24).
Final recital should be a balanced programme of 60 minutes, to include solo works for organ and
either an improvisation or a choral/vocal accompaniment of appropriate difficulty. The choice of
repertoire can have an impact on the mark awarded for the Final Recital. Whilst it is important you do
not set yourself challenges beyond your reach, you should also recognize that rising to challenges can
be an important element in meeting the criteria for marks in the higher categories. The programme
choice is your responsibility.
Page 29
September 2015
Masterclass Guidelines
Masterclasses are a regular feature of Academy activities. They are a traditional learning environment
where students can enhance their understanding of performance, develop insight into repertoire, and
form an appreciation of the skills and techniques of advanced pedagogy through either participation or
observation. Participation in masterclasses is not solely for the benefit of the student being taught.
Significant advantage is derived from intelligent analysis of these open lessons.
Attendance at masterclasses will be monitored, and feedback sought from students. Their level of
perceptive scrutiny is essential to assess the value of masterclasses, given the finite resources
available. Students are strongly advised to ensure they are fully informed of all the masterclasses
taking place – not just their own discipline – and to seize the opportunity to witness the work of
international performers sharing their craft with student peers. Having a score of the material being
explored, and taking personal reference notes is the best way to maximize this unique learning
environment.
Students should always approach their professors first about signing up for masterclass participation.
Professors will be consulted about the suitability of students for this exposed tutorial environment.
Participants in masterclasses are then nominated or advised to take part with specific conditions in
mind. The level of preparation must be advanced in order to:




adapt to suggestions
respond artistically to inspirational guidance
benefit fully from the experience
respond effectively in a masterclass environment
Page 30
September 2015
Improvisation
The course is designed to introduce students to improvisation in both formal and free styles, and to
enable them to develop an ability to express themselves through improvisation.
From the start, students will be given exercises and examples that will enable them to improvise
simply; at the same time, preparatory studies will focus in detail on melody, harmony, rhythm, form
and structure as starting points for more advanced personal development.
Tonal, modal and free styles will be studied, and examples from different areas of the organ repertoire
will be used as models. Various tasks will be set each for study between sessions, and students will be
encouraged from the start to use improvisation in their service-playing where possible.
The following topics will form the basis of initial study:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Defining improvisation
Working with melody and rhythm
Simple Harmonisation
Figured bass
Transposition, variation, ornamentation
Exploring modes (major scale, dorian, whole tone, ‘mode 2’ etc.)
The following musical models will then be studied to create original improvisations:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
18th century English voluntary (eg. Stanley)
18th century hymn partita (eg. Pachelbel)
Baroque concerto (eg. Handel)
19th century sonata style (eg. Mendelssohn to Franck)
Preludes, variations and postludes in different styles using hymns and other themes
20th century: use of modal style (Tournemire’s L’orgue Mystique)
20th century: free styles (eg. Mathias, Eben, Hindemith)
use of text and image
Assessment
This course is assessed via end of year examination, to include the following:
• Harmonisation of a chorale
• A set of variations on a given theme
• Free improvisation
Page 31
September 2015
Harmonium
Level 1
The course content will include:
1. Introduction to the instrument, its principles of construction and its development by key builders
of the 19th century.
2. Appreciation of the harmonium in relation to the piano and organ, and its development of a
distinct aesthetic and repertoire.
3. Mastery of the basic technique of the harmonium, namely playing with 'expression': controlling
the dynamic level by pedalling. Exercises and study material will be drawn from the treatise of
Alphonse Mustel and the harmonium method by René Vierne.
4. Repertoire to be studied will be taken from the following:
L'Organiste - César Franck
24 pièces en style libre - Louis Vierne
24 Pièces - Jean Langlais
Dominica in palmis - Jean Langlais
The sessions will culminate in a complete performance of Franck's L'Organiste, each student preparing
a complete suite.
Ensemble playing will be the focus of this part of the course.
Repertoire will be selected from:
Petite Messe Solennelle – Rossini
Prélude, fugue et variation – Franck
Duos for piano and harmonium - Saint Saëns
Bagatelles – Dvorák
Level 2
Building on the mastery of expression achieved at Level 1, the special features of the art-harmonium
will be explored through study of pieces by Karg-Elert and Guilmant, including larger-scale movements.
Transcriptions by Karg-Elert requiring extensive colour-changes, double-expression, prolongement and
other features specific to the art-harmonium will be studied to gain further appreciation of the
'orchestral' character of this type of harmonium. Ensemble pieces appropriate to this level will be
selected from duos for harmonium and piano by Karg-Elert and Guilmant.
Assessment
This course is formatively assessed via professorial report.
Page 32
September 2015
Aural
The course allows for a very individual approach to developing aural awareness. Classes are small and
there is a real opportunity to develop the potential of each student to the full, increasing the student’s
processing speed as well as deepening their analytical understanding of music.
A wide range of music is used for the course, giving a broad perspective of the repertoire. A number of
techniques are explored many of which complement the work done in other classes. Techniques
include dictation, sight-singing and chordal and harmonic analysis. An approach related to Kodaly
method and tonal centring can also be learned as appropriate. Attention is also focussed on
developing the student’s ability at mistake spotting which is so essential to the working-life of a
professional musician.
Special attention is given to non-diatonic music so that the student is quickly able to identify and
understand passages employing whole-tone, octatonic and modal music. A number if exercises are
used to develop the student’s ability to read and articulate complex rhythms as well as find a correct
tempo consistently.
There is also an opportunity for developing keyboard skills such as score-reading transposition,
improvisation, harmonisation and figured bass where necessary.
Assessment
This course is formatively assessed via professorial report.
Page 33
September 2015
Organ Foundation and Year-In Programme
The one-year Organ Foundation Programme is designed primarily for ‘gap-year’ students preparing
either for Oxbridge Organ Scholarships or for those wishing to develop their organ playing and choral
direction skills to a high level before university or Conservatoire studies. On completion of this course,
students will receive the appropriate transcript of their studies. The course comprises the following
components:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Weekly organ lesson: technique, performance and repertoire
Improvisation class and figured-bass
Conducting technique, rehearsal skills & repertoire
Aural classes: intermediate to advanced skills
RCO diplomas: preparation in paperwork and pieces for ARCO & FRCO
There is one examination requirement during the Summer Term when students perform a balanced
45-minute free-choice programme. It is your responsibility to ensure that your recital timing is within
the limits set for this exam.
Organ foundation end of year examinations are open to the public.
Page 34
September 2015

Organ - Royal Academy of Music

Transcription

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