Exemplar Compositions
Set brief exemplars with corresponding marks
Candidate 1: Set Brief 1 - Instrumental Music 1700 - 1820
Brief title: Compose a piece of music in ternary form for your choice of instrument for ensemble. Your piece should be well balanced and have unified style throughout the contrasting B section as well as being suitable for a live performance at a school event featuring individual students.
Candidate 1: Marks
Grid 1 - 6
Grid 2 - 8
Grid 3 - 9
Total - 23
1. B section works well however the return of the A section lacks creative development which keeps it in Level 3.
2. Textures are varied, clear and appropriate to the style. Use of rhythm is secure and interesting. Limited harmonic vocabular means this remains in a Level 4.
3. Sophisticated structure with a variety of phrase links. Convincing sense of direction throughout.
Candidate 2: Set Brief 1 - Instrumental Music 1700 - 1820
Brief title: Create a set of variations for piano on the hymn time Franconia
Candidate 2: Marks
Grid 1 - 8
Grid 2 - 8
Grid 3 - 5
Total - 25
1. This is a create response to the breif and have included some Classical and Romantic variations.
2. Textures are varied and appropriate to the style. Contrast is achieved through instrumental writing. Handling of musical elements is secure with the exception of melodic misjudgements.
3.Sense of consistency and coherence. Direction could have been enhanced by better consideration of tempo/mood between variations.
Candidate 3: Set brief 3 - Music For Stage and Screen
Brief title: Compose a soundtrack for a trailer for a romantic comedy
Candidate 3: Marks
Grid 1 - 2
Grid 2 - 4
Grid 3 - 4
Total - 10
1. Limited musical ideas which are underdeveloped. There is a reliance on repetition and little regard to the set brief.
2. Cello writing is partially idiomatic and playable with some awareness of performance techniques e.g. bowing. Piano writing is basic. Handling of harmony is insecure. Melodic ideas are insecure. There is a variety in texture. This is a level 2 mark as the control of musical elements is insecure.
3. There is an attempt to create section and an overall structure but this is marred by repetition. Had the candidate achieved successful musical contrast and fluency, this would have moved the piece up to level 3.
Additional notes:
It is great that the candidates have recorded an acoustic performance even though it has limitations. Please note that the composition not the performance will be assessed.
Candidate 4: Set Brief 1 - Instrumental Music 1700 - 1820
Brief title: Compose a work in ternary form to be performed at a contemporary music festival.
Candidate 4: Marks
Grid 1 - 10
Grid 2 - 10
Grid 3 - 10
Total - 30
1. Although this has minimalist features, it is a ternary form piece and must be assessed accordingly. The composition is imaginative and meets the intended purpose. Stylistic characteristics are handled convincingly throughout. Musical ideas are developed through the use of texture, harmony and counter melodies.
2. The rhythm and handling of different time signatures is varied and imaginative. The use of cross rhythms and double stopping is idiomatic. Very clear performance directions e.g. bar 20.
3. There is a convincing sense of direction overall. Sophisticated modification of ternary form with introduction, transition passages and coda. Contrast is achieved through good musical cohesion.
Free composition exemplars with corresponding marks
Candidate 1: Free Composition
Brief title: Country Dance – Compose a string quartet for an amateur ensemble to be performed at a May Day Ceremony
Candidate 1: Marks
Grid 1 - 8
Grid 2 - 8
Grid 3 - 7
Total - 23
1. Musical ideas are relevant to the intended purpose. Too repetitive and ideas not developed in an imaginative way. Use of dynamics and textures are used to develop the material effectively
2. Successful handling of meter and rhythm
3. Clear 8 bar phrases but no contrast structurally. To move up the next level, candidate could consider including transitional and/or irregular passages
Candidate 2: Free Composition
Brief title: : Lost and Found. Write a piece in minimalist style. You should consider timbre carefully in your choice of instruments and your piece should make some use of standard minimalist techniques for example, repetition, phasing and gradual change
Candidate 2: Marks
Grid 1 - 6
Grid 2 - 7
Grid 3 - 5
Total - 18
1. There is development in some parts. There are some misjudgements e.g. development of the melodic cell. Some minimalist characteristics and conventions are exploited e.g. rhythmic displacement and augmentation.
2. Instrumental writing is mostly idiomatic but lacks variety. Harmony is appropriate to the style. Textures are appropriate to the style.
3. Beginning is appropriate with the entry of the parts. There is a sense of direction but this is marred by a lack of contrast.
Candidate 3: Free Composition
Brief title: Compose a study for a woodwind instrument to be performed at a concert
Candidate 3: Marks
Grid 1 - 3
Grid 2 - 3
Grid 3 - 3
Total - 9
1. Music ideas are somewhat limited although melodic sequence in bar 6 and 21 does partially develop the material. Lack of musical direction in 9-15 compromises the effectiveness of the piece. There is little awareness for performance directions e.g. articulation which would be required for a solo woodwind study
2. Handling of forces is functional. Handling of melody is insecure and not confident. Lack of rhythmic variety. It is unfortunate that no performance directions (e.g. dynamics) were included as this may have raised the mark
3. Attempt at a basic phrase structure at the beginning and the end is partially successful.