VCE Music

Music is an integral part of all cultures from the earliest of times, expressing and reflecting human experience. Music exists in myriad 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 the develop greater control of their own musical expression. Music learning requires students’ active engagement in the practices of listening, performing and composing.

Unit 1 - Organisation of Music

In this unit students explore and develop their understanding of how music is organised. By performing, creating, analysing and responding to music works that exhibit different approaches, students explore and develop their understanding of the possibilities of musical organisation.

They prepare and perform ensemble and/or solo musical works to develop technical control, expression and stylistic understanding on their chosen instrument/sound source. At least two works should be associated with their study of approaches to music organisation.

They create (arrange, compose or improvise) short music exercises that reflect their understanding of the organisation of music and the processes they have studied.

They develop knowledge of music language concepts as they analyse and respond to a range of music, becoming familiar with the ways music creators treat elements of music and concepts and use compositional devices to create works that communicate their ideas.

Unit 2 - Effect in Music

In this unit, students focus on the way music can be used to create an intended effect. By performing, analysing and responding to music works/examples that create different effects, students explore and develop their understanding of the possibilities of how effect can be created. Through creating their own music, they reflect this exploration and understanding.

Students prepare and perform ensemble and/or solo musical works to develop technical control, expression and stylistic understanding using their chosen instrument/sound source. They should perform at least one work to convey a specified effect and demonstrate this in performance.

They create (arrange, compose or improvise) short music exercises that reflect their understanding of the organisation of music and the processes they have studied.

As they analyse and respond to a wide range of music, they become familiar with the ways music creators treat elements and concepts of music and use compositional devices to create works that communicate their ideas. They continue to develop their understanding of common musical language concepts by identifying, recreating and notating these concepts.

This study offers pathways for students whose performance practice includes embellishment and/or improvisation, uses collaborative and aural practices in learning, often takes recordings as a primary text, and projects a personal voice. Students study the work of other performers and analyse their approaches to interpretation and how personal voice can be developed through reimagining existing music works. They refine selected strategies to enhance their own approach to performance.

Students identify technical, expressive and stylistic challenges relevant to works they are preparing for performance and endeavour to address these challenges. They listen and respond to a wide range of music by a variety of performers in contemporary styles. They also study music language concepts such as scales, harmony and rhythmic materials that relate to contemporary music.

Students may present with any instrument or combination of instruments which will be suitable to convey understanding of the key knowledge and application of key skills for Outcome 1, with styles including (but not limited to) rock, pop, jazz, EDM, country, funk and R&B.

Students prepare a program for assessment in a live performance. They may be assessed as primarily a member of a group or as a solo performer. All performances must include at least one ensemble work with another live musician and an original work created by an Australian artist since 1990. All performances must include a personally reimagined version of an existing work. Original works may also be included in the program.

It is strongly recommended that students undertaking this study have completed a minimum 3 years of specialist instrumental tuition.

This study is designed for students whose musical interests are grounded in the recreation and interpretation of notated musical works, and who wish to gain and share knowledge of musical styles and performance practices. Students may present on any instrument for which there is an established repertoire of notated works. They work towards a recital program that demonstrates highly developed technical skills and stylistic refinement as both a soloist and as an ensemble member. They develop the capacity for critical evaluations of their performances and those of others, and an ability to articulate their performance decisions with musical evidence and independence of thought.

Students identify technical, expressive and stylistic challenges relevant to works they are preparing for performance and endeavour to address these challenges. They listen and respond to a wide range of music by a variety of performers and study music language concepts such as scales, harmony and rhythmic materials.

The works selected for assessment must have sufficient range to convey understanding of the key knowledge and application of the key skills for Outcome 1. Music styles in this study may include (but are not limited to) early music, baroque, classical, romantic, 20th and 21st century art music styles, musical theatre, and classical musics outside the Western tradition (for example, Indian, Chinese).

The most significant task in Music Repertoire Performance is the preparation of a recital program of up to 20 minutes’ duration. Students may present primarily as a soloist or as an ensemble musician. However, students must present at least one ensemble work (that is, a performance with at least one other live musician) as part of their final program and include at least one work created since 1990 by an Australian composer. Programs may also consist entirely of ensemble works, with one or more students being assessed. One work in the final program must be selected from the separately published Prescribed List. An application process will apply for instruments without a list. Students must also bring copies of their works to the performance examination.

It is strongly recommended that students undertaking this study have completed a minimum 3 years of specialist instrumental tuition.

Ms Deborah Ross: dross@cmc.vic.edu.au