Skip to main content
Unit of study_

VSAO2313: French Essentials for Singers

Semester 1, 2021 [Normal day] - Sydney

This unit of study provides the specialist language needs of the vocal performer, with the objective of students achieving basic French language and lyric diction skills. The students will be introduced to French grammar including music and voice-specific vocabulary and the phonetics of Modern French through familiarization with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). There will be an emphasis on the student's ability to introduce themselves and their music programs to an audience, talk to fellow students about singing, the practice of IPA transcriptions, and the performance of French Songs commensurate with the vocal skill level of each student.

Unit details and rules

Unit code VSAO2313
Academic unit
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Anke Ryan, anke.ryan@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Simon Lobelson, simon.lobelson@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Tutorial quiz Online Quiz 1
15 multiple choice questions on French lyric diction
5% Week 02 20 min
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO5
Online task Analysis 1
Translate and learn to speak Poulenc Derniere poeme as a poem, paying
10% Week 04 one song
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Small test Analysis 2
Analysis of Rameau Tristes apprets from Castor et Pollux
20% Week 07 One poem
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment French dialogue group exercise
Group writing of dialogue in French, with delivery in class
25% Week 11 2 min
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6
Small test Oral and written assessment
The assessment consists of a written and a performance component.
40% Week 12 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment group assignment Demant Dreikurs scholarship song competition
Media/marketing assignment
0% Week 13 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO6
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Online Quiz 1: 15 multiple choice questions on French lyric diction
  • French Dialogue Group Exercise: Group writing of dialogue in French, with delivery in class
  • Analysis 1: Translate and learn to speak Poulenc Derniere Poeme as a poem, paying attention to sentence structure, emotion and pronunciation.
  • Analysis 2: Translate and learn to speak Rameau’s “Tristes Apprets” from Castor as a poem paying attention to sentence structure, emotion and pronunciation. A discussion follows a listening of the aria in regard of the singer’s interpretation as a vehicle to using the language as an expressive tool.
  • Oral and written assessment: The assessment consists of a written and a performance component. The knowledge of the IPA will be tested through text-based and aural transcriptions in the written component. The performance of a prepared and memorized song forms the performance component of the assessment.
  • Demant Dreikurs scholarship song competition. Detailed information about the publicity and marketing tasks for the Demant Dreikurs Scholarship Song Competition will be published on Canvas.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The following assessment criteria are used for performance work in this unit of study:

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Comprehensive and outstanding technical control and musical integrity in relation to developmental expectations. Musical individuality consistently projected to create a persuasive personal representation of the work. Performance flair indicative of soloist standard. A mark of 95 or above indicates extraordinary technical virtuosity and musical artistry.

Distinction

75 - 84

Excellent technical, musical and stylistic achievement. Consistently coherent and expressive performance. Some personal interpretation of the work suggesting soloist potential. 

Credit

65 - 74

Confident technique with evidence of solid musicality and some stylistic achievement. Occasional lapses indicative of unresolved technical, artistic and/or stylistic issues. Projects potential for further development.

Pass

50 - 64

Satisfactory level of preparation and musical engagement. Some inconsistencies in musicianship, style and/or technique. Musical imagination and overall performance sense developing though some insecurity in this area.

Fail

0 - 49

Unsatisfactory technical achievement and/or unsatisfactory level of musical and artistic engagement. Limitations may be of such a scale and consistency as to call into question the student’s future direction in the programme.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

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 Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

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.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 1. Introduction, accents as an imperative feature of communication, French vowels and consonants; 2. Singing in French, effectively interpreting text through song, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 02 1. The French IPA: the function of different diacriticals in French, flashcards memorization; 3. Phrasing in French vocal repertoire, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 03 1. Letters and numbers in French, the alphabet, cardinal/ordinal numbers, calendar, time; 2. Transcription rules for French IPA, group exercise, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 04 1. Conjugating regular verbs, être and avoir, negation; 2. Characteristics of the French language, IPA Poulenc Derniere Poeme, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 05 1. Formation & recognition of past/future tenses, stress and word rhythm; 2. Group exercise on French legato and singing into vowels, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 06 1. Masculine and feminine nouns; 2. Syllabification and syllabic division rules pertaining to IPA transcription, IPA exercise, practise; 3. Introduction to the group tasks for the Demant Dreikurs Scholarship Song Competition Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 07 1. Articles, pronouns, reflexive verbs, the use of "y" and "en"; 2. Vowels and their classification, final mute "e", mixed vowels, glides, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 08 1. Nouns and pronouns, games of description; 2. Mixed vowels, group drilling of vowel sounds and combinations, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 09 1. Adjectives and adverbs; 2. nasal vowels, self-coaching group exercises, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 10 1. Prepositions, conjunctions, translating a French song into English; 2. Consonants, the 3 kinds of French “r”, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 11 1. Greetings and introductions in daily life and as a singer, introducing your repertoire, dialogue practice; 2. French liaison and elision in lyric diction, student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 12 1. Understanding French in action through media 2. Student practise Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

As per the Sydney Conservatorium of Music resolutions, http://sydney.edu.au/handbooks/conservatorium/rules/faculty_resolutions.shtml (Item 11):   

  • Attendance: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned. The Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned may determine that a student fails a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items where attendance is lower than 90%.
  • Lecture recording: Lectures for this unit of study will be recorded and made available to students via Canvas.

 

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 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Additional texts and materials will be handed out in class or are available on Canvas.

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.

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

  • LO1. use basic French to talk about singing and to introduce their songs
  • LO2. recognise simple grammatical structures in their songs
  • LO3. learn to read and write the IPA
  • LO4. understand the production of French vowels, nasal vowels, consonants and glides
  • LO5. understand the content of their chosen repertoire and prepare the diction of it for further study with their voice teachers, in vocal performance class, performance practice and voice exams
  • LO6. practical application of acquired knowledge from other disciplines and the development of entrepreneurial skills by engaging in teamwork to organise, market and run a professional event.

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

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

No changes have been made since the unit was last offered.

You are responsible for sending your music at least two weeks in advance to the assigned accompanist.

Additional costs

There will be a $10 charge per student for accompaniment services during the final practical exam.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

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