Achievement Standard Making Music 91274:
Perform a substantial piece of music as a featured soloist on a second instrument

Resource reference: Making Music 2.2B
Resource title: Double Time
Credits: 3

Achievement -
Perform a substantial piece of music as a featured soloist on a second instrument.
Achievement with Merit -
Perform a substantial piece of music effectively as a featured soloist on a second instrument.
Achievement with Excellence -
Perform a substantial piece of music convincingly as a featured soloist on a second instrument.

Student instructions:

Introduction

This activity requires you to perform before an audience a substantial piece of music as a featured soloist on your second instrument. The performance must demonstrate technical, musical, and presentation skills appropriate to at least a fourth year of instrumental study through group itinerant tuition. Improvisation skills will be assessed where appropriate to the musical style.

For Achievement Standard 91274, the second instrument must demonstrate substantially different playing techniques and skills from the instrument you perform in the assessment of Achievement Standard 91270 (For example, piccolo and flute, while requiring some new skills, carry too many similarities to be appropriate for this assessment. Harpsichord and piano, trumpet and flugelhorn, or violin and viola are other examples of pairs of instruments that are too similar for Achievement Standard 91274.)

The piece performed for Achievement Standard 91274 may not be the same as either of the pieces presented for assessment of Achievement Standard 91270.
Your performance will be recorded on video.

Preparatory activities
Choosing your piece
The piece you choose must be substantial and have some significance and/or complexity in the repertoire for the genre/instrument. It is very important that you select it carefully. See Resource 1 for information about what to consider when choosing your piece to perform.

Arranging accompaniment
You may perform unaccompanied music or accompanied music.
If you are going to have accompaniment, you will need to rehearse with your accompanist a few times. You should also have a quick run through before the performance to warm up.
Your piece can also be performed accompanied by a small group. However, you must play a separate and clearly identifiable part. For example, you can be the singer with a rhythm section backing you, or you can use a backing tape, or even play a concerto with an orchestra as long as you are the featured soloist.

Preparing your pieces
Practise your chosen piece regularly (daily is best) from the beginning of the year. It is a very good idea to set goals and work through the piece with your tutor. Your classroom teacher will hear you play from time to time and give you feedback on how well you are progressing.

Arranging an audience and performance event
It is your responsibility to organise your performance event, but you will not be assessed on this aspect. See Resource 2 for some suggestions about how to do this.

Task
Perform the piece for the audience. A quality solo performance will:
·        be performed fluently and assuredly with few errors or hesitations, none of which mar the enjoyment of the audience
·        be stylistically appropriate to the genre of music
·        be musically expressive with careful and considered attention given to elements such as dynamics, articulations, phrasing, and line
·        demonstrate interpretive understanding
·        be performed with body language and posture that is appropriate for your instrument and enhances the experience for the audience
·        be introduced to the audience by you then be performed in a manner that enhances the atmosphere and musical moment you create.

Resources

When choosing your piece, consider the following questions:
·        Is this piece substantial enough to reflect this level of the curriculum? While there is no time limit, it is unlikely that a 30-second study could be considered substantial. A performance of approximately 3-5 minutes is a broad guideline for you.
·        Is the piece complex enough, both musically and technically?
·        Is it significant in the repertoire for the genre or your instrument?
·        Does the piece have the potential to demonstrate the technical, musical, and presentation skills you are capable of? Will it show off your best skills? (A piece that is too easy or insubstantial may not allow you to achieve, but a piece that is too difficult may mean you cannot play with assurance and expressiveness and be able to demonstrate interpretive understanding.)
·        Will you enjoy working on this for the next few months? Is it different enough to keep you interested and motivated? When you consider the music you have played in the past year, does this provide some new challenges both technically and musically?
Remember that for Achievement Standard 91274, you may not play either of the pieces you presented in Achievement Standard 91270.
Discuss your option with your tutor, who will be able to suggest a piece that shows you at your best and is considered substantial for your level of learning. You must then take your choice of music to your classroom teacher to discuss the reasons for your choice and to ensure that they will allow you to earn your best result.

Resource 2: Arranging an audience and performance event
It is in your best interest to arrange or participate in a performance event that will allow you to play for a quiet, respectful, and affirming audience. While this is not part of the assessment, it does establish good conditions for you to perform in.
There are a range of performance events which you may consider. For example:
·        You may perform as the only musician at the event, such as performing for invited guests in the hall, your home, or your church, then serving refreshments afterwards.
·        You may wish to participate in a larger concert in which other members of the school community, your private tutor, your family, or community bands or orchestras are also performing.
·        There may be opportunities for performing on your marae, at a community service or event, at a wedding or other service, in concerts organised by tutors, or in competitions.
Provide a video recording of your performance for assessment. Discuss how you will arrange this with your teacher. It is important that your teacher can assess the quality of the performance from the video. Ensure the audience is quiet, the shot includes your whole body, your hands can be seen (in the case of instrumentalists), and the sound quality is clear.
If the video you provide is not suitable for assessment, then you may be asked to perform again under different circumstances as determined by your teacher.
If you are playing the piano as your solo instrument, you will need to confirm the availability of a piano at the venue of your concert. You must also ensure it is in good working order and that it has been tuned recently. It is advisable to practise on the instrument a few times to become familiar with it.