BMus (Hons): Marking Guidelines

Performance and Repertory Studies I

Learning Outcomes from Course Unit Description:
On successful completion of the module, students should:
 be able to demonstrate their awareness of primary and secondary sources which they
have determined provide evidence of historical style;
 have gained an appreciation of basic research skills needed to access information
from pertinent sources;
 be able to identify pertinent issues for discussion, in sources such as scores
(notation), recordings, the practice of peers, and editions;
 be able to relate the outcomes of their research to others in the class and in coherent
written form.

Class % Descriptor
mark
I (high) 86-100 Exceptional. An exceptional awareness of source materials at this Level; rare
critical facility and discernment in the employment of source materials;
writing reveals exceptional musicality and the ability to articulate the
finer details, and emotional import of musical performance.
I (mid) 76-85 Outstanding. Mature and balanced work, with the ability to select and reject
sources materials based upon well-founded critical judgements; writing
demonstrates a high level of musicality and an ability to express with some
imagination the experience of musical performance.
I (low) 70-75 Excellent. An excellent ability to research, select and engage with pertinent
source materials; careful deployment of, and critical assessment of these
sources; logical and intelligent engagement with other performers’ work
demonstrates acute critical listening skills; an excellent attempt to articulate the
experience of musical performance in writing; fluent written style.
II i 60-69 Very good. A very good awareness of sources pertaining to performance
practice issues and an ability to select the most relevant materials; a
very good ability in relating evidence to practice; detailed understanding
of issues of notation and its realisation; very good critical listening skills;
an inventive, if not always successful, attempt to articulate the
experience of musical performance in writing; fluent written style.
II ii 50-59 Good. A good awareness of a range of relevant source materials that might
inform performance; a sound ability in relating evidence to practice;
clear understanding of broader issues of notation and its realisation;
good listening and critical skills displayed; a good attempt to develop an
appropriate means of writing about musical performance.
III 40-49 Adequate. An acceptable, if rudimentary, ability to research and select source
materials that might inform performance; some, albeit limited, ability to
relate evidence to practice; basic listening and critical skills displayed; if
faltering, some attempts to describe the experience of musical
performance in writing.
Fail 30-39 Some merit. A patchy understanding of the research skills needed to collect
appropriate source materials for the study of performance; largely
undiscerning and lacking critical awareness; limited ability to related
evidence to practice; insubstantial and inconsistent attempts to describe
musical performance in writing; probably with poor presentation.
Fail 20-29 Few merits. Limited understanding of the appropriate research methods
(low) relevant to performance study; naïve and inconsequential writing mostly
subjective and lacking any authority; unsubstantiated judgements of the practice
of other musicians; unsatisfactory, unimaginative writing; poor presentation.
Fail 0-19 Severely limited. Few demonstrable merits; no real understanding of how to
(lowest) access, select and process source materials; writing is riddled with
platitudes and is always insubstantial; writing reveals no meaningful
engagement with other artists’ work; probably with poor very poor
presentation.