HMU126 H1 Final Research Presentation Instructions

For this course, students must prepare and submit a final research project of their choosing, based on the project options listed below, based on a topic in Western music from 1750 to the present.

The final research project (and all its components) is due on the last day of tutorial, 4 April 2024 by 11:59pm, will be graded out of 100, and is worth 20% of your final grade.

Note: As stated on the course syllabus, the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is strictly prohibited on all assignments for this course. Use of generative AI will be considered use of an unauthorized aid, which is a form of academic misconduct. You may not interact with, nor copy, paraphrase, or adapt any content from any generative AI for the purpose of completing this assignment.

Project Overview:

For the final visual research project, you are expected to conduct original research on a topic in Western music from 1750 to the present, such as a composer, specific piece(s), genre, style, or form of music-making which intersects with any of the topics and periods covered over the course of the term.

You will select one of the following final research project formats and conduct your own critical research on your selected topic:

1)   Mini lecture recital on a piece of your choosing

2)   Pre-concert ‘podcast’ talk on a concert of your choosing

3)   Final Visual Research Presentation on a topic of your choosing

Your final research project must take into consideration the social, political, historical and/or cultural contexts which inform and frame your chosen subject of study and should demonstrate how these circumstances have contributed to or informed the composition, creation, and/or artistic activities of your chosen subject.

Please see below for a complete description of these options.

Topic Selection:

For your project, your topic may include any composer, genre, style, specific piece(s), or form of music-making which intersects with the various themes and topics addressed throughout the course so long as they fit within the parameters of western art music from 1750 to the present.

All research must be original, and you must conduct the research yourself.

Please note that you may also choose a topic from the course that we have not yet addressed together in class. When choosing your topic, try to pick a topic that interests you or that you want to learn more about; this will make the research process more enjoyable. While you are welcome to pick a topic, piece, song, or composer already discussed in detail in the course, your project should demonstrate an expansion, development, and elaboration of the ideas, themes, and topics discussed in class.

Option 1 一 Mini‘Mock’Lecture Recital

For option 1, you will present your research in the format of a mini ‘mock’ lecture recital which will feature the following components:

1)   Written component consisting of your research presentation lecture (including citations, formatted according to Chicago Manual of Style)

2)   Video component consisting of your lecture, presented orally, including any relevant audiovisual clips or recordings.

3)   Bibliography

For this option, you will write a lecture recital script as if you were preparing for a lecture recital—a presentation that combines a musical performance with a lecture, workshop, or speech to provide commentary and historical context on a specific piece of music, or the composer who wrote the piece. Although you are not expected to include recordings of yourself performing your selected piece, your presentation should include either audiovisual or recorded excerpts; this can include pre- existing recordings by your favorite artist or ensemble, for instance.

The written component of your presentation should be written according to the research and grading guidelines listed above and should be accompanied by a brief video performance of the piece/es you discuss in your lecture. Your entire presentation should last no more than 6-8min. With this timing in mind, you may opt for the suggested structure: 5-6 minute lecture, 2-3 audio/audio visual materials.

Please note that you will only be graded on the quality of your lecture recital script, presentation, and research based on the research guidelines above; you are not expected to include audiovisual or recording clips of you performing the works under discussion. Should you wish to include audiovisual or recorded clips of yourself performing, please note that it is only meant to compliment the research & oral presentation component of your project, and you will not be graded on the quality of your performance.

Option 2 一Pre-concert‘podcast’talk

For option 2, you will prepare a pre-concert ‘podcast’ talk based on a concert program of your choice, according to the research guidelines listed above. A complete submission for option 2 will include your:

•   Written podcast script (including citations, formatted according to Chicago Manual of Style)

•   Audio or video recording of your podcast presentation

•   Bibliography

You are welcome to select a concert program for performances happening at the FOM, or at other local music venues/concert halls, so long as the repertoire fits within the timeline scope of this course (i.e. Western Music from 1750 to the present). Should you not find a concert of your liking, you are also welcome to prepare your own fictional concert program feature repertoire of your choosing. Note: If you choose the latter approach, in your pre-concert talk, you must provide a justification/rational supporting this selection.

For this option, you may record your podcast using whatever software you are most comfortable using, however please note that you will be submitting the recording of your podcast as an MP3 file. Alternatively, you can also submit your podcast as a video file.

Your entire podcast should last no more than 6-8 min.

For those wanting to embrace the true podcast creation experience, the FOM music library now has a podcasting kit available for loan:

https://librarysearch.library.utoronto.ca/discovery/fulldisplay?context=L&vid=01UTORONTO_I

NST:UTORONTO&search_scope=UTL_AND_CI&tab=Everything&docid=alma9911073892690 06196

The recording of your podcast should last approx 6-8min. This is your chance to get creative, so please feel free to give your podcast a snazzy title.

mZ4zPZaW6R0Q&nd=1&dlsi=499e0d2cf2f24a51

Option 3 一 Final Visual Research Presentation

For option three, you prepare a final visual research project and oral presentation according to the research guidelines listed above which will include the following components:

•   Video recording of your oral presentation, accompanied by a visual presentation

•    Presentation script (including citations, formatted according to the Chicago Manual of Style)

•    Copy of your visual presentation (i.e. slides, digital document, etc.)

•   Bibliography

Your oral presentation should last between 6-8min, summarizing the key findings of your visual research presentation, expanding on information included in the visual component, and covering the key points and arguments you intend to articulate in a succinct and captivating manor.

Your final presentation should be accompanied by a visual presentation. How you wish to approach the visual component of your project is entirely up to you, however it should demonstrate creativity and originality. Examples include a digital poster, slide presentation (PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.), or another medium approved by the course instructor.

Looking for inspiration? Check out the Faculty of Music’s Showcase competition winners which you can access here (https://music.library.utoronto.ca/showcase-2023). Please note that these posters include far more information than would be necessary for the purpose of this research project, but  should give you a sense of what kind of material can be included in your presentation (whether as a digital poster, or as a powerpoint).

For all options - How do I film my final project?

The final product for all options should be some kind of video that presents the visual component of your research presentation accompanied by the audio of your oral presentation, depending on which option you select. The easiest way to record the video of your presentation is using Zoom. If you are unsure of how to record your presentation using Zoom, there are plenty of online tutorials available which can walk you through the process. If you are having trouble, please reach out to your TA or myself. You do not have to have your camera on while recording your presentation. If you choose to create a poster, please zoom in on each section so the images/text are visible as you are explaining them

Bibliography and Image Reference List:

For your final project, you will compile a bibliography which includes a minimum of six scholarly sources, with properly formatted per the Chicago Manual of Style Citation guide (notes-bibliography style, NOT author-date), with at least four sources published recently (10 years).

When citing sources in your visual presentation, please use the following parenthetical in-text citation format: (Sumner 2019, 12).

Should your project feature any images, please note that all images used in your presentation should feature a brief caption explaining the relevance of the image to your slide/discussion point, should   be numbered (i.e. fig.1, fig. 2, fig. 3) and should be cited in an image reference list after your bibliography, ordered according to the appearance of the images in your presentation (as best as possible), using the following citation format:

Last Name, First Name of artist/creator. Title of Image. Image medium. Accession Date. Website URL

Here’s an example:

Anderson, Sophie. Scheherazade. 19th  Century. Painting. Accessed on 13 February 2024.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheherazade

Submission Details

Your final research project is due by 11:59pm on the last day of tutorial, 4 April 2025, and all materials (including all written components, audio/video recordings, powerpoints, etc.) must be submitted online via Quercus, and will be graded on the following criteria:

Content (40/100):

•   Evidence of research and originality of ideas

•   Evidence of critical thought

•   Articulation of a clear research question which binds your project together

•    5W’s are addressed

•    Social, political, historical, and/or cultural contexts are addressed

Originality and Visual/Audio Component (10/100):

•    Evidence of originality and creativity, depending on the chosen format