“Experience, feel and understand music”
Music theory, supplemented with practical education
Year, duration:
AD1, 1 grade
Study load (weekly):
4 modules, each with a study load of 6 hours, in total
Contribution to the competences
1. Creative ability
3. Problem-solving ability
4. Communicative Ability
5. Ability to grow and develop/ reflective
6. Ability to Collaborate
Brief description of the content
After this course, it is possible for the student to use the teaching material as a basis for the necessary practical integration of music and dance. The increased knowledge of the material will also contribute to better communication with teachers, pianists, conductor, choreographer and musicians in general. The course will lead to a better relationship between artistic and technical qualities with regard to the musical contribution.
As part of the course, the student will also attend workshops several times with and visit the Ballet Orchestra (orchestra of Dutch National Ballet and NDT). An extra layer of practical training is added by means of concrete meetings.
Learning goals
- Distinguishing artistic, emotional and structural features in classical music for ballet exercises and ballet variations through auditory training.
- Distinguishing and working with different dance forms, gaining insight into compositional structures.
- Learning to distinguish auditory from all orchestral instruments, including insight into the way of playing.
- Deepening style periods and repertoire of composers
- Gain insight into collaboration between composer and choreographer.
Study material (specialist literature, case studies, assignments, videos, etc.)
- The student receives a musical historical kaleidoscope from 1640 to 1973. Composers are discussed in their cultural and musical development. The content of the musical information is provided by image and sound material that is brought along by the teacher. Fragments are given for each composer with the important information about work and style periods with their characteristics.
- The information should enable the student to distinguish and argue the works of different composers.
- Attention is also paid to analysing and naming different dance forms. The dance forms range from 1600 [Baroque] to modern dance today. This will also be supported by image and sound clips.
- The distinction of musical instruments is also discussed.
- Attention will be paid to isolating different individual sounds, both solo and in ensemble. As a young professional dancer, basic knowledge of instruments and their sound or playing technique is an absolute must. Demonstration of various instrumentalists from the ballet orchestra (as far as possible) and visual and sound material are part of this topic. This requires a rehearsal and general visit.
The students do not have a workbook. They receive study material for each subject with the necessary information from the teacher.
Assessment method
- The concepts of music history, composer in the context of his time
- Composer-choreographer collaboration
- Different dance forms
- Measure/rhythm/conducting technique
- Melody/harmony
- Pace/dynamics
In pairs (2 students), the students have to make a written report (about 1000 words) of each module, demonstrating that they have understood the key points. As assessment, the letter ratings moderate (M), satisfactory (V), more than satisfactory (RV) and Good (G) will be used. Making things together also means that the same assessment is used for each student.