Music 

Rationale 

Music is uniquely an aural art form and its essential nature is abstract. It is a complex socio-cultural phenomenon that exists distinctively in every culture and is a basic expression and reflection of human experience. It allows for the expression of the intellect, imagination and emotion, and the exploration of values, and fosters an understanding of continuity and change. Active participation in music develops musicianship through creating, performing, responding and analysing, and fosters an understanding of other times, places, cultures and contexts. Students develop ideas about the ways in which music can interact with other art forms, technology and design, and other fields of endeavour.

Music learning has a significant impact on the cognitive, affective, motor, social, cultural and personal competencies of students. It supports and encourages flexible cognitive and behavioural skills, and creativity, which are further enhanced by the non-verbal communication methods found in musical socialisation. Students learn to pose and solve problems, work independently and in collaboration, and create and convey meaning from various viewpoints. The nature of music study allows students to develop their capacity to manage their own learning, work together with others, and engage in activity that reflects the real-world practice of performers, composers and audiences, working towards the development of a personal voice.

Through performance, students sing and play music, demonstrating their knowledge and practical music skills through refining solo and/or ensemble performances. Students realise music ideas through the demonstration and interpretation of music elements and concepts to convey meaning and/or emotion to

an audience.

Through creating, students explore the manipulation of sound, producing new music works and arrangements. Using the music elements and concepts, students apply their knowledge and understanding of compositional devices to their own creations and the works of others.

Through responding and analysing, students investigate and explain the use of music elements, concepts and compositional devices, and respond to music from a variety of contexts, styles and genres. They develop knowledge and skills in identifying and understanding how music is organised, how effect is created and how influences and cultural contexts are manifested in works.

VCE Music equips students with personal and musical knowledge and skills that enable them to focus on their musicianship in particular areas and follow pathways into tertiary music study or further training in a broad spectrum of music related careers. VCE Music also offers students opportunities for personal development and encourages them to make an ongoing contribution to the culture of their community through participation in life-long music making.

Aims

This study enables students to:

●        develop and practise musicianship

●        perform, create, arrange, improvise, analyse, recreate, reimagine and respond to music from diverse times, places, cultures and contexts including recently created music

●        communicate understanding of cultural, stylistic, aesthetic and expressive qualities and characteristics of music

●        explore and strengthen personal music interests, knowledge and experiences

●        use imagination and creativity, and personal and social skills in music making

●        access pathways to further education, training and employment in music

●        participate and present in life-long music learning and the musical life of their community.

Structure 

The study is made up of ten units. Each unit deals with specific content contained in areas of study and is designed to enable students to achieve a set of outcomes for that unit. Each outcome is described in terms of key knowledge and key skills.

The study structure is:

Students may enrol in all units or select specific combinations of units that cater for their interests and intended pathways. 

Entry 

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 and Unit 4 as a sequence. 

Units 1 to 4 are designed to a standard equivalent to the final two years of secondary education. All VCE studies are benchmarked against comparable national and international curriculum.

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. 

Music Repertoire Performance - Units 3 & 4

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.

Unit 3

In this unit students begin developing the recital program they will present in Unit 4. This preparation includes consideration of the historical performance practices and interpretative traditions that inform the styles represented in their programs. 

Students use music analysis skills to refine strategies for developing their performances. They analyse technical, expressive and stylistic challenges relevant to the works they are preparing for performance, and present these strategies for assessment at a school-based discussion. 

Students analyse interpretation in a wide range of recorded music, responding to and analysing musical elements, concepts and compositional devices. They develop their ability to identify, recreate and notate music language concepts such as scales, melodies, chords, harmony and rhythmic materials that relate to the works studied. 

Unit 4

In this unit students continue to develop the performance program established in Unit 3 for their end-of-year practical examination. This preparation includes consideration of the historical performance practices and interpretative traditions that inform the styles represented in their programs. 

Students use music analysis skills to refine strategies for further developing and presenting their final recital. They analyse technical, expressive and stylistic challenges relevant to the works they are preparing for performance, and present these strategies for assessment at a school-based viva voce. 

Students analyse interpretation in a wide range of music, responding to and analysing musical elements, concepts, compositional devices and music language. Students also learn how to recognise and notate music language concepts such as scales, melodies, chords, harmony and rhythmic materials that relate to the works studied. 

Still have some questions? Fell free to email Mrs Loretta Shannon for further information. lorettashannon@sakyabram.vic.edu.au