Task: Performance Core and Elective (20 marks)
Assessment criteria
Candidates will be assessed on their musical effectiveness through:
- demonstration of technical skills
- stylistic interpretation of the chosen repertoire
- sense of musical expression and sensitivity to the chosen repertoire
- demonstration of solo and/or ensemble techniques.
Outcomes assessed: H1, H2, H7
Marking guidelines
| Criteria | Marks |
|---|
- Demonstrates highly-developed technical skills incorporating technical fluency, technical facility, intonation and articulation appropriate to the chosen repertoire
- Demonstrates perceptive stylistic understanding through performing repertoire using articulation, dynamics and expressive techniques
- Performs with a well-developed sense of personal expression, demonstrated by the use of appropriate expressive techniques and a sensitivity to the chosen style
- Demonstrates a highly-developed understanding of solo/ensemble techniques including understanding of the role of soloist/ensemble member, communication with accompanist/ensemble and issues of balance
| 17–20 |
- Demonstrates developed technical skills incorporating technical fluency, technical facility, intonation and articulation appropriate to the chosen repertoire
- Demonstrates stylistic understanding through performance of the chosen repertoire using articulation, dynamics and expressive techniques
- Performs with a sense of personal expression, demonstrated by the use of expressive techniques and sensitivity to the chosen style
- Demonstrates a developed understanding of solo/ensemble techniques including understanding of the role of soloist/ensemble member, communication with accompanist/ensemble and issues of balance
| 13–16 |
- Demonstrates competent technical skills. Some problems in maintaining technical fluency and technical facility are evident as are inconsistencies in intonation
- Demonstrates a sense of stylistic understanding through performance of the chosen repertoire. The articulation and/or dynamics and/or expressive techniques may not be consistently appropriate to the chosen style
- Performs the chosen repertoire with a sense of musical expression, with an attempt to incorporate expressive techniques appropriate to the chosen style
- Demonstrates a competent, although not consistent understanding of solo/ensemble techniques including understanding of the role of soloist/ensemble member, communication with accompanist/ensemble and issues of balance
| 9–12 |
- Demonstrates some basic technical skill, although there are frequent inconsistencies in technical fluency, technical facility, and intonation
- Demonstrates a basic stylistic understanding. Articulation and/or dynamics and/or expressive techniques are not consistently appropriate to the chosen style
- Performs the chosen repertoire with little sense of musical expression
- Demonstrates a limited awareness of the performer’s role as a soloist/ensemble member, which may be evident through lack of communication and balance in the ensemble or with the accompanist
| 5–8 |
- Demonstrates very limited technical skills
- Demonstrates little evidence of stylistic understanding of the chosen style
- Performs the chosen repertoire with little or no sense of musical expression
- Demonstrates little or no awareness of the performer’s role as a soloist/ensemble member
| 1–4 |
Task: Musicology Elective Viva Voce (20 marks)
Assessment criteria
Candidates will be assessed on how well it demonstrates:
- A musicological focus
- An understanding of the chosen topic
- An understanding of musical concepts and the relationship between them
- Relevant musical examples that support the discussion
Outcomes assessed: H2, H4, H5, H6, H7
Marking guidelines
| Criteria | Marks |
|---|
- Discussion has a clear and consistent musicological focus
- Demonstrates a perceptive understanding of the chosen topic
- Demonstrates high level aural awareness and understanding of musical concepts and their relationship to the chosen topic
- Supports the discussion with relevant musical examples
| 17–20 |
- Discussion has a musicological focus
- Demonstrates a detailed understanding of the chosen topic
- Demonstrates thorough aural awareness and understanding of musical concepts and their relationship to the chosen topic
- Supports the discussion with relevant musical examples
| 13–16 |
- Discussion has a musicological focus but may be inconsistent
- Demonstrates a generally sound understanding of the chosen topic although there may be some inaccuracies
- Demonstrates some aural awareness and ability to discuss the use of musical concepts in the chosen topic
- Presents relevant musical examples
| 9–12 |
- Makes an attempt to provide a musicological focus in the discussion
- Demonstrates basic understanding of the chosen topic
- Demonstrates basic aural awareness and skill in discussing the musical concepts
- Presents some musical examples
| 5–8 |
- Discussion lacks a musicological focus
- Demonstrates limited understanding of the chosen topic
- Demonstrates limited aural awareness and skill in discussing the musical concepts in the repertoire studied
- Uses irrelevant or inappropriate musical examples
| 1–4 |
Task: Composition Elective (20 marks)
Assessment criteria
Candidates will be assessed on how well they demonstrate:
- stylistic understanding and topic representation
- understanding of musical concepts and the relationships between them
- knowledge of score conventions and performance directions.
Outcomes assessed: H2, H3, H5, H7
Marking guidelines
| Criteria | Marks |
|---|
- Composes a work that successfully and coherently represents the chosen topic, demonstrating perceptive and accomplished understanding of style, the concepts of music, and the relationships between the concepts
- Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge and understanding of score conventions and performance directions appropriate to the chosen topic
- Demonstrates high level skills in organising ideas into musical structures
| 17–20 |
- Composes a work that successfully and coherently represents the chosen topic, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the style, the concepts of music, and the relationships between the concepts
- Demonstrates a detailed knowledge and understanding of score conventions and performance directions appropriate to the chosen topic
- Demonstrates proficient skills in organising ideas into musical structures
| 13–16 |
- Composes a work that represents the chosen topic, demonstrating an understanding of the style, the concepts of music, and the relationships between the concepts
- Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of score conventions and provides clear performance directions appropriate to the chosen topic
- Demonstrates skills in organising ideas into musical structures
| 9–12 |
- Composes a work that is a basic representation of the chosen topic, demonstrating some understanding of the style, the concepts of music, and the relationships between the concepts
- Demonstrates basic knowledge and understanding of score conventions and provides limited performance directions appropriate to the chosen topic
- Demonstrates basic skills in organising ideas into musical structures
| 5–8 |
- Composes a work that is a limited representation of the chosen topic, demonstrating little understanding of the style, the concepts of music, and the relationships between the concepts
- Demonstrates limited knowledge and understanding of score conventions and provides few performance directions appropriate to the chosen topic
- Demonstrates limited skills in organising ideas into coherent musical structures
| 1–4 |
