Contemporary Musicianship: Harmonic Analysis (9737.2)

This unit aims to develop the students appreciation, aural recognition, implementation and understanding of Western tonal harmony, while exploring harmonic systems of other cultures also. It focuses on the analytical study and practical implementation of harmony in musical contexts. It also promotes harmonys influence on music technology, instrumental design, tuning systems and even human evolution, introducing a holistic concept of harmony, and expanding the students likely schoolroom understanding of harmony to encapsulate music plus sound, as well as its acoustical nature. The unit builds upon theory delivered in previous musicianship units introducing students to conventional harmonic analysis techniques and prefacing Contemporary Musicianship: Arranging and Orchestrations focus on orchestration techniques. The unit is designed to complement Composition: Synthesis and Sampling and Contemporary Performance: Technology on Stage, being experimental in nature and technology-focused.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Identify, deconstruct and apply tonal functional harmony to tonal melodies;
2. Identify common chord progressions by ear;
3. Construct harmonic sequences using common harmonic variation techniques; and
4. Apply written communication skills in academic contexts.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None

Equivalent units

None

Assumed knowledge

None.