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The Arts – Music Level 4

Introduction

The work samples in this section form the Level 4 part of the assessment map for The Arts. Other parts of the assessment map can be accessed by using the menu on the right.

The Level 4 Arts standards describe what students should know and be able to do at this level. The following work samples illustrate the kinds of responses that students produce when they are working at the Level 4 standard.

Annotations identify for each sample attributes of the student response that relate to specific elements of the standard.

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Sample at Level 4 – Listening and responding

Context

Students were asked to respond personally to two music works that explored different aspects of the theme of ‘space’. The works selected were:

• ‘Jupiter’ from The Planets by Gustav Holst
• Sea of Stars, a work for solo pan pipe by Brian Brown.

Students completed their responses using the worksheet The Planets and Sea of Stars (Doc - 68KB). They were given 30–45 minutes to complete their responses.

Teaching and learning activities associated with this response included:

• discussing aspects of space
• responding visually to two contrasting pieces of music about aspects of space
• discussing students’ visual responses
• responding orally or in written format to two contrasting pieces of music about aspects of space
• discussing the context of the two works
• teachers assisting students with their use of appropriate music terminology.

The elements of the Exploring and responding standard addressed by this task are:

(Students) interpret and compare key features of arts works …

(Students use) appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their own and other people’s works …

Sample

Sample 1

View text version

Annotation

Sample 1

Exploring and Responding – Level 4

A. Describes ways elements of music are used to convey particular ideas and feelings using language appropriate to the context of the task.
B. Captures the ambivalent mood of Sea of Stars.
C. Describes preferences for particular works based on their structure and expressive qualities.

Elements of the standard

(Students) interpret and compare key features of arts works …

(Students use) appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their own and other people’ s works.

Sample 2

View text version

Annotation

Sample 2

Exploring and Responding – Level 4

• Describes key features of the work, such as different textures, groupings of instruments, rhythms, tempi and dynamics.
• Uses music terminology appropriately in relating knowledge of the elements of music to the musical expressiveness of the work.

Elements of the standard

(Students) interpret and compare key features of arts works …

(Students use) appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their own and other people’s arts works …

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Sample at Level 4 – Interpreting a music work

Context

In an assessment task, students were asked to interpret a multi-instrumental work with a ‘space’ theme. Interpreting the work required students to work in small groups and:

• discuss possible approaches to aspects of the score including instrumentation, dynamics and tempo
• develop an overall mood or effect for the interpretation
• rehearse and refine their interpretation of the work.

While working in the small groups students individually:

• used the worksheet What’s the score? (Doc - 23KB) to record ideas about the interpretation they were developing
• developed the instrumental skills and techniques required to perform their part in the interpretation.

Teaching and learning activities associated with this task included class discussion about:

• exploring ways of developing interpretations of conventional or graphic music scores
• discussing contextual information about the work and/or the composer.

Where the conventional score was selected, students listened to a recording of a performance of the score before they began to develop their own interpretation.

Students were given approximately 2 hours to develop their interpretation. This time was spread across 3–4 sessions. The teaching and learning activities associated with the task were incorporated into this time.

The elements of the Creating and making standard addressed by the task are:

(Students) ... collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes ... to plan, develop, refine ... arts works.

(Students) ... evaluate the effectiveness of their arts works and make changes to realise intended aims.

The elements of the Exploring and responding standard addressed by the task are:

(Students) discuss traditional and contemporary arts works using appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their own and other people’s works ...

(Students) ... discuss the purpose for which arts works are created in different historical and cultural contexts.

Samples

Sample 1

This sample focuses on discussion and rehearsal that took place as the students were developing an interpretation of Stars Behaving Badly (Doc - 212KB).

The student whose work is annotated performed both the first marimba part and part of the second marimba part. A performance of this interpretation can be viewed at Performing own and others’ music works: Sample 1.

Part A

Annotation

• Sample 1 – Part A
• 
  Exploring and responding – Level 4
• 
  
• Discusses specific elements of the music, such as rhythm and tempo and the need for accuracy and togetherness in interpretation if an expressive interpretation is to result.

• 
  Element of the standard
  
  (Students) discuss traditional and contemporary arts works using appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their own and other people’s works ...

Part B

Annotation

• Sample 1 – Part B
• 
  Creating and making – Level 4
• 
  
• Shows awareness of the role of an ensemble member by following several parts in score during rehearsal and assisting the other marimba player to perform rhythm of second marimba part accurately as well as playing own part.

• 
  Element of the standard
  
  (Students) … collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes … to plan, develop, refine … arts works.

Part C

 

 

Annotation

• Sample 1 – Part C
• 
  Creating and making – Level 4
• 
  
• During the rehearsal swaps octaves for each repeated phrase of the first marimba part. 
• Performs the second part during the second section and then returns to the first part in the repeat of the first section. Gradually refines the technical and expressive features of the performance.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) evaluate the effectiveness of their arts works and make changes to realise intended aims.

Part D

View text version

Annotation

• Sample 1 – Part D
  
  
• Exploring and responding – Level 4
• 
  
• Demonstrates knowledge that the piece is written to appeal to young people and that there is a need to develop skills and techniques to develop a ‘hollow or spacey’ sound in order to convey the intended meaning of the piece.
•  

  Elements of the standard
  
  (Students) … discuss the purpose for which arts works are created in different historical and cultural contexts.

Sample 2

Part A

 

Annotation

Sample 2

• Exploring and Responding – Level 4
• 
  
• Discusses the technical features of the score, demonstrating an awareness of the need for group precision and accuracy in the interpretation of a conventional score.
•  

  Element of the standard
  
  (Students) … collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes … to plan, develop, refine, … arts works.

Part B

Annotation

• Sample 2 – Part B
• 
  Creating and making – Level 4
• 
  
• Demonstrates an awareness of an effective way of developing a balanced, expressive performance by making the decision to change instruments.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) evaluate the effectiveness of their arts works and make changes to realise intended aims.

Part C

View text version

Annotation

Sample 2 – Part C

• Exploring and responding – Level 4
• 
  
• Demonstrates an understanding of the need to focus on features articulated by the composer in the score such as texture, dynamics, tempo and rhythm, in order to express the intended purpose in their interpretation.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) … discuss the purpose for which arts works are created in different historical and cultural contexts.

  Creating and Making – Level 4
  
  
• Demonstrates awareness of the need for technical accuracy across the group in order to interpret the work expressively.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes … to plan, develop, refine … arts works.

Sample 3

Part A

 

Annotation

• Sample 3 – Part A
• 
  Creating and making – Level 4
• 
  
• Uses a range of drumming techniques to interpret the swirls in the score and to set a rhythm to be followed by the other performers.
• Leads the dynamic changes in the rehearsal and describes the reasons for the choice of expressive devices in the group’s interpretation.
  
  

• Elements of the standard
  
  (Students) … collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes … to plan, develop, refine … arts works.

Part B

Annotation

Sample 3 – Part B

• Creating and making – Level 4
• 
  
• Applies refinements discussed during the rehearsal in the performance.
  
  

• Elements of the standard
  
  (Students) evaluate the effectiveness of their arts works and make changes to realise intended aims.

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Sample at Level 4 – Documenting the process

Context

Part 1: Documentation

Students were asked to document the processes they used to compose a work with a ‘space’ theme. While the composing was undertaken as a group, each student completed their own documentation. The worksheet Elements of music (Doc - 37KB) was provided to assist students to focus on their musical choices. Students were encouraged to include information about the following aspects of the composition process in their documentation:

• development of music ideas from stimulus material on the theme
• ways in which their group selected and combined the elements of music to create the work
• the rehearsal and refinement processes used by their group.

Part 2: Score

After they had completed the composition, students used appropriate notation to create a graphic score of the whole work.

Teaching and learning activities associated with this assessment task included:

• discussion about the ideas being explored by different groups within the class
• listening to and talking about ways groups were experimenting with sounds to expressively realise music ideas
• identifying processes groups were using to develop and refine music ideas.

This series of activities took approximately one and a half hours conducted over several lessons. 

The elements of the Creating and making standard addressed by the task are:

(Students) communicate ideas and understandings …

(Students) investigate a range of sources to generate ideas and manipulate arts elements … as they explore the potential of ideas.

Describes how the work has been structured to both illustrate a visual sequence the student has in mind and to communicate the mood which accompanies the visual sequence.

The elements of the Exploring and responding standard addressed by the task are:

(Students) identify and describe influences on their own works …

(Students use) … appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their own … works …

Sample 1

 

View text version

Annotation

(Annotations A and B apply throughout the work sample)

Creating and making – Level 4

A. Documents ways of communicating music ideas based on an abstract theme
B. Provides reasons for the selection and combination of elements of music to develop music ideas.

Elements of the standard

(Students) communicate ideas and understandings …

(Students) investigate a range of sources to generate ideas and manipulate arts elements … as they explore the potential of ideas.

Exploring and responding – Level 4

C. Describes ways in which music listened to and performed as part of the series of tasks on ‘space’ has influenced their own composing process.
E. Demonstrates an understanding of music terminology and works with appropriate arts language in descriptions of the use of elements of music.

Elements of the standard

(Students) identify and describe influences on their own works …

(Students use) … appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their own … works …

Graphic score

View image description

Key to graphic score

View text version

Annotation

Exploring and responding – Level 4

F. Develops a graphic score that illustrates music ideas expressed in the composition providing a key which describes aspects of the ways different instruments are used in the composition.

Element of the standard

(Students use) … appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their own … works …

Sample 2

Students discuss ideas the group use in composing Houston, We Have a Problem.

Annotation

• Exploring and responding – Level 4
  
  
• Discusses the influence of the film in helping formulate the group’s ideas for a musical composition.
• Demonstrates knowledge of elements of music and concepts referring to use of tonality, harmonic progression chromaticism and the use of dynamics.

• 
  Elements of the standard
  
  (Students) identify and describe influences on their own works …
  
  (Students use) … appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their own … works …

• Creating and making – Level 4
  
  
• Describes experimentation with ways in which to musically communicate the mysteriousness of space and also to illustrate the action in a particular film sequence.
• Draws on classical conventions such as the use of a minor scale to evoke a sense of mystery and a chromatic scale to develop a sense of gradual rising in the piece.

• 
  Elements of the standard
  
  (Students) investigate a range of sources to generate ideas and manipulate arts elements … as they explore the potential of ideas.
  
  Describes how the work has been structured to both illustrate a visual sequence the student has in mind and to communicate the mood which accompanies the visual sequence.
  
  (Students) communicate ideas and understandings.

Graphic score

View image description

Annotation

• Creating and making – Level 4
  
  
• Depicts an open-ended graphic score rather than a linear score, which, like the composition, partly illustrates the sounds chosen to represent different tone colours, textures and pitches and partly symbolises the mysteriousness of space.
  
  

• Elements of the standard
  
  (Students) communicate ideas and understandings …

• Exploring and responding – Level 4
  
  
• Describes features of the score in an articulate way.
  
  

• Elements of the standard
  
  (Students use) appropriate arts language to describe the content, structure and expressive qualities of their … own works …

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Sample at Level 4 – Composing

Context

Students were asked to work in small groups to compose a music work that explored ideas about an aspect of the theme of ‘space’. They used classroom, conventional, electronic and/or digital instruments to create their compositions.

Teaching and learning activities associated with this assessment task included discussion about:

• possible topics/themes/titles for a music work with a ‘space’ theme
• ways in which students could use ideas, understanding and skills they have developed about ‘space’ and/or music with a ‘space’ theme in their work.

The series of activities took approximately two to two and a half hours distributed over several sessions and were completed concurrently with a task titled Documenting a music composing process. In Documenting the Composing Process students focused on individually documenting the process of composing a music work about an aspect of space.

The elements of Creating and making standard addressed by the task are:

(Students) investigate a range of sources to generate ideas and manipulate arts elements … as they explore the potential of ideas. 

(Students) independently and collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes … to plan, develop, refine, make and present arts works.

(Students) communicate ideas and understandings …

(Students) evaluate the effectiveness of their arts works and make changes to realise intended aims.

The element of Exploring and responding standard addressed by the task are:

(Students) identify and describe influences on their own works …

 

Samples

Sample 1 – Cancer, the Crab Constellation

View image description

Collage prepared by students as part of their exploration of ideas for Cancer, the Crab Constellation.

Part 1

Students discuss ideas for their composition Cancer, the Crab Constellation .

Listen to student discussion (MP3 - 940KB)

View audio transcript

Annotation – Part 1

• Creating and making – Level 4
  
  
• Generates and experiments with ideas about appropriate instruments to musically develop the concept of the crab constellation in group discussion.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) investigate a range of sources to generate ideas and manipulate arts elements ... as they explore the potential of ideas.

Part 2

Annotation – Part 2

• Creating and making – Level 4
  
  
• Demonstrates a clear concept of how musical elements will combine
• Discusses ideas about the work, such as how dynamics will be used and how the work will express the theme musically rather than as an illustration of aspects of the theme.
• Manipulates patterns to unify the group in the absence of a strong rhythm, which the student perceives as inappropriate for expression of the theme.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) independently and collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes ... to plan, develop, refine, make and present arts works.

Part 3

This is a recording of the student ensemble rehearsing its composition Cancer, the Crab Constellation.

Annotation – Part 3

• Creating and making – Level 4
  
  
• Applies ideas from the initial rehearsal of Cancer the Crab Constellation about using instruments to communicate the eerie and scuttling sounds.
• Undertakes the role of performer /conductor in order to address issues with cohesion, purpose and communication evident in the first video.
• Directs the realisation of her ideas about technical and expressive qualities of the work.
  
  

• Elements of the standard
  
  (Students) communicate ideas and understandings ...
  
  (Students) evaluate the effectiveness of their arts works and make changes to realise intended aims. 

Part 4

Video

Student ensemble performs its composition Cancer, the Crab Constellation.

Annotation – Part 4

• Creating and making – Level 4
  
  
• Directs the timing of sounds and silences and the dynamic structure for the group in order that the piece communicates intended ideas and expressiveness.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) communicate ideas and understandings ...
  

Sample 2 – Star Discovery

This work sample focuses on the process of composing a work entitled Star Discovery.

This work sample consists of audio and video recordings of student discussion made during the composition process and excerpts from the worksheet, Elements of music (Doc - 37KB)

Annotation Part 1 applies to the transcript and first audio recording.

Annotation Part 2 applies to the student response to Elements of music.

Annotation Part 3 applies to the second audio recording and both video sequences.

Part 1: Students discuss composition

Student’s statement on composing

I like playing the marimba, it’s my favourite instrument and I like making up little tunes. We were talking about space and I made up this tune which I called Star Discovery. I thought it was catchy and so I wanted to make it a bit bigger with other instruments in a group.

We listened to music from Stars Behaving Badly in class and I liked the tune of it so I was thinking of a piece that could go with it. When I made up that part of Star Discovery I thought it would sound good in the middle of stars behaving badly.

Students discuss the interpretation of the graphic score for their composition Star Discovery which is produced below.

Annotation – Part 1

• Exploring and responding – Level 4
  
  
• Draws on ideas from Stars Behaving Badly.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) identify and describe influences on their own works ...
  

  Creating and making – Level 4
  
  
• Discusses the most appropriate ways of combining sounds using chosen acoustic instruments.
• Explores and generates ideas for the composition using visual and narrative stimuli.
• Participates in a group discussion about the overall shape of the work, and how this will be achieved through structured and improvised sections.
  
  

• Elements of the standard
  
  (Students) investigate a range of sources to generate ideas and manipulate arts elements ... as they explore the potential of ideas.
  
  (Students) independently and collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes ... to plan, develop, refine, make and present arts works.

Part 2: Student response to Elements of music worksheet

View text version

Annotation – Part 2

• Creating and making – Level 4
  
  
• Develops ways to express initial idea, through a process of discussion, experimentation, rehearsal and refinement.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) independently and collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and processes ... to plan, develop, refine, make and present arts works.

Part 3: Rehearsal and performance

Student ensemble rehearses its composition Star Discovery.

 

Student ensemble performs its composition Star Discovery.

Annotation – Part 3

• Creating and making – Level 4
  
  
• Uses sporadic sounds freely in the initial rehearsal to communicate a perception of space.
• Structures the rhythm and the call and response aspects of the piece more rigidly in the second rehearsal.
• Makes a decision in the final performance, to replace this regularity with more sporadic sounds in order to create a stronger sense of the unfamiliar.
• Uses tempo and dynamic build-up to create an effective sense of awe and space.
  
  

• Element of the standard
  
  (Students) communicate ideas and understandings ...
  
  (Students) evaluate the effectiveness of their arts works and make changes to realise intended aims.

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Last Updated August 13, 2008
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