ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC

MASTERS PROGRAMME
2016/2017

MMus Research Project (Performance)

Module Leader: Dr Ingrid Pearson
iepearson@rcm.ac.uk
YEAR 2 Level 7 30 credits
(excluding fast-track)

CONTENT

independent research and the development of research skills intrinsic to chosen subject, manifest
through the submission of a research proposal and then the completion of either a written Critical
Project (CP) or through the presentation of a Lecture Recital (LR);
Autumn term groups sessions to choose the best format for your topic, develop your research skills,
and receive guidance towards the completion of your research proposal;
formative feedback on a draft (CP) and practice-run (LR) of their research-in-progress during the
Spring term;
further research developing the assessed proposal into either a CP or LR through one-to-one
supervision.

leading to
an awareness of a complex and specialised area of knowledge and skills;
further enrichment of research and writing skills, and the relation of these to specific issues in
scholarship pertaining to musical performance and/or the chosen subject.

ASSESSMENT
Assessment Date Weighting
Proposal 1pm, Friday 28 October 2016 n/a

Critical Project of 5000-7500 words 1pm, Friday 26 May 2017

or 100%

Lecture Recital of 30 minutes duration (normally between Monday 15 May -

consisting approximately 17-18 minutes speaking Monday 22 May 2017
and 13-12 minutes live performance), with up to
5 minutes of questions from the audience at the
conclusion
What is being assessed?

Expectations of Achievement

Masters (Level 7) Relevant Area of Expectation

Level Descriptors

Independence of thought in Written/Spoken work

advanced areas of knowledge
Creative command of skills and
communication
Originality of thought (e.g. imagination in conceiving
ideas across theory and practice, text and context)
Structure of Argument (e.g. ordering of points, relation of
the general to the specific)
Quality of Research (e.g. breadth and depth of enquiry,
accuracy of information, awareness of context)
Powers of Communication (e.g. liveliness of
written/spoken expression, clarity and coherence of
language)
Critical Judgement (e.g. insight in responding to others
opinions, confidence in articulating own views)
Presentation (e.g. project layout, clarity and consistency
of referencing, effective use of musical examples and
illustrations/handouts)

Important points about assessment in this module

Written Assignments must be submitted by the deadline. All written coursework must be submitted
via learn.rcm. Submission via learn.rcm indicates that the assignment is your own unaided work
and that you have acknowledged all references to the work of others in the course of the text.
Please keep your own copy of all work you submit for assessment.
Presentations must be given at the scheduled times. Failure to do so will result in the application
of a capped mark of 50% in the rescheduled presentation, if rescheduling this is possible. A
capped mark may be lifted by the Board of Examiners only after consideration of mitigating
circumstances submitted by the student to the Registry.
Students missing the stipulated deadline for coursework submission have up to one week after the
published deadline to submit work if they wish this to be marked. This work will receive a bare
minimum pass (50%), if applicable. Adjusted deadlines apply to students with Learning
Agreements. Late work should be submitted directly to learn.rcm. Work submitted after this one-
week period will not be eligible for marking: it will be marked over the Summer Vacation, should
the student fail the module overall and be offered a reassessment opportunity. A capped mark of
50% may be lifted by the Board of Examiners only after consideration of mitigating circumstances
submitted by the student to the Registry. For further information about the Colleges policy on
Mitigating Circumstances, see your Student Guide.

DELIVERY

group seminars and individual tutorials to hone research skills and prepare written proposal for
submission (Autumn term);
opportunity to submit draft (CP) or undertake practice-run (LR) for formative feedback (Spring term);
up to 6 hours of individual supervision (Autumn, Spring and Summer terms);
attendance is compulsory for all students.
 AUTUMN TERM: East Parry Room, 11:30am-1pm
Thursday 29 September Introduction to the different modes of submission

Thursday 6 October Using RCM Library and Collections material for your
LR or CP
Thursday 13 October Making your choice and writing your proposal

Thursday 20 October Drop-in clinic to help refine your proposal

Thursday 17 November Work-in-progress presentations Session 1

Thursday 24 November Work-in-progress presentations Session 2

Thursday 1 December Work-in-progress presentations Session 3

SPRING TERM: venue to be advised by Registry Administrator (Postgraduate Programmes)

Monday 13 March- Monday 20 Lecture Recital practice runs
March

ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE

Proposal submission guidelines

The proposal should, in about 300 words, give an outline of what you intend to present in your CP or LR.
You should ensure that it carries a working title, i.e. a title that gives the gist of your subject but which you
may wish to refine as you progress.

The proposal should cover the background of your subject. This may include a certain amount of context,
such as mention of existing work on your subject and your perception of gaps you intend to fill; or you
might be making a connection between a composer or a work/s and something arising from your own
performing experience.

This will lead on to your making clear your aim in your LR or CP: what you intend to demonstrate or
elucidate. Keeping this requirement in mind will help you to avoid drifting into the merely descriptive, a
problem often encountered in proposed subjects. Does your subject suggest a question or questions that
the LR or CP will cast light on?

Your method should then be covered: the means by which you intend to achieve your aim. Comparisons
often play a part here, between works, performances, primary and secondary sources and so on. If, in
subjects where it applies, you have access to primary sources, you should make this clear.

An indication of the amount of live performance and of what will be played/sung within a LR should be
given. As a rough guide, the 30-minute LR should include c.12 minutes of performance, live where
possible. This may be made up of illustrative fragments or a combination of those and an entire piece.

A short bibliography and discography must be included at the end of the proposal. What you cite
should indicate how aware you are of what has been written already about your subject. Ensure that the
list is specific rather than general.

If you have any questions are not be dealt with in the Thursday sessions please contact Ingrid. Please use
the coversheet at the end of this syllabus when submitting your proposal.
Please note that your proposal is due by 1pm on Friday 28 October.

Critical Project guidelines

You will complete a project of 50007500 words on a specialist topic. The project should display
independence of thought in advanced areas of knowledge, as well as the creative command of skills and
communication. The project material must be the product of your own work, and not previously submitted
for examination at any institution. Please submit your project with only the following text on the title page:

Critical Project submitted by [your name] in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Master of Music
degree in Performance, Royal College of Music, May 2017.

The CP is marked by your supervisor and an independent second marker. The final mark is agreed by the
first and second markers. In the unlikely event that markers fail to agree a final mark, the Head of
Programmes (Postgraduate) or an External Examiner will be asked to read the work and confirm or adjust
this final mark.

In assessing your work, the examiners will look for:

originality of thought, e.g. imagination in conceiving ideas across theory and practice, text and
context;
structure of argument, e.g. ordering of points, relation of the general to the specific;
quality of research, e.g. breadth and depth of enquiry, accuracy of information, awareness of
context;
powers of communication, e.g. liveliness of written expression, clarity and coherence of
language;
critical judgement, e.g. insight in responding to others opinions, confidence in articulating your
own view;
presentation, e.g. project layout, clarity and consistency of referencing, effective use of musical
examples

Lecture Recital guidelines

This will be of 30 minutes duration, normally consisting of approximately 17-18 minutes speaking and
13-12 minutes live performance. An extra 5 minutes at the end of your presentation is allowed for open
questions from the panel and the audience. The presentation should display independence of thought in
advanced areas of knowledge, as well as the creative command of skills and communication. The
presentation must be the product of your own work, and not previously submitted for examination at any
institution.

Guidance for preparing Lecture Recital supporting materials

The recommended length for paper hand-outs is 4 x A4 pages, best presented as an A3 sheet
folded. If you need more space, ask yourself why; whatever material is on the sheets should not
distract the audience from your LR itself.
The front page should include the words Royal College of Music, Master of Music in Performance
Lecture Recital, and the date. You should of course put the title and your name prominently. Use the
rest of the space on the page for your information material if you need to.
On the last page include a short bibliography and, where appropriate, a discography.
The content of your hand-out is dependent on the nature of your subject. Obviously, analytical subjects
tend to require more copious music examples, hence take more space. Reproduce photographs and
graphics where you think they might instruct your audience. The relevance of your information sheet to
your LR is a matter for your judgement.
Make enough copies; two are required for the examination panel, and more for your audience.
Please make a real effort to get an audience. Even a small number of people present, not in an
assessing role, will give you confidence and reduce the prominence of the panel as you speak and
play.
If you intend to use Power Point or something similar, seek guidance from your supervisor. More often
than not, such tools are used badly and the time spent in their creation might have been better
 invested elsewhere. Be aware that, in a scholarly context, all materials must be presented with the
same care as in a written project.

Select Preparatory Bibliography

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (8/2001) and/or Grove Music Online Oxford
Music Online. Oxford University Press, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com

Herbert, Trevor, Music in Words: A Guide to Researching and Writing about Music (London, 2001) -
essential and available as an e-book in the RCM library as well as in hard copy

All materials distributed in class will be uploaded to learn.rcm.