Outline

Overview

The act of performing music creates a multitude of social relationships between listeners, audiences, musicians, performers, and the industries and institutions that surround them. This subject will ask students to study acts of performance historically, theoretically, and observationally. They will examine a wide range of situations and circumstances and try to work out how the expression of music is also an expression, affirmation, and contestation of social power. This subject will appeal to those who wish to study subjects such as music, performance studies, sociology, anthropology, and gender and cultural studies. It cuts across all of these areas of inquiry in the attention that is paid to the complexity and subtlety of how music is perceived and experienced across multiple social scenes and communities. This subject is not about performance practice or assessment. Instead, it seeks to allow students to gain some insight into the experience of performance as multifaceted and perspectival.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Charles Fairchild, charles.fairchild@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Critical essay Essay	30%	Formal exam period Due date: 13 Nov 2023 at 23:59	2500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Small continuous assessment	Music mapping reports Report	15%	Multiple weeks	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Seminar contribution Participation	10%	Ongoing	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Understanding a performance genre Written assessment	20%	Week 05 Due date: 01 Sep 2023 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Performance report Written assessment	25%	Week 11 Due date: 20 Oct 2023 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Music mapping reports: Students will write four short music mapping reports that will describe and explain an experience of music in public that students have had. Each will have a slightly different focus as the semester progresses.
Dissecting a performance genre: Students will choose, or be assigned, a type or genre of performance and will use a range of academic sources, and more popular sources, to provide a summary of its core characteristics and most salient details.
Performance report: Students will complete a field report on a type of performance or performance structure that will be used in preparation for the critical essay.
Critical essay: Students will develop a thesis, argument or research question about a set of aesthetic ideals and claims about what music is supposed to do and what it was meant to express in performance, and critically analyse chosen materials in specific relation to the readings, lectures and tutorial discussions.
Seminar contribution: Participation during seminars.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The following assessment criteria are used for written work in this unit of study:

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Demonstrates high level of initiative in research and reading; sophisticated critical analysis of evidence; high level engagement with theoretical issues, innovative use of reading/research material and impressive command of underlying debates and assumptions; properly documented and written with style, originality and precision.
Distinction	75 - 84	Demonstrates initiative in research and wide, appropriate reading; complex understanding of question and ability to critically review material in relation to underlying assumptions and values; analyses material in relation to empirical and theoretical contexts; properly documented; clear, well-developed structure and argument with some signs of literary style.
Credit	65 - 74	Evidence of broader understanding than pass level; offers synthesis with some critical evaluation of material; coherent argument using a range of relevant evidence; some evidence of independent thought, good referencing. A high credit (70-74) shows some evidence of ability to problematise and think conceptually.
Pass	50 - 64	Written work meets basic requirements in terms of reading/research; relevant material; tendency to descriptive summary rather than critical argument; makes a reasonable attempt to avoid paraphrasing; reasonably coherent structure; often has weaknesses in particular areas, especially in terms of narrow or underdeveloped treatment of question; acceptable documentation.
Fail	0 - 49	Work may fail for any or all of the following reasons: Unacceptable paraphrasing; irrelevance of content; poor spelling; poor presentation; grammar or structure so sloppy it cannot be understood; failure to demonstrate understanding of content; insufficient or overlong word length.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	An introduction to power and musical performance	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 02	Musical communities of the sensible	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 03	Finding ‘power’ in a musical performance	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 04	Performance, genre, analysis	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 05	Performance as Utopia	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 06	Spectating, protocols, and genre	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 07	Musical performance, in practice, in situ	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 08	Feelin’ it	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 09	Seeing it	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 11	Understanding it	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 12	Analysing it	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 13	Writing about it	Seminar (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned. The Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned may determine that a student fails a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items where attendance is lower than 90%.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Class Schedule and Readings

Cluster 1: Understanding Communities of Sense

Week 1–August 4: An Introduction to Power and Musical Performance

Week 2–August 11: Musical Communities of the Sensible

Readings

1.) Papastergiadis, Nikos. (2014) ‘A Breathing Space for Aesthetics and Politics: An Introduction to Jacques Ranciere.’ Theory, Culture & Society, 31(7/8): 5–26.

2.) Ranciére, Jacques. (2008) Excerpts from The Emancipated Spectator. London: Verso.

Week 3–August 18: Finding ‘Power’ in a Musical Performance

Readings

3.) Clune, Michael. (2019) 'Judgment and Equality,' Critical Inquiry, 45: 910-34.

4.) Morris, Martin. (2013) ‘Communicative Power and Ideology in Popular Music.’ Journal of Communication Inquiry, 37(2): 113–127.

___________________________

Cluster 2: Reading Performance

Week 4-August 25: Performance, Genre, Analysis

Readings

5.) McAuley, Gay. (1998) ‘Performance Analysis: Theory and Practice.’ About Performance, 4: 1-12.

6.) Briggs, C., and R. Bauman. (1992) ‘Genre, Intertextuality, and Social Power.’ Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 2(2): 131-72.

Week 5–September 1: Performance as Utopia

Readings

7.) Dolan, Jill. (2005) Excerpt from Utopia in Performance: Finding Hope at the Theater. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Week 6– September 8: Spectating, Protocols, and Genre

Reading

9.) Albrecht, Michael Mario. (2008) ‘Acting Naturally Unnaturally: The Performative Nature of Authenticity in Contemporary Popular Music.’ Text and Performance Quarterly, 28(4): 379-95.

___________________________

Cluster 3: Out There: The Phenomenon of a Performance

Week 7- September 15: Musical Performance, In Practice, In Situ

Reading

10.) Byrne, David. (2012) ‘How to Make a Scene.’ From How Music Works. New York: McSweeney’s.

Week 8– September 22: Feelin’ It

Readings

12.) Mann, Larisa Kingston. (2015) ‘Embodied Meaning in Jamaican Popular Music.’ Journal of Popular Music Studies, 27(4): 478–87.

___________________________

[No class between Weeks 8 and 9. ‘Semester Break.’]

___________________________

Week 9–October 6: Seeing It

Readings

13.) Meyers, John Paul. (2015) ‘Still Like That Old Time Rock and Roll: Tribute Bands and Historical Consciousness in Popular Music.’ Ethnomusicology, 59(1): 61-81.

___________________________

[No class meeting in Week 10. ‘Reading Week/Special Projects Week.’]

___________________________

Cluster 4: Performance as Discourse

Week 11–October 20: Understanding It

14.) Bird, Susan (2016) ‘Dancing in the Streets: Political Action and Resistance in Melbourne.’ Journal of Musicological Research, 35(2): 128-141.

Week 12–October 27: Analysing It

15.) Laurin, Helene. (2009) ‘The Girl Is a Boy Is a Girl: Gender Representations in the Gizzy Guitar 2005 Air Guitar Competition.’ Journal of Popular Music Studies, 21(3): 284–303

16.) Hutchison, Sydney. (2014) ‘Putting Some Air on Their Chests: Masculinity and Movement in Competitive Air Guitar.’ The World of Music, 3(2): 79-103.

Week 13–November 3: Writing About It

17.) Richardson, Laurel. (2000) ‘Writing: A Method of Inquiry.’ In Handbook of Qualitative Research, N. Denzin, Y. Lincoln, (eds.). Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Sage Publications, 923-948. A two-hour workshop on writing about music in public.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. use a range of skills to analyse and interpret a wide range of performance genres.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Dates have changed. Everything is great.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MUSC3631: Music in Public: Performance and Power

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect