Music 2 2023 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• choose repertoire that is appropriate to their level of technical ability
• ensure accuracy of intonation by tuning carefully and checking between performances
• practice performing on a regular basis in the exam venue, where possible
• preplan soundchecks to ensure balance and consider the positioning of markers in relation to the student
• ensure repertoire fits within the prescribed time limits, and mandatory and additional topics.

In better performances, students were able to:

• sustain a strong demonstration of the chosen repertoire through use of contrast and musical exploration
• explore and convey musical understanding that reflects the marking criteria, for example, contemporary or jazz repertoire at a highly developed technical and expressive level
• present programs that demonstrate balance and communication with the accompanist and/or ensemble
• ensure they have the required stamina and technical capabilities to confidently deliver the program.

Areas for students to improve include:

• building performance confidence through engagement in a variety of opportunities over time
• carefully selecting accompaniment that best supports the student, especially when working with larger ensembles
• preparing performances that avoid repetitive interpretation, especially when choosing contemporary or popular styles
• choosing repertoire that suits the technical capabilities of the student
• adhering to the earliest original composition dates for HSC Music Examinations when selecting repertoire, as per the NESA Assessment and reporting in Music Stage 6 advice, especially with regards to the mandatory topic.

Sight singing

Students should:

• decide where in their program they want to complete the sight singing
• know whether they want to read from treble or bass clef
• decide which register they want the tonic chord and starting note sounded in (treble or bass)
• use the two-minute preparation time effectively, including vocalisation, for example, singing the triad and scale
• practise past HSC sight singing examples.

In better performances, students were able to:

• use an effective strategy to rehearse the melody during the two-minute preparation time
• choose an appropriate tempo to maintain fluency of metre and rhythm
• confidently sing with accurate pitch and duration. For example, being ready to render the full range of rhythmic subdivisions in both simple and compound times from the syllabus
• maintain a strong sense of tonality and demonstrate the ability to recover from small mistakes.

Areas for students to improve include:

• practising regularly the skill of sight singing, for example, as part of a weekly routine
• using the two-minute preparation time to identify the tonality, tonic and triad, and sing through difficult passages, for example, using scales and triads to work on a difficult intervallic section
• maintaining a sense of tonality and melodic shape, and return to the tonic, even if mistakes are made
• using tempo choice as a way to moderate the approach taken to render the given sample
• singing confidently for examiners to clearly hear the student, that is, being comfortable using adequate breath support to sing through the phrase.

Students should:

• create a cohesive work demonstrating knowledge of the chosen performing media and musical style
• ensure scoring is detailed and accurate with inclusion of performance directions and expressive techniques
• craft the structure of their composition to demonstrate cohesion, unity and contrast
• consider the score layout and arrangement of parts in appropriate score order
• listen widely to music that is representative of the topic to help shape and inform their musical choices
• provide an appropriate audio recording that best supports the intention and detail of the work.

Core

In better responses, students were able to:

• use seamless transitions within a coherent and often organic musical structure
• explore extended performing techniques appropriate to the chosen style
• presented a musically detailed score
• consider structural cohesion including successful harmonic and rhythmic transitions, meaningful pauses, and the relationship between a musical climax and resolution
• include melodic, harmonic and rhythmic development in combination with creative risk taking
• explore melodic and rhythmic material through different techniques, for example, call and response, diminution, variation and augmentation
• manipulate duration in creative ways, for example, cross rhythm, hemiola, and multi-metre
• demonstrate the idiomatic intricacies of the chosen instruments and ensembles with effective voicings and textural variations
• develop musical ideas in a sophisticated framework. This allowed for the expansion of thematic material rather than unnecessary repetition, whilst maintaining a sustained musical interest.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing and sustaining musical ideas and interest in the chosen style
• using textural interplay between parts/voices to create smooth transitions
• editing scores, consolidating rests and checking playability
• understanding instrumental/vocal ranges and abilities
• checking key signatures and enharmonic inconsistencies
• creating a structurally cohesive work
• using copy and paste to create repetition in works. For example, no variation in the repeat of an A section at the end of the work
• adding a key or appropriate score indications when writing for non-traditional or unusual instruments.

Elective

In better responses, students were able to:

• create and use the musical material to show a development of ideas rather than relying heavily on repetition
• include detailed articulations to enhance the communication of the compositional intention. For example, accents on jazz horn parts in solo lines, or nuanced pedalling for piano parts
• represent the style and ideas relevant to the chosen Additional Topic
• highlight their understanding of the capabilities of instruments and voices, for example, breathing points for voice, woodwind and brass, playability of double-stops on strings.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing a clear understanding of structure in the available time, for example, motivic development instead of direct repetitions or abrupt and unrelated changes of sections
• considering the range, register and capabilities of performing media, as appropriate to their chosen style. For example, flute parts that are too low to carry over other instruments, rhythmic material that is too fast for a tuba, or muddy textures when writing in a low register for piano
• showing a clear understanding of how the musical concepts and a range of compositional devices can be used and connected to create cohesion.

Students should:

• demonstrate in-depth analysis, drawing on appropriate primary source material
• analyse sources that enhance the overall discussion, ensuring selected scores and audio excerpts are supportive
• use concise musical language supported by evidence from scores and listening references
• show an engagement and connection to the chosen works
• develop a sustained discussion in a cohesively structured extended response
• use a range of reputable sources, clearly acknowledging and referencing both the bibliography and body of the extended response.

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding of the selected topic by making clear how the concepts of music have been used/related, explicitly evidenced in the sources. For example, ‘the oboe plays a soft, connected conjunct melody, moving in steps (bar 3) before creating contrast with angular octave accented, loud (f) leaps (bar 4)’ supported by an annotated score and/or audio excerpt
• logically organise their musicological research, showing coherence in a sustained response
• select appropriate repertoire for in-depth analysis, with a focus on findings from the musicological analysis
• organise the discussion in a well sequenced manner, by developing the presented ideas throughout the extended response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• focusing on using primary sources such as scores and audio examples to draw discussion from, and avoiding an over-reliance on secondary sources, particularly historical and biographical information
• selecting works that fit the date range of the chosen topic. For example, Music 1900–1945 should include Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande (1902) but not Prélude à l’Aprés-Midi d’un Faune (1894)
• presenting an extended response, adhering to the word count, in an organised manner. For example, consistent labelling of scores, with clefs to indicate accurate notation, a progressive word count, double spacing and consistent font size
• ensuring the extended response remains consistently on topic, avoiding generalisations and repetition of points
• including either time stamps or descriptions for aural examples that place the relevance of the aural in the extended response.

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure important components are not missed
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent and its requirements
• develop a plan for an extended response assisting with the logical sequencing of information
• use relevant concepts and terminology, where appropriate
• present a logical and cohesive response addressing the question
• engage with any aural and visual stimulus material provided and refer to it in the response
• review the response ensuring it addresses the question requirements
• practice and develop skills in melodic dictation
• demonstrate knowledge of works representative of the Mandatory topic, Music of the Last 25 Years (Australian Focus), and their chosen Additional Topic.

Question 1

In better responses, students were able to:

• correctly identify and name both chords and the quality of each chord (a)
• understand and identify chord positions (a)
• use correct texture terminology supported by bar numbers and instrument details to explain contrast (b)
• provide examples from the full excerpt, identifying the opening texture (b)
• explain the required concept then describing contrast throughout in detail (b)
• describe in detail all roles taken by the instruments, including bar numbers and instrument references (c)
• describe melodic, harmonic/accompaniment and rhythmic roles and changes of roles with reference to the score (c)
• demonstrate knowledge of the Year 11 Mandatory Topic ‘Music 1600–1900’ (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• being familiar with clefs (particularly alto clef) and key signatures (a)
• using commonly understood terminology when referring to chord quality, for example, root position, first inversion or figured bass numerals (a)
• ensuring that texture is prioritised over other concepts when answering the question (b)
• considering the full extract provided as part of the overall response (b)
• identifying instruments and clefs that have an impact on the entire excerpt (c).

Question 2

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide valid examples of how tension is created using specific observations from the score. For example, ‘the entire orchestra repeats an F#7 chord between bars 34–37 and this is not resolved until the Bm chord in bar 38’ (a)
• explain how tension is created by supplying a context. For example, ‘the fz in bar 20 creates tension because it provides a sudden contrast to the pp dynamic played beforehand’ (a)
• accurately notate the pitch, recognising intervallic relationships and common intervals that are heard more than once throughout the excerpt (b)
• accurately notate the rhythm, recognising different types of dotted rhythms, and rhythmic motifs heard more than once throughout the excerpt, and where they occur in the bar (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding subjective generalisations or weak links to musical tension, such as ‘an oboe enters in bar 13, therefore tension is created’ (a)
• developing a broad vocabulary that helps to efficiently explain musical tension, such as anticipation, impetus, dissonance, increase or drive. For example, ‘through bars 8–35 the Violin I and Violin II help to propel the forward momentum by playing repeated semiquaver patterns that steadily rise in pitch’ (a)
• recognising descending intervals and maintaining melodic contour despite rhythmic errors (b)
• attempting to complete the dictation in all bars, using a sufficiently dark pencil (b).

Question 3­­

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate comprehensive understanding of relevant concepts by referencing clear examples from the score
• apply cause and effect through conceptual links within responses
• address relevant concepts with numerous score references, ensuring clarity
• draw connections from score examples to the question, leading to a convincing argument
• produced succinct, focused, and supported responses with score references, detailed explanations, and instrumental specifics.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using appropriate musical language and terminology, especially regarding tone colour
• making overly general or unanalytical statements when analysing musical pieces
• starting responses directly without introductory content and remaining focused on addressing the actual question
• comparing different aspects of a single musical concept using conjunctions for clarity and including clear references to bar numbers (b)
• ensuring meaningful answers by providing thorough explanations using musical terminology, maintaining clarity in references to the score and their relevance to correct musical concepts.

Question 4

In better responses, students were able to:

• answer the question explicitly, commenting on ‘to what extent’, and support this premise with musical depth and detail
• identify musical examples from appropriately chosen Australian works, using relevant quotes or musical descriptions, to show how chosen composers develop musical ideas
• write succinctly and cohesively, demonstrating detailed knowledge of both works in reference to pitch and duration, showcasing how these concepts can develop a musical idea
• use appropriate terminology to describe how an idea is developed, for example, transforms, modifies, varies, extends, fragments, increases, contrasts, in relation to themes, cells, motives, patterns, rhythms.

Areas for students to improve include:

• presenting a discussion, with an explicit focus on pitch and duration, to show how a musical idea is developed in the chosen works
• provide relevant quotes and/or observations that demonstrate an understanding of the question
• discussing the development of ideas, using musical terminology, rather than programmatic or subjective features of the chosen works
• referring to both composers, showing a thorough knowledge of each work.