Music Fundamentals enables students to develop or improve their musicianship and their understanding of the technical details of music. The course develops students' musical literacy (score reading), aural perception, singing and sight-singing. It introduces students to harmonic analysis as a tool for understanding a variety of styles and compositional techniques.

Application of these theoretical skills is practiced in a variety of performance groups, ranging from the University's choir and orchestra to jazz ensembles.

Through concert and workshop attendance and documentation, students develop the skills of music criticism, and an understanding of the aesthetics of music in performance.

Students are introduced to or develop their understanding of the core repertoire of the Western classical traditions, and of historical trends in Western music through study of a selection of recorded works.

Students are introduced to specific tools for and methods of research and academic and professional writing in music.

This course serves as an excellent introduction to understanding and experiencing music as a total discipline. Students have the option to continue their major in music studies at UNSW on successful completion of this course (results must be credit average or above).