Solo Performance
Years 7, 8 and 9
Solo Performance Instructions
Every member of the class will perform. Your performance will be assessed. The maximum number of marks is 30.
You must perform as a soloist.
You can perform any piece of music (excluding music with inappropriate lyrics). To achieve the highest mark however, try to fulfil as many of the following criteria as possible.
If you have already learned to perform a piece of music outside the classroom, during individual music lessons for example, you should perform this piece. (This is likely to achieve the highest mark).
If you do not learn to play an instrument or sing outside the classroom you should perform a piece of music you have learned inside the classroom.
In class, you will learn: i) A song ii) A piece for keyboard
The following are standard levels. They are subjective, and will be determined using the best judgement of the teacher: Year 7 Grade 1, Year 8 Grade 2, Year 9 Grade 3.
If you perform a piece which is more difficult than the standard level, you will gain additional marks. If you play a piece which is easier than the standard level, you will achieve fewer marks.
If you wish to guarantee the difficulty level of your performance, choose a piece of music from the Difficulty Levels Booklet (below) or from a graded exam syllabus such as ABRSM, Trinity or Rockschool
If your piece has piano accompaniment, you should bring the piano accompaniment sheet music and your teacher will accompany you. (At GCSE a piece of music composed with piano accompaniment must be performed with that accompaniment otherwise the mark will be zero).
You may perform with a backing track. However, the backing track must not include the part you are performing. You must submit the backing track to the classroom assignment in Google Classroom.
If you require sheet music or lyrics, you must bring these with you. (If you are using a karaoke track, you may not look at the computer or your phone as you perform, this will cause you to lose marks).
The instruments available in the classroom will be piano, acoustic guitar and keyboard.
If it is not possible to bring your instrument to perform live (e.g. drum kit), you should submit a video performance to Google Classroom. If pupils provide a video of themselves performing in advance, this will be watched and assessed in place of the live performance.
Use Google Classroom to submit your video in the normal way: use the 'Add / Create' button to attach your video then 'Turn In'.
Performing live is usually the best way to communicate technique (including timbre) and expression to the audience. For this reason, live performances will usually achieve a higher mark than recorded performances.
Your performance will be assessed against the following criteria:
Performing Assessment Criteria
Difficulty Levels Booklet
Use this booklet to select a 'More Difficult' piece and gain additional marks.
More difficult = GCSE Grade 5+, Year 9 Grade 4+, Year 8 Grade 3+, Year 7 Grade 2+