2013 Notes from the Marking Centre – Music 2
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Music 2 course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2013 Higher School Certificate examination, highlighting their strengths in particular parts of the examination and indicating where candidates need to improve.
This document should be read along with:
- the Music 2 Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2013 Higher School Certificate Music 2 examination
- the marking guidelines
- Advice for students attempting HSC music examinations and Music FAQs
- Advice for HSC students about examinations
- other support documents developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW to assist in the teaching and learning of Music in Stage 6.
Written examination – Music 2 – Musicology and Aural Skills
Question 1
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- outlining the structure using appropriate terminology and bar numbers (a)
- exploring the use of dynamics and expressive techniques in depth, with specific bar numbers (b)
- describing the relationship between voice and piano (c)
- giving specific score references (c).
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- using appropriate terminology and providing musical evidence (a)
- referring to related musical material (b)
- referring to relevant material from the score (c).
Question 2
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying and notating the pitch and rhythm of the bassoon (a)
- understanding contour, metre, intervallic relationships, rhythmic groupings and tonality (a)
- describing how pitch was used with reference to melody, tonality, cadence points, harmony and/or contour of pitch material (b)
- using appropriate terminology (b).
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- understanding pitch relationships and key rhythmic elements in the context of the excerpt (a)
- discussing pitch rather than unrelated concepts.
Question 3
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- outlining accurate observations and supporting points with appropriate terminology (a)
- identifying changes in both texture and tone colour (a)
- identifying themes to demonstrate analytical skills and how they developed in a range of ways (b)
- using specific score references to support analysis (b)
- drawing conclusions in relation to thematic development (b).
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- understanding tone colour and texture (a)
- understanding relationships between the concepts (b)
- using appropriate terminology (a and b)
- referring to specific score examples (b).
Question 4
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- supporting statements with specific score references and/or examples and drawing links between both works
- synthesising concepts as a means of comparing works
- using appropriate terminology
- providing analysis of both duration and the chosen concept
- using appropriate quotes.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- detailing analysis rather than relying on general description and/or a list of unrelated features
- addressing both concepts
- using appropriate score references
- understanding concepts in detail and how they relate to the chosen works
- referring to a range of concepts.
Performance – Core and Elective
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- selecting repertoire that demonstrated an expressive range and technical facility
- conveying and sustaining a stylistic understanding
- exploring the diversity that the mandatory topic offered
- preparing the space to enhance the performance
- displaying secure and consistent intonation
- displaying ensemble cohesion and rapport with accompanists.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- selecting a repertoire that will allow demonstration of a full expressive range
- presenting performances that show balance between the accompaniment and/or ensemble
- presenting performances that are not repetitive in interpretation
- performing pieces that meet the time limit
- displaying a musical understanding of the genre
- displaying consistencies in tuning, tonal and pitch control.
Music 2 – Core Composition
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- understanding compositional devices
- organising and developing ideas with a sense of nuance and interplay between chosen sound sources
- understanding the style and the roles of the chosen performing media
- producing edited scores with clear and detailed performance directions
- using coherent structures
- using smooth transitions
- understanding ensemble and instrumental timbres and idiomatic writing
- incorporating a harmonic language within the chosen style
- providing unity and contrast and maintaining stylistic integrity
- developing melodic and rhythmic material
- choosing programmatic ideas that were well realised in the composition.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- choosing performing media with a clear understanding of their capacities, range or technical requirements
- linking musical ideas to achieve structural coherence
- combining related ideas within two minutes
- linking or developing melodic material
- manipulating a full range of concepts
- editing scores including performance directions, score conventions, note groupings and articulation
- submitting recordings that provide an accurate rendition of the score.
Music 2 – Elective Composition
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- developing ideas within a coherent and balanced structure
- maintaining balance between unity and variety
- providing a detailed and clear score with stylistic expression indicated (eg jazz inflections)
- showing a perceptive grasp of style and harmonic ideas
- understanding the potential of chosen instruments
- using extended techniques that are integrated into the work
- understanding the voicing of parts.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- linking works to chosen topics
- creating uncluttered and changing textures
- using transitions between ideas, keys and rhythmic changes
- giving works a clear focus or direction.
Music 2 – Musicology Elective
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- organising ideas
- providing relevant and convincing conclusions
- annotating score examples to support their observations
- explaining the use of rhythmic and melodic material in the works chosen
- drawing conclusions about motivic development, structural relationships, etc
- choosing topics that enable a detailed discussion of the music
- using secondary sources judiciously.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- choosing topics that are not too broad
- making specific observations substantiated by score examples
- focusing on analysis of the use of musical concepts rather than narrative/pictorial description
- using primary and secondary sources
- choosing musical styles/examples which provide scope for analysis
- demonstrating a holistic understanding of the whole piece.
Music Extension – Composition
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- composing works that had a strong underlying purpose, focus and direction
- working with musical material within the available time
- logically developing ideas throughout the piece
- using elements such as register, colour, texture, dynamics and articulation to maintain structural cohesion
- working equally with all instruments (ie interplay, voicing, colour combinations)
- maintaining a sense of phrasing and textural space
- using detailed and idiomatic notations on scores.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- including enough detail in the score that allows them to be reliably reproduced
- developing rather than relying on repetition
- composing works that are texturally uncluttered
- making transitions
- exploring harmonic, rhythmic and motific possibilities
- providing sufficient performance instructions, including the identification of the chosen instruments.
Music Extension – Musicology
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- demonstrating creative and independent thought
- organising and structuring their essay to sequentially argue their hypothesis
- using illustrative and annotated examples
- providing detailed and in-depth analysis.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- going beyond biographical and background information
- referencing responses
- using primary and secondary sources
- adhering to the word limit
- using score examples.
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