This second year course is compulsory for students on the BA Hons Contemporary Theatre degree scheme. As you begin to explore in greater depth and complexity the process of devising and improvising work, technical work in Music & Singing will underpin your ability to interact musically and dramatically in a range of performance styles and forms. By the end of the module you will have a substantial knowledge of vocal technique and will have acquired an automatically-present technique to support both singing and safeguarding the voice.

Self-created work, by its nature, makes unpredictable technical demands on its performers, particularly with regard to music and singing. However, by ensuring that students acquire an overview of musical subject matter and performances - in solo, duet and ensemble disciplines as well as in a variety of repertoires - this module will equip students with the necessary technical skills to progress to the strongly experimental final year.

Module Content

Term One
Tessitura
Dynamic range
Vocal agility
Improving audience communication
Sustaining character through accent, sound, musicality and lyrics
Interactions within the medium of song

Term Two
Introduction to 'direct-contact' songs
Breaking down the 'fourth wall' using Brecht songs and British Music Hall as examples
Conveying clearly delineated character in song
Maintaining technique whilst performing sung material

Term Three
Development of solo and ensemble disciplines
Devised harmony skills
Bringing accumulated musical skills into devised ensemble work
Appropriate and sensitive use of musical input.