Music

The Arts Music Unit has a distinguished record of music scholarship, composition and teaching, and has produced many of Australia€™s leading music professionals. Its aim is to enrich Australia through a unique multicultural music education, broadly based in studies of society, culture, creativity and performance. The unit offers a wide range of units which are designed for both intending professional musicians, students with broad interests in the study of music in culture, and students who will pursue other careers.

Music is offered as part of the Bachelor of Arts degree for up to six semesters of full-time study at pass level and eight semesters of full-time study at honours level. The music curriculum focuses on the study of both western and non-western music from musicological, compositional and performance perspectives.

The Arts Music Unit is now part of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, but still located in the Seymour Centre and all classes are held on the Camperdown campus.

BA Junior units of study
There are two entry levels (advanced and beginners) for first year music. MUSC1501 Concepts of Music (6 credits) is for students who have a minimum HSC Music 2 result of 67 per cent or equivalent. MUSC1503 Fundamentals of Music I and MUSC1504 Fundamentals of Music II (6 credits each) are beginner entry courses. Students can also choose either MUSC1506 Music in Western Culture or MUSC1507 Sounds, Screens, Speakers: Music and Media (6 credits each). Completing 12 junior music credits permits access to the widest range of senior music units.

BA Senior units of study
Many senior music units do not require previous musical study and have no specific prerequisites. All students, whether they come to the Arts Music Unit as beginners, or with an HSC in Music, or even self-trained in music, can take a major in Music and from there proceed to an Honours year, and/or postgraduate study in the subject.

Students wishing to take a major in Music must complete a minimum of 36 senior MUSC credit points including MUSC3699 Understanding Music: Modes of Hearing. (If students have previously completed MUSC2651 then they need not undertake MUSC3699 to complete a music major). It is recommended that students have a good working of music theory terminology before undertaking MUSC3699.

Students are permitted to undertake some Sydney Conservatorium of Music units of study on the Macquarie Street campus that have been approved by the Chair of the Arts Music Unit as part of the Music major in the BA. These are listed on the Arts Music Unit WebCT site. Students may not exceed requirement limits.

Music Honours
Admission to Music honours is granted to students who have completed a major in Music (credit average) plus 12 special entry credit points as follows: MUSC3609 Musicology and either MUSC2631 Music and Everyday Life or MUSC2611 Advanced Concepts.

Further information
Room S442 Level 4
Seymour Centre J09
Phone: +61 2 9351 2923
Fax +61 2 9351 7340
Website: sydney.edu.au/music
Chair of unit: Associate Professor Matthew Hindson