You are going to perform a piece of music for a gathering of whānau or a group of friends. You might perform as a soloist, or in a duo, or as a member of a small group. You need to make sure that your individual contributions are clear and able to be identified.
You will need to:
organise, or collaborate with someone else to organise, a gathering of friends, family, or classmates to come together to support you as you perform for them
choose a setting to perform that you feel comfortable in and is also appropriate for a performance, such as someone’s lounge room, a space at your marae, a classroom, or another area in school that has a nice atmosphere. Alternatively, your kaiako may organise this for you.
You may have other whanaunga or friends that would like to share some music too. Although only one of your pieces will be recorded and assessed, you are free to perform other music as well.
In your performance, you must show skills such as:
instrumental or vocal technical skills, and musicianship skills, that enable you to express your music fluently
stage presentation skills appropriate to the event you are performing in and the style of music you are performing, and your performance setting, such as:
acknowledging your audience
entering and exiting the performance area with composure
positioning yourself appropriately so that you can connect with your audience
managing equipment such as backing tracks, instruments, music stands or other technology
appearing confident and relaxed during your performance.
Make sure that if you are using sheet music or a device, it is placed carefully so it does not create a barrier between you and those listening to you. If you are singing, memorising your lyrics may help you to connect directly with your audience.
Ensure that your performance is video recorded and clearly shows you as the performer, and also your audience. If you are performing in a small group, make sure that your part can be clearly heard. You may need to talk with your kaiako about how to manage this if necessary.
Your entire performance will be approximately 2-4 minutes, or as appropriate to your piece and the context of performance.
If your kaiako is present at the gathering, it will be video recorded for marking and moderation purposes.
If your kaiako is not present at the gathering, you must ensure that your performance is video recorded and submitted to your kaiako. Ensure that the recording:
begins just before you enter the performance area and ends after you have exited the area after you have performed so you are demonstrating your stage presentation skills throughout
shows the audience as well, so that your kaiako can see how you are relating to them in your performance
has good sound and visual quality so that your technical and musical skills are clearly observable.
Submit your video recording in a format specified by your kaiako.
Preparation for this task will take place over several weeks.
Confirm which piece of music you will perform with your teacher as early in the year as possible to ensure you have enough time to learn, practise, and polish it. This should be a new piece that you haven't already performed and that allows you to demonstrate your stage presentation skills and musical skills.
Remember that learning to perform is a skill that continually develops, and the best way to improve and to gain confidence is to do it as much as you can, while reflecting and incorporating feedback.
Consider the following steps to get you started.
Arrange who you are performing with, if appropriate, and confirm this with your kaiako.
Confirm with your kaiako the performance date, time, location, and who will come to support you as an audience.
Learn and practise your own part individually, as well as rehearsing collaboratively if you are performing in a duo or small group. Remember: you want to practise it until you can't get it wrong.