Year 12 – Music

Level: Stage 2
Prerequisites: Stage 1 Music (Advanced or Experience)

Assumed knowledge: Students are assumed to have attained a performance standard that reflects at least 3 years of development on their instrument for ‘Music Performance - Solo’ and ‘Music Performance - Ensemble’, and Grade 4 AMEB theory (or equivalent standard) for ‘Music Studies’. Stage 1 ‘Music Advanced’ provides a pathway to all Stage 2 Music subjects. Stage 1 ‘Music Experience’ provides a pathway to Stage 2 ‘Music Performance (Solo and Ensemble), and Stage 2 ‘Music Explorations’.

Course Summary

Stage 2 Music is constructed of two 20-credit subjects: Music Studies, Music Explorations and two 10-credit subjects: Music Performance - Solo, and Music Performance - Ensemble.
Students can choose to study both of the performance subjects to create the equivalent of one 20-credit subject. Students can choose to study up to 40 credits.

Music is human expression in sound. It is an integral part of life, transcending social and cultural boundaries and reflecting the health, vitality, and spiritual well-being of society.

Music Studies

Stage 2 ‘Music Studies’ is a 20-credit subject. Students develop an understanding of selected musical works and styles, including how composers manipulate elements of music, and apply this understanding to creating their own music as performances or compositions. They develop and apply their musical literacy skills and express their musical ideas through responding to their own works, interpreting musical works, and/or manipulating musical elements. Students synthesise the findings of their study, and express their musical ideas through their creative works, responses, and reflections.

Course content:

Assessment Type 1: Creative Works

  • Students present their own creative works, which may be a performance or set of performances (10 to 12 minutes, ensemble performing involves part-testing), a composition or set compositions (notated or digital audio recording, 5 to 6 minutes), or an arrangement or set of arrangements (5 to 6 minutes)
  • A creator’s statement (maximum 5 minutes oral or 750 words written)

Assessment Type 2: Musical Literacy

  • Students present three music literacy tasks, where one needs to be a composition or arrangement of 2 minutes duration. All three tasks should be the equivalent of 15 minutes oral or 2400 words written.

Assessment Type 3: Examination

  • Students complete one 2-hour examination in which they apply their knowledge and understanding of musical elements and their musicianship skills in creative and innovative ways, to:
    • deconstruct, analyse, and interpret musical works
    • manipulate musical elements
    • synthesise and express musical literacy and musical ideas.
  • To enable students to focus on the application of their learning, a sheet with standard chord progressions and key signatures will be provided.

Assessments:

  • School assessment (70%)
    • Assessment Type 1: Creative Works (40%)
    • Assessment Type 2: Musical Literacy (30%)
  • External assessment (30%)
    • Assessment Type 3: Examination (30%)

Students provide evidence of their learning through five assessments, including the external assessment component. Students complete:

  • one portfolio of creative works
  • three musical literacy tasks
  • one examination

Music Explorations

Stage 2 Music Explorations is a 20-credit subject. Students explore and experiment with musical styles, influences, techniques, and/or music production, as they develop their understanding of music. They develop and apply their musical understanding as they explore how others create, present, and/or produce music, and experiment with their own creations. Contexts for study may include aspects of the music industry, such as recording studios, performance rehearsal spaces, or instrument crafting workshops. Students respond to and discuss their own and others’ works, and synthesise their findings to make connections between the music they study and their own creative works.

Course content:

Assessment Type 1: Musical Literacy

  • Students undertake three music literacy tasks, with one being a compositional task for students to display their ability in composing a lead sheet: an original melody or a song with lyrics (32 to 48 bars).
  • A composer’s statement to explain their intent and provide evidence of the skills and techniques they used.
  • Combined, the three musical literacy tasks should be a maximum of 12 minutes oral or 2000 words.

Assessment Type 2: Explorations

Students provide evidence of their learning in a portfolio that comprises:

  • a presentation of a set of short performances (8 to 10 minutes), compositions (4 to 6 minutes), and/or other musical products (for example, digital uploads; DJ set recording; the features of an original, handcrafted musical instrument - demonstrate playability and a range of expression in 3 to 4 minutes)
  • a commentary on the processes of exploration and experimentation that they have used, and their key findings (maximum 6 minutes oral or 1000 words).

Assessment Type 3: Creative Connections

Students undertake one creative connections task, in which they synthesise their learning in this subject from their explorations, experimentation, and development of their musical literacy skills, to present a final creative work - performance (6 to 8 minutes), composition, or arrangement (3 to 4 minutes) and a discussion of that work in oral and/or multimodal form, to a maximum of 7 minutes or equivalent.

Assessments:

  • School assessment (70%)
    • Assessment Type 1: Musical Literacy (30%)
    • Assessment Type 2: Explorations (40%)
  • External assessment (30%)
    • Assessment Type 3: Creative Connections (30%)

Students provide evidence of their learning through five assessments, including the external assessment component. Students complete:

  • three musical literacy tasks
  • one portfolio of explorations
  • one creative connections task

Music Performance - Solo

Stage 2 ‘Music Performance - Solo’ is a 10-credit subject. Students develop and extend their musical skills and techniques in creating their own solo performances. They interpret their chosen musical works, and apply to their performances an understanding of the style, structure, and conventions appropriate to their repertoire.

Students extend their musical literacy through discussing key musical elements of their chosen repertoire, and interpreting creative works. Students express their musical ideas through performing, critiquing, and evaluating their performances.

Course content:

Semester 1:

  • Term 1 Performance - formative assessment (6 to 8 minutes)
  • Term 2 Performance - AT1 (maximum 6 to 8 minutes)

Semester 2:

  • Term 3 Performance and discussion - AT2 (maximum 6 to 8 minutes, maximum 4 minutes oral or 800 words written)
  • Term 4 Performance Portfolio - AT3 (maximum 6 to 8 minutes, maximum 3 minutes oral or 500 words written)

Repertoire for the year must be a minimum of 18 minutes. Students will have mock performances and draft work to prepare for assessments.

Assessments:

  • School assessment (70%)
    • Assessment Type 1: Performance (30%)
    • Assessment Type 2: Performance and Discussion (40%)
  • External assessment (30%)
    • Assessment Type 3: Performance Portfolio (30%)
  • Students provide evidence of their learning through four assessments, including the external assessment component. Students complete:
    • one performance or set of performances
    • one performance or set of performances and a discussion
    • one performance portfolio.

Music Performance - Ensemble

Course Summary:

Stage 2 ‘Music Performance - Ensemble’ is a 10-credit subject. Students develop and extend their musical skills and techniques in creating performances as part of an ensemble. They interpret musical works, and apply to their performances an understanding of the style, structure, and conventions appropriate to the repertoire.

Students extend their musical literacy through discussing key musical elements of the repertoire, and interpreting creative works. Students express their musical ideas through performing, critiquing, and evaluating their own performances.

Course content:

Semester 1:

  • Term 1 Performance - formative assessment (6 to 8 minutes, individual part-testing approximately 2 minutes)
  • Term 2 Performance - AT1 (maximum 6 to 8 minutes, individual part-testing approximately 2 minutes)

Semester 2:

  • Term 3 Performance and discussion - AT2 (maximum 6 to 8 minutes, individual part-testing approximately 2 minutes, maximum 4 minutes oral or 800 words written)
  • Term 4 Performance Portfolio - AT3 (maximum 6 to 8 minutes, individual part-testing approximately 2 minutes, maximum 3 minutes oral or 500 words written)

Repertoire for the year must be a minimum of 18 minutes. Students will have mock performances and draft work to prepare for assessments.

Assessments:

  • School assessment (70%)
    • Assessment Type 1: Performance (30%)
    • Assessment Type 2: Performance and Discussion (40%)
  • External assessment (30%)
    • Assessment Type 3: Performance Portfolio (30%)
  • Students provide evidence of their learning through four assessments, including the external assessment component. Students complete:
    • one performance or set of performances
    • one performance or set of performances and a discussion
    • one performance portfolio.