Outline

Overview

Students enrolled in this unit will complete a music performance, research or seminar project. Projects to be undertaken within this unit will be recommended and approved by the relevant unit coordinator.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Performance
Credit points	3
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Daniel Rojas, daniel.rojas@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
In-person practical, skills, or performance task or test	Assessment 3 – Participation and Peer Contribution This mark recognises your ongoing presence, energy, and artistic generosity in class. It reflects not only your technical preparation but also your mindset, interpersonal integration, and creative courage throughout the semester.	15%	Ongoing	Throughout semester	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Portfolio or journal	Assessment 2 – Self-Reflection Journal Maintain a handwritten journal of your experiences, reflections, and discoveries throughout the semester. Record key takeaways, observations, reflections of performances.	20%	STUVAC	ca. 150 words per week	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Out-of-class quiz	Early Feedback Task - Online Quiz 15 multiple choice questions based on a reading, & 1 extended response self-reflection.	5%	Week -03	15 multiple choice, 1 extended response	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-person practical, skills, or performance task or test	Assessment 1A – Improvised Performance 1 Perform a short solo improvisation that draws on ideas covered in Weeks 1–4, including musical risk-taking, limitation-based improvisation, motivic development, and melodic elaboration.	20%	Week 04	3-5 min.	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
In-person practical, skills, or performance task or test	Assessment 1B - Improvised Performance 2 Prepare a short solo or duo/ensemble improvisation that draws from the approaches introduced in Weeks 5–8, including rhythmic play, working with lead sheets, harmonising and reharmonising known melodies, and interpreting graphic or text-based scores.	20%	Week 08	3-5 min.	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
In-person practical, skills, or performance task or test	Assessment 1C - Improvised Performance 3 Solo (optional collaborative) improvisation drawing from any material this semester. Emphasis on: narrative flow, spontaneous form, and ensemble awareness, and artistic voice through thoughtful integration of techniques and ideally, original approaches.	20%	Week 13	3-5 min.	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = early feedback task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Please see Canvas site for further information.

Assessment criteria

Please see Canvas for the applicable rubric for each assessment.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	What Is Improvisation? Setting the Stage. We explore the role of improvisation across time and traditions—from Baroque ornamentation and cadenzas to 20th- and 21st-century concert practices and real-world collaborative settings. Through listening, reflection, and discussion, we begin identifying what improvisation can mean for classical pianists today. Foundational improvisation prompts and exercises.	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Playing with Limitations. The creative power of limitation. Students will engage in improvisational games with narrow parameters—improvising with only 2 or 3 notes, using a single dynamic range, or crafting musical phrases from only rhythmic cells. We explore scalar and modal limitations and how they can spark creative ideas.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 03	Melody, Motive, and Narrative.Melody lies at the heart of musical communication. How motivic cells evolve into longer phrases and how narrative arcs can be sculpted in real time. Students explore improvising motives through call-and-response, sequencing, variation, and phrasing. The embodied dimension of melody is also explored—how to “sing” through the piano, shaping lines that feel expressive and intentional.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 04	Harmonic Flow and Cadences. Building harmonic fluency as a scaffold for improvisation. Students explore basic chord progressions (I–IV–V), cadential motion, and stylistic inflections. Through guided harmonic improv, we examine how harmony can drive both phrasing and form. Students practice crafting improvised cadences and modulations. The week culminates in Performance 1A, where students present a short improvisation drawing from skills developed so far.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 05	Rhythm, Repetition, and Groove Rhythm is the engine of music. Through games focused on pulse, syncopation, polyrhythm, and rhythmic cycles, students learn to internalise groove and integrate it creatively. We explore how repetition can form structure and how grooves can be layered or subverted to create dynamic improvisations. Students also begin to coordinate body percussion with the keyboard, deepening rhythmic embodiment and physicality in their playing.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 06	Lead Sheets and Collaboration. An essential tool for pianists working in real-world collaborative settings such as jazz, pop, theatre, and ballet. Students practise reading chords, interpreting stylistic cues, creating accompaniments, and developing solos. Attention is given to voicing, texture, and harmonic substitutions. This week also initiates structured duet and group work. Solo and collaborative lead sheet activities are included, helping students adapt to both roles in flexible settings.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 07	Real-World Collaborative Scenarios Expanding on Week 6k, we dive into specific real-world scenarios where improvisation is essential. Students explore how to accompany ballet classes, pop singers, or musical theatre rehearsals, and how to respond creatively to subpar or ambiguous sheet music, and troubleshooting. We also work on real-time stylistic fluency and “reading between the lines.” This week is practical and collaborative, helping students build adaptive musical instincts.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 08	Free Improvisation and Listening-Based Playing. Listening becomes the primary tool. Students practise exercises in silence, gesture, and extended techniques, often drawing from graphic or poetic prompts. We explore ideas such as space, contrast, blend, and deep listening in both solo and group contexts. The week culminates in Performance 1B, where students present a free or collaborative improvisation shaped by listening, reaction, and shared musical intentions.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 09	Improvising with Visual & Text Prompts, Graphic Scores. We look at how graphic notation and metaphorical prompts can spark interpretive imagination. Students will respond to artworks, poetry, and exisiting and original graphic scores, as well as create their own. This week strengthens interpretive flexibility and sensitivity to non-traditional instructions—key for contemporary performance settings.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 11	Improvising Your Artistic Voice This penultimate week turns inward, focusing on self-expression and identity. Students explore what defines their artistic voice and how it emerges in improvisation. We consider questions of habit, influence, vulnerability, and originality. Exercises help each student shape their own “language” through curated constraint or free play. This week fosters longer-form solo improvisation and deeper personal curation, which can be applied to preludes and cadenzas.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 12	Integration and Reflection Students review concepts, select areas of focus, and finalise their approach for the upcoming assessment through playing, feedback and discussion.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 13	Final Improvised Performance. Assessed Performance 3. This week is reserved exclusively for Performance 1C and a final class debrief. Students are encouraged to reflect on their journey in both their journal and in informal conversation. The final journal entries reflect on personal growth, turning points, and future directions for improvisation in their artistic life.	Workshop (2 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 3 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 60-75 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Demonstrate fluency and creativity in piano improvisation across a range of functions, including expressive performance, stylistic realisation, and collaborative support,
LO2. Improvise within diverse musical contexts, drawing on common practice period vocabulary, 20th/21st-century idioms, and professional applications such as lead sheet realisation and cadenzas,
LO3. Apply core compositional techniques — including motif development, harmonic structure, figuration, and form — spontaneously and idiomatically at the keyboard,
LO4. Interpret and respond to non-traditional notation, including graphic scores, text-based instructions, and cue-based structures, with sensitivity and imagination,
LO5. Engage in responsive, communicative ensemble improvisation, demonstrating musical awareness, flexibility, and deep listening,
LO6. Reflect critically and artistically on their improvisational practice, demonstrating awareness of expressive intention, personal voice, and technical development. This reflection will be communicated through both structured written journals and in-class discussions, with an emphasis on self-awareness, creative process, and evolving musical identity,
LO7. To create cogent and engaging musical improvisations.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Although this was successful in the first iteration of this course, Learning Outcomes and Learning Activities have been thoroughly revised; major revisions also to Assessments.

Additional information

Annotated suggested reading list:

Akhmatovich, S. (2021). Free Play: Piano Improvisation for Classical Musicians. FreePlay Press. A foundational text that provides structured yet open-ended approaches to improvising from a classical background.
Berkowitz, A. (2010). The improvising mind: Cognition and creativity in the musical moment. Oxford University Press. A cognitive science perspective on improvisation with strong implications for pianists exploring spontaneity and flow.
Clarke, E. F., & Doffman, M. (Eds.). (2017). Distributed creativity: Collaboration and improvisation in contemporary music. Oxford University Press. Discusses improvisation as a shared and situated practice, with relevance to ensemble and collaborative piano contexts.
Gabrielsson, A. (2011). Strong experiences with music: Music is much more than just music. Oxford University Press. Although this book isn't limited to improvisation, it contains information that could be helpful for journal reflection and expressive integrity.
Nettl, B., & Russell, M. (1998). In the course of performance: Studies in the world of musical improvisation. University of Chicago Press. An ethnographic look at improvisational practices in different cultures and traditions, helping students contextualise their work.
Pressing, J. (1988). Improvisation: Methods and models. In J. A. Sloboda (Ed.), Generative processes in music: The psychology of performance, improvisation, and composition (pp. 129–178). Clarendon Press. Not a recent publication but still foundational theoretical chapter outlining frameworks still used to understand improvisation today.
Sarath, E. (2013). Improvisation, creativity, and consciousness: Jazz as integral template for music, education, and society. SUNY Press. Although jazz-based, this book offers profound philosophical and pedagogical insights into improvisation as a transformative practice.
Weisberg, R. W. (1993). Creativity: Beyond the myth of genius. W. H. Freeman. Useful for breaking down myths around improvisation and developing a grounded, consistent creative practice.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

PERF2611: Music Project 2A

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links