Course Objectives

The course will provide insight into questions drawn from general ethnic music theory and provide an introduction to individual foreign folk traditions as well as the Norwegian.

Students will also explore this material through practical exercises.

The Department of Folk Culture, Telemark University College, has developed cooperative agreements with corresponding folk music institutions in following countries: Slovakia, Hungary, Ireland, Scotland and the whole of the Nordic / Baltic region. With the establishment of new degree programmes in folk music, new agreements may be established. The partnerships involve the exchange of teachers and students within the Nordplus and Erasmus programmes, research collaboration and study trips.

With this in mind, the course focuses especially on introducing music traditions from countries that are actively involved; this will vary somewhat from year to year depending on the resources of the various institutions.

The goal is to provide students with basic skills for their future short and long term periods of study abroad and to further develop students’ knowledge of folk music in an international perspective.

Students will further develop themselves as performing musicians.

Course Description

Course unit 1: Ethnic Music - Music Traditions and Society (20 ECTS)

Students will develop an awareness and ability to reflect upon folk music as a phenomenon of our times, both locally and globally. Music traditions will be examined from anthropological and music-theoretical perspectives: traditional and more recent ethnic music theory will be central.

Students will specialise in at least one foreign musical tradition.

Traditional music in some selected areas will be analysed and practiced (relevant themes: style, repertoire, organology and traditional lines). European traditions will be particularly relevant. Social sciences perspectives will also be relevant in this context.

Practice will be focused on in the course unit.

Course unit 2: R & D and Mediation (5 ECTS)

The course includes work on the preparation of a Bachelor’s thesis project, work on the project question and choice of methodology. A general theoretical discussion will be related to the Bachelor’s thesis project and the student will draft a plan that will form the basis for this specialisation project.

The mediation component will be related to the Bachelor’s thesis project. Some projects may take the form of more performance-oriented work or other types of mediation.

Course unit 3: Main Instrument. Ensemble Playing, Musical Composition Theory and Musical Arrangements (5 ECTS)

Individual instruction, 10 hours, based on instruction from the first and second years of study. Students will organise themselves into fixed ensemble groups. Students will specialise in the relevant topic within composition theory and musical arrangements. This may be related to musical traditions that the student is working with in ethnic musicology.

Learning Methods

Teaching and learning methods include lectures, seminars, group work, workshop practice, excursions, self study and home assignments.

The instruction will be given in intensive course blocks in the autumn semester.

Study trips will normally also include the first and / or second-year students. Where it is practically possible, students will participate in events organised by the Department.

Attendance of guest lectures will be mandatory.

Normally, each individual student will receive 10 hours of individual instruction, but this will also depend on the Department’s resources.

Ensemble playing: Cooperation with the Folk Music 1 and Folk Music 2 will possibly be required.

Teaching in R & D will in part be organised together with Folk Art 3.

Assessment Methods

Home Assignment 1 - assessed on a pass / fail basis.

Home Assignment 2 – graded: counts 25%.

4-hour written examination - with a grade which counts 75%.

Grades will be given on a scale from A to F (A-E are passing grades and F is a failing grade.) The final grade will be entered on the student’s diploma.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean