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Music Industry - Exam Description and Criteria

End-of-year Performance Exam

Description

The student/s will give a live performance, either as a single performer (either as a solo performance or as the only assessed performer within a music group), or in a music group of between two and eight performers. The examination will be assessed by a panel of examiners, using criteria published annually by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). The examination will be completed under the following time conditions:

• Single performer being assessed within a group – 25 minutes
• Two or three performers being assessed within a group – 30 minutes
• Four or five performers being assessed within a group – 35 minutes
• Six performers (maximum) being assessed within a group – 45 minutes

The time indicated will be the maximum time for performance. If the performance is still in progress when the maximum time has been reached, the assessors will stop the performance.  Students are encouraged to use the allotted time for their performance. The student/s will be assessed in relation to the following units of competency:

• CUSMPF04A - Prepare self for performance
• CUSMGE01A - Maintain self or group in music
• CUSMGE12A - Maintain and expand music knowledge and critical listening skills
• CUSMPF06A - Extend technical skills in performance

Students will demonstrate specialist performing skills in a prepared program. The program will be from arrangements/orchestrations which show the work of the student clearly and should include contrasting works within a cohesive set. The work of each student presenting for assessment within the group must be clearly discernible. The overall group program should allow each student presenting for assessment to clearly demonstrate his/her performance skills in accordance with the assessment criteria. Details of the performance order in the program must be provided on the performance program sheet (provided by the VCAA prior to the examination period). This program sheet must be presented by the student(s) at the examination centre immediately prior to the commencement of the examination. The performance program sheet will form part of the assessment and should present a written outline of the performance and program, as well as a statement outlining the market appropriate for the material. Each student/group is required to perform works artistically and in a cohesive set of repertoire. Students must use at least three works in their performance examination. The student’s part within the group performance (or within a single performer situation) will enable the student to demonstrate the ability to perform on an instrument(s) (or voice) with technical accuracy, control and flexibility, and with an understanding of the overall concept of the works in the program.

Conditions

An examination is defined as a single assessment period between 25 and 45 minutes.

Students presenting for assessment may only be assessed in one examination.

Students presenting for examination may not perform as non-assessed performers until they have completed the examination in which they are to be assessed.

No audience will be allowed in the examination room during the examination.

Performers may change instruments during the examination.

Students presenting for assessment will be assessed on all nominated instruments (including voice) on which they perform during the examination.

There should only be one performer per musical part to ensure that the work of each assessed student can be clearly identified.

The sound volume during the examination must be within the limits prescribed by health and safety regulations as “safe”.

Students will bring their own instrument(s) to the performance examination. An acoustic piano will be provided if required. All other equipment including PA systems, amplifiers and music stands must be provided by the student(s). Provision should be made for equipment failure: for example, students should bring spare strings, reeds, cables etc.

The performers may use any resources normally used by the group. No electronic mixing or adjusting of the sound by a person, other than a student performer, will be allowed during the performance.

A maximum of 30 minutes will be allowed for groups to set up and complete any required sound-check/warm up activities.

Students are encouraged to perform original works and perform without written prompts; however, sheet music may be used. At least one work in the program must be completed without the aid of written prompts (i.e. from memory). If sheet music is used, student(s) are advised to provide a copy for use by the assessors during the performance.

Works submitted as “original” works must be verified, as the original work of the student(s), by the school - this verification must be included on the performance program sheet.

Where students are enrolled in more than one of the VCE Music Performance: Group and/or Music Performance: Solo and VCE VET Certificate III in Music, the programs presented for each performance examination must not include any duplication. That is, no work and/or arrangement may be performed in more than ONE performance examination.  Students are required to sign an acknowledgment on candidates’ Performance Program Sheets provided by the VCAA on VASS that works and/or arrangements presented for this examination will not be presented by the candidate for assessment in VCE Music Performance: Group and/or Music Performance: Solo performance examinations.

Group Composition

For the purposes of assessment in this subject, a student performer is defined as a person enrolled (in the current calendar year) in the scored assessment component of the VCE VET Certificate III in Music.

A group may be composed of student performers and non-student performers according to the following guidelines:

The number of performers, student and non-student, in the group is to be limited to a maximum of ten (10)

For the purposes of the examination, the student performers within the group who are being assessed in the examination will be identified to the assessors.

The non-assessed performers in the group may be drawn from the following categories:

• Students who are enrolled (in the current calendar year) in a Unit 3 / 4 sequence in a VCE or VCE VET music program;
• Teachers (to a maximum of two (2) in the group);
• Non-VCE and non-VCE VET persons (to a maximum of four (4) in the group).

During the examination performance, the non-assessed performers must contribute only in a support role, as supporting instrumentalists/vocalists, to the assessed performers. The program must be designed and performed in such a way that the non-assessed performers do not assume anything other than a support role for the performance.

Authentication

The works performed will be determined by the school in accordance with the description of the task.

Details of group formats should be submitted by a date determined annually by the VCAA.

Performance examinations will be conducted in an acoustically suitable space, determined by the VCAA.

Performance examinations will be conducted on a date or dates to be notified in the VCE Administrative Handbook.

VCAA examination rules will apply. Details of these rules are published annually in the VCE Administrative Handbook.

The performance examination will be marked by a panel appointed by the VCAA.

Contribution to final assessment

The performance examination will contribute 34% to the final scored assessment.

Examination criteria

The examination will address all of the criteria. All students will be assessed against each criterion. Criteria are equally weighted.

Each student will be assessed on the extent to which their performance demonstrates accomplishment of the criteria. In this context, the term “extent” refers to the range of ways in which each criterion is met, and the degree of difficulty involved in meeting each criterion

1. Compliance with the requirements of the task. (See Description above)
2. Skill in using performance techniques relevant to the area of specialisation with accuracy and control.
3. Skill in realising the potential expressiveness and versatility of instrument(s) (or voice(s)) or technology throughout the program.
4. Skill in performing with musicality through creativity, individuality and originality.
5. Ability to place the sound of the instrument or voice within the performance environment and /or interact with other performers when appropriate.
6. Skill in presenting a cohesive program of music.
7. Ability to communicate through the use of non-musical elements of the performance, such as stage management, visual appearance, performance etiquette, manner and/or movement, as appropriate to the performance.
8. Skill in OHS principles appropriate to the performance program.

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