Music 2 2020 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• tune carefully and consider the use of space within performance venue
• ensure accuracy of intonation by checking tuning between performances
• practice performing on a regular basis under exam conditions
• ensure balance and positioning is checked prior to the exam.

In better performances, students were able to:

• understand stylistic features of chosen repertoire and perform with appropriate expressive techniques
• display a sense of personal engagement to enhance the musical integrity of the performance
• be confident in their role, whether as a soloist or within an ensemble
• demonstrate an understanding of the overall architecture of the work performed.

Areas for students to improve include:

• selecting repertoire that best demonstrates technical skills
• attention to detail including rhythmic definition and articulation
• demonstrating expressive scope and variation in chosen repertoire
• utilising rehearsal time effectively to demonstrate understanding of the accompaniment.

Sight singing

Students should:

• utilise the two-minute preparation time effectively
• consider the placement of the tonic chord in the treble or bass clef
• vocalise the melody during the two-minute practice time.

In better performances, students were able to:

• demonstrate a strategy for rehearsing the melody
• vocalise out loud during the two-minute preparation time
• perform with a strong sense of tonality (major or minor)
• perform with an understanding of intervallic relationships.

Areas for students to improve include:

• practice sight singing on a regular basis
• develop strategies to recover from any missed intervals or rhythms
• use the preparation time to practice singing aloud
• establish a beat or pulse whilst singing to ensure rhythmic accuracy.

Core

In better responses, students were able to:

• sustain musical interest throughout the composition
• apply appropriate and effective score detail
• integrate sophisticated melodic and harmonic ideas
• create a well-crafted, logical and cohesive composition with seamless transitions
• successfully explore the capabilities of the performing media.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing musical ideas as opposed to using repetition
• adding more complexity to harmonic structures, and understanding the harmonic implications
• minimising excessive musical material within the given time limit
• creating musical direction and a sense of forward momentum
• exploring the full capability of performing media within a given genre.

Elective

In better responses, students were able to:

• organise ideas into cohesive structures which allows for melodic development
• demonstrate an understanding of the chosen topic by using it as a vehicle for their own creative exploration
• write economically to avoid over-extending ideas
• write idiomatically for the chosen performing media based on an in-depth understanding of instrumentation
• include textural interest and successful instrumental interplay.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding cluttered and relentless textures
• indicating dynamics, articulation, tempo and expressive techniques in more detail
• selecting material carefully to avoid excessive use of repetition
• being economical with material, and not always utilising the entire time limit
• engaging in extensive listening to fully develop an understanding of the performing media in relation to a specific style or genre.

In better responses, students were able to:

• select topics that enable in-depth analysis
• include clearly annotated scores and relevant audio extracts which clearly support the discussion throughout the response
• demonstrate significant analytical detail and clearly articulate the relationship between the concepts of music
• use succinct and accurate music terminology
• use primary sources as the basis of the discussion.

Areas for students to improve include:

• sustaining an in-depth analysis and clear line of argument in the response
• avoiding lengthy passages of historical, biographical or programmatic information
• adhering to submission requirements by completing all details on the cover page, not exceeding the word count and double spacing the document
• being overtly reliant on secondary sources
• organising a logical and sequential discussion which supports the topic.

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• develop a plan for an extended response to assist with the logical sequencing of information
• use relevant concepts and terms, where appropriate, to support their response
• present a logical and cohesive response that addresses the question
• engage with any stimulus material provided and refer to it in the response
• review their response to ensure that it addresses the question requirements.

Question 1

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify different approaches to duration and outline their use in the excerpt (a)
• accurately identify different rhythmic devices in the excerpt (a)
• identify and discuss the different techniques employed by the performing media, with reference to the score (b)
• describe a number of different approaches to tone colour using appropriate language and terminology (b)
• refer to the score throughout the response to provide evidence-based observations (c)
• explain how different concepts of music contributed to the development of unity and contrast (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• exploring less obvious features of duration (a)
• understanding rhythmic devices such as hemiola and cross rhythms (a)
• focusing on techniques employed and the description of tone colour rather than using words which describe mood (b)
• identifying how tone colour is used throughout the excerpt (b)
• focusing on aspects of unity and contrast rather than listing features of the music (c).

Question 2

In better responses, students were able to:

• accurately notate the rhythm and pitch with awareness of intervallic relationships and contour (a)
• identify pitch events using accurate terminology and referencing correct bar numbers (b)
• explain or analyse aspects of pitch including melodic and harmonic devices, intervals, tonality and chord recognition (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• notating correct rhythms (a)
• developing an awareness of intervallic relationships and use of chromaticism (a)
• writing legible music notation (a)
• using in-depth analytical skills including the identification of melodic and harmonic devices (b).

Question 3

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate how musical material was used, referencing relevant score examples (a)
• provide specific and accurate bar numbers to support musical observations (a)
• explain how tension was achieved by referencing specific textural features in the score (b)
• provide a clear understanding of tension within a textural context (b)
• use sophisticated musical terminology to support the answer (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• selecting relevant musical features which demonstrate a deeper analysis and understanding of the musical material (a)
• addressing the question, with specific and relevant musical examples to support the answer (a)
• avoiding describing the excerpt as it unfolds (b).

Question 4

In better responses, students were able to:

• make deep connections between the question and the concepts of music in relation to their chosen work and the given extract
• clearly articulate thoughts in a cohesive, logical and well-organised response
• analyse how multiple musical concepts work together in every musical example to create interest
• incorporate specific and concise musical observations using sophisticated musical terminology.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing a greater understanding of the concepts which allow for more in-depth analysis
• addressing the question by including only relevant quotes and musical observations
• presenting a succinct and concise discussion which uses accurate musical terminology.