Course Unit Form
Course unit title:
Musical Creation in Context
Code of the scientific area:
Mus
Duration (annual, semester or term):
Annual
Total student workload (total hours):
260.0
Contact hours:
In-person (P) - TP-10.0; PL-35.0
% of distance-learning contact hours:
0.00%
ECTS credits:
10.0
Responsible lecturer and corresponding teaching load in the course unit:
António Augusto Aguiar - 12.0h
Other lecturers and their teaching load in the course unit:
Learning outcomes and their compatibility with the teaching method (knowledge, skills and competences to be developed by students):
1. Develop projects that reflect the complexity of contemporary cultural issues. 2. Understand the relationship between artistic creation and performative context, adopting a holistic view of the cultural event. 3. Relate stages and operational needs, gaining practical experience in the setting up and preparation of a performance. 4. Plan cultural events, adapting musical projects to technical requirements. 5. Develop creative and technical skills for musical projects in a professional context. 6. Create, edit, record and disseminate musical works, promoting sharing with the community. 7. Articulate artistic work with other authors, with a focus on music in the Portuguese context. 8. Integrate advanced research and artistic practice, understanding the whole process from creation to performance.
Syllabus:
P1. Processes between creation and artistic realisation. - Development of musical projects involving composition, rehearsal, recording or performance. - Reflection on conception, experimentation and artistic realisation in various formats, media and dissemination channels.
P2. Production of performances. - Standards and practices for setting up and managing musical events. - Relationship between stage, performance spaces and operational needs. - Audio and video capture and editing for documentation and dissemination.
P3. Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary work. - Coordination with cultural agents, communication, design and education. - Development of collaborative projects with other artistic and technological fields.
P4. Professional ethics. - Copyright and related rights in musical creation and sharing. - Sustainability, funding and feasibility of artistic projects. - Respect for cultural diversity and artistic integrity.
Demonstration of the coherence between the syllabus and the course unit's learning outcomes:
The syllabus is directly aligned with the learning outcomes, ensuring an integrated approach between creation, production and critical reflection.
P1 corresponds to objectives 1, 2 and 6 by promoting the development of musical projects spanning different creative stages, encouraging experimentation and artistic realisation in various formats.
P2 corresponds to objectives 3, 4 and 5 by providing knowledge of the standards, methodologies and practices of musical production, including the adaptation of performances to different contexts and audiovisual capture.
P3 is aligned with objectives 7 and 8, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination with cultural agents, communication and design, strengthening the integration of projects within the artistic milieu.
P4 reinforces the commitment to professional ethics, sustainability and copyright, ensuring that students develop a responsible and contextualised artistic practice.
Teaching and learning methodologies specific to the course unit, articulated with the pedagogical model:
The teaching and learning methodologies are aligned with the pedagogical model adopted for the doctoral programme, promoting the integration of theory, practice, historical context and creativity. These methodologies are designed to develop technical, analytical, contextual and creative competences, in line with a student-centred approach. The selection of methodologies will be made according to each doctoral student's profile and research interests.
Project-Based Learning (PBL) Development of projects integrating analysis, interpretation and practical application, such as contextualised recitals or annotated editions. Fosters autonomy and creativity, establishing solid connections between theory and practice.
Case Study In-depth analysis of specific sources, considering historical context, interpretive decisions and differences between editions. A practical approach applying theoretical concepts to real and concrete situations. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Solving concrete challenges, such as interpreting incomplete or ambiguous sources. Promotes critical thinking, autonomous research and practical creativity.
The following strategies will be applied:
Practical Workshops Sessions focused on interpretive experimentation, using historical or modern instruments, with continuous and constructive feedback. Encourages practical learning and adaptation to varied interpretive contexts.
Interactive Expository Method Combination of theoretical presentations with dynamic discussions, joint analysis of musical examples (live or recorded) and critical debate. Facilitates technical, stylistic and contextual understanding, encouraging active student engagement.
Collaborative Teaching Group exercises for source analysis, presentations and performances, promoting the exchange of ideas and critical debate. Develops interpersonal, collaborative and co-creative competences.
Assessment:
Assessment for this course unit takes place in two phases, ensuring a balance between research, experimentation and musical creation, promoting critical reflection and the integration of theory and practice.
In the first phase, by 31 December, doctoral students must propose a mini artistic creation project, presenting a grounded concept and exploring methodologies appropriate to its realisation. The proposal must demonstrate the artistic and academic relevance of the project, as well as its connection to the course unit's syllabus.
In the second phase, by 31 May, doctoral students must publicly present the completed project, accompanied by a written report (approx. 2000 words, excluding appendices, footnotes and bibliography) providing theoretical context for the work developed. The presentation will include a 15-minute question-and-answer session, promoting critical analysis and the development of academic argumentation and communication skills.
Assessment will comprise two components:
Students who do not pass the assessment may submit a revised version of the assignment by 30 June.
Demonstration of the coherence between the teaching and assessment methodologies and the course unit's learning outcomes:
The teaching and assessment methodologies of the course unit Musical Creation in Context are intrinsically aligned with its learning outcomes, ensuring a balance between research, experimentation and musical creation.
The theoretical-practical component establishes a solid conceptual basis for understanding the processes of musical creation, contextualising artistic practice within its cultural and performative framework. The interactive expository method allows key theoretical references to be explored, while the analysis of case studies promotes in-depth research into specific repertoires, interpretive decisions and editing and production processes. Project-based learning facilitates the design of original artistic proposals, ensuring the connection between theory and practice and preparing doctoral students to adapt their projects to the technical and operational requirements of performance spaces.
The laboratory practice component focuses on experimentation and the direct application of musical concepts in rehearsal and performance contexts. Practical workshops offer a structured space for interpretive and compositional exploration, promoting the development of creative and technical competences. Collaborative learning encourages teamwork, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary dialogue and the sharing of knowledge between students and industry professionals. Problem-based learning challenges students to find innovative solutions to concrete issues in musical creation and performance, stimulating critical thinking and investigative autonomy.
The assessment of the course unit is designed to consolidate the articulation between creation and research, promoting an informed and reflective artistic practice. The requirement for a structured initial proposal encourages students to define a solid conceptual framework for their projects, ensuring methodological grounding from the earliest stages. The public presentation and final report foster communication and argumentation skills, essential for the academic and professional milieu. Moreover, this model favours doctoral students' autonomy in managing their creative and research processes, preparing them for the challenges of artistic research in music. By requiring critical reflection on the practices developed, the assessment reinforces students' capacity to integrate professional and academic contexts, in line with DocMus.pt's mission to produce knowledge through musical creation.
The combination of qualitative assessment, promoting the exchange of ideas and constructive feedback among peers, and quantitative assessment, based on criteria such as theoretical grounding, originality and quality of artistic experimentation, ensures that students are assessed comprehensively and in line with the course unit's objectives.
Bibliography (recommended/compulsory reading):
Cook, N. (2013). Beyond the score: Music as performance. Oxford University Press.
Davidson, J. W. (Ed.). (2017). The music practitioner: Research for the music performer, teacher and listener. Routledge.
Goehr, L. (2007). The imaginary museum of musical works: An essay in the philosophy of music (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Leech-Wilkinson, D. (2009). The changing sound of music: Approaches to studying recorded musical performances. Routledge.
McPherson, G. E. (Ed.). (2022). The Oxford handbook of music performance (Vols. 1–2). Oxford University Press.
Pallin, G. (2008). Stage management: The essential handbook. Nick Hern Books.
Peters, G. (2009). The philosophy of improvisation. University of Chicago Press.
Rink, J. (Ed.). (1995). The practice of performance: Studies in musical interpretation. Cambridge University Press.
Wishart, T. (1996). On sonic art. Routledge.
Remarks:
The selection of lecturers to teach this course unit will be made based on the students' profile.
