- Course type: Concentration.
- Year of study: Year 2, over 2 semesters (autumn-spring).
- Final assessment: Rehearsals, reflection paper and meeting with examination committee.
- Prerequisites: Admission to the Master of Music in Performance Degree Programme.
- Language of instruction: Norwegian/English.
Course description
This course is for students in the Master of Music Performance Degree Programme – Opera Répétiteur.
The Master’s Project is to be an independent project that reflects artistic maturity in musical performance and in the role of opera répétiteur. All the work involved in the Master’s Project will focus on the activities of an opera répétiteur.
This Master’s Project focuses on the work in the final semester. Practice as an opera répétiteur at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet (DNOB) / the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO) is a mandatory part and key element of the Master’s Project. A separate agreement on the conditions of the practicum will be drawn up.
Learning objectives
On completion of this course, the student is expected to:
- show artistic integrity and maturity in the musical presentation of the Master’s Project and in the role of opera répétiteur.
- be able to conduct and direct musical rehearsals.
- show academic independence and ability to think critically in the role of opera répétiteur.
- be able to articulate and discuss issues related to their own artistic project.
- be able to use material from artistic development activity and research.
Overview
In the Master’s Project, students will acquire advanced knowledge of a thematic area or repertoire. The Master’s Project consists of the planning and execution of a practicum as a répétiteur for a complete production at DNOB/KHiO and an independent project with a vocal group at the Norwegian Academy of Music (NMH). Students participate in the repertoire planned by DNOB/KHiO for the relevant practicum periods. The repertoire for the practicum period at NMH is planned in cooperation with those with academic responsibility at the Academy.
As an opera répétiteur the student will be responsible for rehearsal of the repertoire in cooperation with vocalists/conductors/directors up until the performances begin. The student must have a supervisor and contact person who is a permanent répétiteur at the practicum location, but will participate on equal footing with the other répétiteurs.
Most of the Master’s Project is comprised of the student’s work with:
- developing a project description for the Master’s Project.
- implementing and managing one practicum project at NMH and one at DNOB/KHiO.
- rehearsing and interpreting the repertoire for the practicum projects.
- relevant literature (including material from artistic development work and research)masterclasses, lectures/dialogues and interpretation classes.
- Master’s Forum, an interdisciplinary forum across the concentrations in which students present and discuss their current work.
- writing a reflection paper on the Master’s Project.
Structure
Each student will be assigned a principal supervisor, and as a general rule one or two co-supervisors, from among the Academy’s permanent teachers. The supervisor(s) will give the student(s) advice and feedback on artistic issues, choices and work as a répétiteur. Masterclasses, lectures/dialogues, interpretation classes and a Master’s Forum will be held as well. The masterclasses and lectures/dialogues are organised in a common group for all students at the graduate level. The interpretation classes are arranged partly in a common group and partly in the respective academic areas. The Master’s Forum is organised as block instruction in the third and fourth semesters of studies. Instruction is given by several different instructors/supervisors.
Students are responsible for their own progression in the Master’s Project, and must make regular appointments with and submit materials to the supervisor(s) (scores, recordings, project description, etc.) so that they maintain their progression as agreed. A high degree of independence is expected of students in the Master’s Project.
Structure and recommended scope of instruction are further outlined (under Organisation) in the programme curriculum.
Students are registered automatically for instruction/supervision and assessment in the course in accordance with the study progress requirements set out in the individual education plan.
Performance reviews are held between the student and the programme coordinator/teachers’ team in which, among other things, the student’s goals and progress in the course are followed up. For more information, please see the section under Organisation in the general part of the programme description.
For an overview of the expected study progression, please see Organisation under the description of the individual study programme
Course requirements
1. Submission of the supervision agreement and project description
Students will design the project description partly in the course Master’s Project and partly in Music in Perspective. The project description must be three to five pages in length and state the topic, contents, progress plan and supervisor(s) for the Master’s Project. For more information, please see the guidelines for the project proposal/description . It is the student’s responsibility to contact the supervisor(s).
Deadline: The project description with an attached preliminary repertoire list must be approved by the supervisor no later than 1 October in the third semester of studies. The project description must be signed by both the student and the supervisor.
When the project description has been approved and signed, a supervision agreement must be entered into between the student, the supervisor and the Academy. The supervision agreement states the obligations and rights of the student as well as the responsibilities and obligations of the supervisor.
Deadline: The supervision agreement and an approved project description with a repertoire list for the Master’s Project must be submitted to the Exams Office no later than 1 December in the third semester of studies.
The project description may be changed during the process. All changes must be approved by the supervisor. If changes are made that affect the student’s planned progression with the Master’s Project, a new supervision agreement must be drawn up.
2. Completed practicum as a répétiteur in an independent project with a vocal group at the Norwegian Academy of Music
As a general rule, the practicum period is carried out in the third semester (the practicum must be coordinated with rehearsals at DNO&B/KHiO) and extends over several weeks. The practicum includes all musical preparations prior to the concert/performance as well as the implementation of the concert/performance with a repertoire with a playing time of 60 minutes. Students are required to participate in all rehearsals during their practicum periods. The time used on preparation for the practicum periods must be included and described in the student’s project description. A vocal repertoire must include ensembles. The practicum concludes with a performance usually held at the Academy. Students are responsible for rehearsal of the repertoire that is performed.
Deadline: Report forms must be submitted to the Exams Office within one week of the completion of the practicum period and the performance (normally no later than 15 April of the fourth semester of studies). The forms must be signed by the student and the supervisor for the practicum.
3. Completed practicum as a répétiteur in a full production at DNOB/KHiO
A practicum period normally lasts an entire semester. The practicum includes all musical preparations prior to the start of production/staging rehearsals, staging rehearsals and any performances. Students are required to participate in all rehearsals and performances during their practicums. The time used on preparation for the various practicum periods must be noted and described in the student’s project description.
4. Master’s Forum
At minimum, a presentation of the student’s own Master’s Project.
Deadline: The chair of the forum must submit a record of minutes to the Exams Office no later than 15 April in the fourth semester of studies.
Final assessment
All course requirements must be fulfilled and approved before the student is given a final assessment.
Students are assessed in relation to the learning objectives. The final assessment will be given as a pass/fail mark, which will be determined on the basis of rehearsals, a reflection paper and a meeting with the examinations committee. The Master’s Project is assessed as a whole. A single assessment will be given for all three parts.
The Master’s Project will be assessed by three examiners, of which one is external. The supervisor usually serves as one of the examiners. The examinations committee will give the student an oral opinion on the Master’s Project.
In the case of re-assessment, the same procedures as for an ordinary assessment will be followed.
Rehearsals at the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet/Oslo National Academy of the Arts
Implementation of two rehearsals during the production (activities related to rehearsal) at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts and the Norwegian Opera and Ballet. The rehearsals are carried out as part of the student’s practicum, normally in the fourth semester. The student carries out the rehearsals in cooperation with students/employees of KHiO/DNOB, usually at KHiO/DNOB. Students will be assessed based on an overall evaluation of how they carried out the rehearsals.
Scope: Two rehearsals during a production.
Reflection Paper
On the basis of the project description, the student must write a minimum 500-word reflection paper that discusses the role of the opera répétiteur and the work and artistic process involved in the Master’s Project.
Deadline: The reflection paper must be submitted to the Exams Office no later than 15 April in the fourth semester of studies.
Meeting with examinations committee
After the final rehearsal, the student must meet with the examinations committee. Topics to be discussed include academic issues related to the student’s implementation of the rehearsals, the artistic results, and the rehearsals viewed in relation to the student’s reflection paper.
Duration: 20 minutes.