Singing and the Power of Pop Music (MUST20010)

This subject offers singers and non-singers alike the opportunity to share in the rich experience of singing as a community activity, whilst developing a deeper insight into how pop music is performed and what makes it powerful in our society.

Weekly one-hour lectures will introduce a socio-political and historical overview of significant pop artists from 1950s to present day, offering a cultural perspective on their unique musical and vocal characteristics.

Through practice-based tutorials, students will apply the concepts explored in lectures and along with an introduction to basic music theory, will learn to sing well-known pop songs in a group setting. Students will be given the opportunity to unpack assigned readings and reflect on the experience of learning to sing in a collaborative environment. Students will be assessed on group performances of the repertoire covered in tutorials.

A creative written assignment will give students the opportunity to undertake independent research and draw on their embodied knowledge of performing pop music to critically assess how pop music can be a powerful vehicle for change in our society. In this subject, theory and practice will be combined to deepen students’ understanding of pop music performance and its relevance in today’s society.