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Unit of study_
CMPN1611: Instrumentation and Orchestration
2025 unit information
Instrumentation and Orchestration, enhances students' knowledge of the modern orchestra while reinforcing core musicianship skills. Instrumentation study investigates the technical limitations and expressive potential of individual instruments. Orchestration examines a range of instrumental combinations in diverse styles and ensemble contexts, and requires that students learn best typographic practice and current conventions of notation and score layout. In examining instrumental characteristics the unit will also cover the fundamentals of acoustics and timbre perception, and will demand a thorough grasp of the harmonic series and its broader musical implications. Throughout the course students will be required to present their own arrangements and transcriptions.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | Composition and Music Technology |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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Students enrolling in this unit of study are expected to be able to read and understand instrumental music notation of moderate complexity |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of composition and arranging for a wide variety of classical acoustic instrumental ensembles.
- LO2. Understand the musical and physical characteristics of instruments of the modern symphony orchestra.
- LO3. Appreciate the precepts of good musical notation practice and have practical experience in producing effective music layout.
- LO4. Better understand the psycho-acoustic implications of instrumental timbre and its relation to the natural harmonic series.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2025
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Normal day | Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
