Solo Performance (Y7-9)

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: