Advanced Diploma in Opera Studies
Culture and Arts - Music
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose
The Advanced Diploma in Opera Studies provides the learner with preparation for a specialized and professional career. The qualification aims to enhance and focus the career of a learner who has completed the Diploma in Music. It prepares learners for the challenges within specific career choices, studying new repertoire, playing simple accompaniments, and understanding musical structures through applied music theory. The qualification equips learners with competencies to manage specialized careers in Opera Studies, advancing their performance and teaching abilities within vocal studies.
Upon completion of the qualification, learners will be able to:
- Synthesize, conceptualize, and integrate core knowledge of Opera Studies principles and practices.
- Apply voice/instrumental studies theories and knowledge to Opera Studies.
- Demonstrate current practices and methods in performing, teaching, and community engagement within Opera Studies.
- Evaluate performances, address performance-related issues, and understand teaching practices in Opera Studies.
- Understand the value and ethics in performing arts and teaching practices, especially in Arts Management and teaching methods related to Opera Studies.
- Independently access, evaluate, process, and manage information in assignments, particularly within the Introduction to Research Skills module.
Rationale
Music in various forms enables meaningful engagement with communities, industry, and the world. South Africa's rich choral tradition has sparked interest in opera and classical voices among young South Africans. However, pursuing an operatic career requires time, money, specialized training, and advanced education, resources not readily available to many South Africans. This qualification aims to address poverty by providing learners with the necessary knowledge and skills for the music industry, thereby increasing employment opportunities, particularly in performance.
The South African entertainment industry, identified as a key strategic growth sector by the government, generates substantial revenue annually. Capacity-building initiatives in the industry are essential for growth and transformation, necessitating tertiary education to enable development within these capacities. The qualification aims to equip South African learners with expertise in diverse musical traditions, ensuring a high-quality local leadership base in Opera. It also enables learners to contribute to society through arts and culture.
Designed for advanced graduates and young professional singers, the qualification aims to enhance performance skills and knowledge in operatic repertoire and professional practice. It focuses on technical and interpretive voice qualities, repertoire choice, role preparation, and performance. Modules also emphasize text-related skills and stage performance requirements essential in opera.
To prepare learners for solo or ensemble performance careers, the qualification focuses on developing professional practice through modules like Performance Studies, Vocal Ensemble, Stage Craft, and Language for Singers. It also includes Repertoire and Method and Keyboard Skills for teaching duties often accompanying an operatic career. The Arts Management module aids in managing a professional opera or teaching career, and the Research Skills module fosters research and academic writing capabilities for further studies.
Developed in consultation with local and international institutions, as well as industry stakeholders, the qualification equips learners to partake in Opera productions locally and internationally. It fosters an understanding of operatic activities within communities, nurturing young talent for future operatic roles across various professions in the genre.
Outcomes
- Demonstrate the ability to synthesise, conceptualise and integrate core knowledge and exhibit an understanding thereof concerning the principles and practices of Opera Studies.
- Apply both theory and knowledge of voice/instrumental studies, repertoire and methods of teaching as related to Opera Studies.
- Demonstrate current practices and methods and select appropriate interventions within performing, teaching and community engagement aspects as specifically related to Opera Studies.
- Demonstrate the ability to evaluate performances and choose effective strategies and theories to address issues related to performance, vocal and general music education teaching practices related to Opera Studies.
- Comprehend the value and ethics related to performing art aspects and teaching practices, especially within the Arts Management and teaching methods units as related to Opera Studies.
- Demonstrate the ability to access, evaluate, process, and manage information independently in delivering assignments for individual modules, especially within the Introduction to Research Skills module.
- Demonstrate the ability to convey academic, professional, theoretical as well as conventional and new artistic ideas and opinions using verbal and non-verbal as pertaining to Opera Studies.
- Demonstrate skills to act appropriately and solve academic and artistic issues arising within Opera Studies.
- Demonstrate the ability to manage individual and collaborative learning in Opera Studies by applying methodical and practical-related principles of the discipline.
- Demonstrate the accountable and ethical use of resources for theoretical, technical, and artistic practices as related to Opera Studies as imparted especially in the Arts Management module.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Display vocal proficiency and technical requirements for music expression and performance.
- Identify musical examples from the repertoire.
- Apply theories of musical interpretation in the context of performing opera.
- Describe the necessary processes involved in learning instrumental, vocal, and theoretical concepts.
- Apply relevant compositional techniques in performing opera.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Interpret extant performance practices with detailed attention to authenticity.
- Evaluate and apply appropriate concepts, principles, and theories in Opera Studies.
- Select and contextualise musical examples according to their stylistic repertoire.
- Identify parameters for analysis in relation to selected musical examples.
- Apply appropriate approaches from music analysis to the identified parameters.
- Describe and interpret the music based on applied parameters and related analysis.
- Adhere to expected conventions in the musical style and draw conclusions from the analyzed musical examples.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Explore and apply sounds, concepts, repertoires, and practices for assimilation in musical arrangement.
- Apply extended knowledge of repertoire for a specific instrument in certain style periods.
- Present information, ideas, and opinions in well-structured arguments.
- Apply presentation principles to concert standards and tonal conventions for professional performance.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Recognize and evaluate musical examples from the repertoire.
- Explore and apply pedagogical concepts, principles, and theories to specific instrumental performance and teaching.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Observe stage conduct and etiquette resembling professional quality.
- Use appropriate stage etiquette to communicate with the audience in formal and less formal performance contexts.
- Analyze ethical and managerial issues affecting an art organization.
- Apply intellectual copyright in the art context and entertainment milieu.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
- Analyze, classify, and interpret scholarly texts.
- Formulate scholarly arguments utilizing scholarly sources.
- Apply accurate referencing styles within short research examples.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
- Present and communicate information, ideas, and opinions in well-structured arguments.
- Perform simple harmonic and form analysis in written and spoken formats.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:
- Deal with conceptualization in subject matter, methodology, strategy, and compositional techniques and materials.
- Analyze and apply various approaches and methods to teaching music in diverse educational contexts.
- Evaluate and apply relevant stylistic knowledge and insight in performance.
- Identify and describe problems in relevant fields and disciplines and develop solutions appropriate to musical contexts.
- Formulate appropriate responses to resolve concrete and abstract, practical, and theoretical problems in music.
- Identify, analyze, and address complex problems in pedagogical and performance practice.
- Apply creative responses to pedagogical and performance practice challenges.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9:
- Interact musically with other singers and instrumentalists proficiently and appropriately.
- Check performance for consistency and accuracy against musical scores or other criteria.
- Devise and arrange movements to music in various styles suitable for learners with different levels of musical experience.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10:
- Identify financial and accounting objectives and principles for general management.
- Explain finance management skills and personal finances using appropriate scenarios.
- Apply marketing theories and concepts to develop audiences and promote the non-profit arts sector.
- Develop effective fundraising strategies to raise funds from institutional, government, and individual donors.
INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT:
- Learning and assessment are integrated to demonstrate competence in individual areas linked for holistic outcomes.
- Formative assessment includes performance examinations, written assignments, oral presentations, and practical presentations.
- Summative assessment includes written examinations, examination assignments, and oral presentations.
- Experiential learning is assessed through practical and oral presentations with peer assessment or lecturer evaluations.
- All modules are internally and/or externally moderated annually.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Advanced Diploma
- NQF Level
- 07
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.