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Music Performance
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    • Why Study Music?

    Music is an integral part of all cultures from the earliest of times, expressing and reflecting human experience. Music exists in a myriad of forms, each able to elicit an array of intellectual and emotional responses from its audience. A study of music enables students to strengthen their own relationship with music and to be personally enriched as they develop greater control of their own musical expression.

    Music learning requires students’ active engagement in the practices of listening, performing and composing. As they learn in music, students apply critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and critique the work of contemporary and historical practitioners and develop their understanding of the diverse ways in which music ideas can be shaped to communicate artistic and expressive intent. Students also develop insights into the music traditions of contemporary and historical global cultures and form understandings of ways in which music can interact with other arts forms and fields of endeavour.

    When students perform the works of other musicians, they develop skills in communicating and in working cooperatively and communally to achieve creative outcomes. Through analysing and responding to the work of other musicians, students develop knowledge of music, skills in critical thinking and greater confidence in written and oral expression. Students use communications and music technologies to achieve considered musical outcomes.

    VCE Music equips students with personal and musical skills that enable them to follow pathways into tertiary music study or further training in a broad spectrum of music related careers. VCE Music also offers students opportunities for personal development and encourages them to make an ongoing contribution to the culture of their community through participation in life-long music making.

    Structure

    At Emmaus College the study is offered over four units:

    • Music Performance Units 1, 2, 3 and 4

    Each unit deals with specific content and is designed to enable students to achieve a set of outcomes. Each outcome is described in terms of key knowledge and skills.

    Outcomes

    Outcomes define what students will know and be able to do as a result of undertaking the study.

    Unit 1: Music Performance

    In Unit 1, students learn to develop skills in music performance and prepare and perform a musically engaging program of group and solo works. Students learn music theory including the construction of intervals, chords and scales and the principals of diatonic harmony. Students will also learn to analyse the expressive elements of music in the context of pre-recorded works and will study a program of Technical Works and exercises demonstrating a variety of instrumental techniques.

    Outcome 1

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to prepare and perform a program of group and solo works.

    Outcome 2

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to demonstrate and discuss techniques relevant to performance of selected works

    Outcome 3

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to re-create, extend and notate music language components and short phrases, and describe ways elements of music may be interpreted.

    Unit 2: Music Performance

    In Unit 2, students will continue to build on the performance skills developed in Unit 1 and prepare and perform a musically engaging program of group and solo works. Students will continue their studies of intervals, scales, chords and diatonic harmony and will learn to transcribe short rhythms and melodies. Analysis of pre-recorded works by Australian composers and performers is also undertaken by students as well as a program of Technical Works exercises. Students will also study the harmonic principals of styles being studied in their performance programs to create their own compositions and improvisations.

    Outcome 1

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to prepare and perform a program of group and solo works.

    Outcome 2

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to demonstrate and discuss techniques relevant to performance of selected works.

    Outcome 3

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to re-create, extend and notate music language components and short phrases, and describe ways elements of music may be interpreted.

    Outcome 4

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to devise a composition or an improvisation that uses music language evident in work/s being prepared for performance.

    Unit 3:  Music Performance

    In Unit 3, students apply developed performance skills within their chosen Group or Solo stream to prepare and perform a musically engaging program of group and solo works from the appropriate VCAA Prescribed Lists. Students will expand upon the theoretical principals of music theory and diatonic harmony acquired in Units 1&2 to construct, visually identify and aurally recognise various intervals, scales, chords and chord progressions and transcribed rhythms and melodies in a variety of time and key signatures. Students will also expand upon analytical principals presented in Unit 1 & 2 to describe how the expressive elements of music have been interpreted by performers in pre-recorded works. Students will also study a program of Technical Works exercises demonstrating a variety of instrumental techniques.

    Outcome 1

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to prepare and perform a program of group and solo works, and demonstrate a diverse range of techniques and expressive qualities and an understanding of a wide range of music styles and performance conventions.

    Outcome 2

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to demonstrate and discuss techniques relevant to performance of selected works.

    Outcome 3

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to identify, re-create, notate and transcribe short excerpts of music, and discuss the interpretation of expressive elements of music in pre-recorded works.

    Unit 4:  Music Performance

    In Unit 4, students will build upon their performance skills in preparation for their externally assessed VCAA Group or Solo performance exam. The theoretical concepts developed throughout Units 1-4 culminate in preparation for student’s Theory, Aural and Analysis examination. Students will also continue to develop and study a program of technical Works exercises demonstrating a variety of instrumental techniques.

    Outcome 1

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to prepare and perform informed interpretations in a program of group and solo works, and demonstrate a diverse range of techniques, expressive qualities and understanding of a wide range of music styles and performance conventions

    Outcome 2

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to demonstrate and discuss techniques relevant to refining the performance of selected works.

    Outcome 3

    On completion of this unit the student should be able to identify, re-create, notate and transcribe short excerpts of music, and discuss the interpretation of expressive elements of music in pre-recorded works.

    Assessment

    Satisfactory completion

    The award of satisfactory completion for a unit is based on a decision that the student has demonstrated achievement of the set of outcomes specified for the unit. This decision will be based on the teacher’s assessment of the student’s performance on assessment tasks designated for the unit.

    Levels of achievement

    Units 1 and 2

    Emmaus College students complete graded Assessment Tasks and Semester Examinations as part of the Assessment process for Units 1 and 2.

    Units 3 and 4

    The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority supervises the assessment of all students undertaking Units 3 and 4.

    Percentage contributions to the study score in VCE Music Performance are as follows:

    Unit 3 School-assessed Coursework 20%
    Unit 4 School-assessed Coursework 10%
    End-of-year performance examination 50%
    End-of-year aural and written examination 20%