OCA preloader logo
New music courses on the way! - The Open College of the Arts

To find out more details about the transfer to The Open University see A New Chapter for OCA.

New music courses on the way! thumb

New music courses on the way!

I am happy to announce that two more music courses are currently being written. Both of the courses form level 5 options in preparation for a specialism for the body of work at level 6.
Orchestration and Arrangement is being written by Desmond Clarke and Gavin Wayte, and will combine practical work with an exploration of case studies by composers from different eras of music history. The course focuses on how to distribute musical material across a range of ensembles, including strings, brass and instrumental choirs. It also presents an opportunity to explore the extended capabilities of a wide range of instruments, including contemporary techniques. The practical skills of orchestration and arrangement are invaluable to composers, as well as for the adaptation of existing material for a range of different settings. We hope that this course will be available in the first months of the 18/19 academic year, and, upon completing this course, students will be eligible to complete the Level 6 Body of Work course with a portfolio of arrangements and transcriptions.
Music 2: History and Contexts provides an opportunity to explore a broad range of topics in a non-linear study of music history. This is a student negotiated course, meaning that students can choose their own research areas from a range of topics in consultation with their tutor. Part 1 of the course builds research skills through a range of practical tasks, and Part 2 prepares students for the historical musicology pathway for Level 6 Body of Work, including looking at historical approaches to notation and preparing modern editions of manuscripts. The remaining parts of the course are organised into broad topic areas, and include Ethnomusicology, Music and Society and Contemporary Music Studies. Currently in preparation, and being written by Carla Rees and Gavin Wayte, we hope this course will be ready for enrolments by early 2019.
For further information about either of these courses, please contact Carla Rees – carlarees@oca.ac.uk
Image: Desmond Clarke, Xyla (extract)

Voiced by Amazon Polly

Posted by author: Carla

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to blog listings