Two Options: Option A

Achievement Standard Making Music 91419: Communicate musical intention by composing three original pieces of music

Resource reference: Making Music 3.4A
Resource title: Arts mingle
Credits: 8

Achievement - 
Communicate musical intention by composing three original pieces of music.
Achievement with Merit - 
Communicate musical intention effectively by composing three original pieces of music.
Achievement with Excellence - 
Communicate musical intention convincingly by composing three original pieces of music.

Student Instructions: 

Introduction

This assessment activity requires you to compose three original pieces of music using the Arts disciplines of dance, drama, and visual arts as inspiration for the compositions. Alternatively, you may choose to compose one piece for this task and two further compositions from different tasks devised by your teacher.

You will be assessed on how convincingly you have communicated your musical intention in your original composition. The length and complexity of your composition(s) should reflect the credit weighting for this standard.

It is expected this task will take between 4-12 weeks of in-class and out-of-class time, depending on how many compositions you complete based on this task.

Teacher note: You may wish to adjust the timeframe to meet the needs of your students.

Task
You are to create three original pieces of music using the Arts disciplines of dance, drama, and visual arts to inspire your compositions. The three compositions could be linked thematically. You may choose to compose your three pieces from either the same or different disciplines. For example, you could choose to compose three pieces of music for use in a Shakespearean play, or two pieces for use in the Shakespearean play and another inspired by a painting that depicts a theme from the same play. Alternatively, you may choose to compose one piece based on an Arts discipline.

You may choose to work individually or in a group of up to five students for each composition. If you work in a group, each student’s creative contribution to the group composition will be individually assessed.

Teacher note: As outlined in Additional information above, you may adapt the activity. You can decide whether to work across the Arts learning area and liaise with other Arts teachers or make the task specific by identifying the Arts discipline or piece to be used.

You may wish to choose from the options below:
·        Compose an original piece of music that is inspired by a play. The piece is for use in a performance. This could take the form of an overture, music to accompany a scene, music for between scenes (perhaps a song), or music to conclude the performance.
·        Compose an original piece of music inspired by a visual art work, which could be a painting, drawing, sculpture, photograph, or graphic art.
·        Compose an original piece of music that can be used for dancing. The piece could be for a solo, duet, or group dance. The music for the dance could be in a contemporary or traditional style, e.g. hip-hop, cha-cha, or swing.

Write a brief statement of your musical intention for the composition.
Discuss with your teacher how you will visually represent your composition in a form that is appropriate to the style or genre of the work (see Resource A).
Negotiate with your teacher the way you will record your contribution to the composition (see Resource A).
Once you have completed your composition, record it. Convert the recording to an audio file (such as MP3).
Hand in your visual representation of the composition, draft copies, the brief statement of your musical intention for the composition, and the audio file.

Resource A
Visual representation
Visual representation means any one of the following:
·        standard music notation
·        a detailed lead sheet
·        tab with rhythmic indications
·        detailed graphic notation
·        a narrative description for electronic music
·        a combination of some of the above.

Group work
If working in a group, you are responsible for verifying your contribution to the collaborative process of the composition. You may wish to do this by keeping a log or by making an audio-visual recording of your group working. In your log, include details about:
·        the process you use to decide how to interpret the art works in your composition
·        how your ideas about the art works are represented in the composition
·        how your musical intention alters during the composition process
·        the decisions you make about developing and structuring your musical ideas.
The log will not be assessed, but will show your teacher the contribution you made to the composition.

Two Options: Option B

Achievement Standard Making Music 91419:
Communicate musical intention by composing three original pieces of music

Resource reference: Making Music 3.4B
Resource title: Invent for event
Credits: 8


Achievement - 
Communicate musical intention by composing three original pieces of music.
Achievement with Merit - 
Communicate musical intention effectively by composing three original pieces of music.
Achievement with Excellence - 
Communicate musical intention convincingly by composing three original pieces of music.

Student Instructions: 

Introduction
This assessment activity requires you to compose original music for a school event. You may choose to complete one, two or three compositions based on this task. If you choose to compose one you will need to complete two further compositions based on other tasks set by your teacher. Similarly, if you choose to complete two compositions for this task you will need to complete one further composition to fulfil the requirements of the standard.
Your final composition(s) should be substantial enough to reflect the credit weighting for this standard.
You will state your musical intention for your composition, make a visual representation of it, and submit it as an audio file. Visual representation of your composition should be detailed and appropriate to the genre of the music, e.g. in standard music notation or a lead sheet. Your audio file should be readable by a standard CD player or computer without specialised music software.
You will be assessed on the extent to which you demonstrate impact, skill, and stylistic assurance and how well you realise the musical intentions you have for the piece.
You will be given 4-12 weeks of in-class and out-of-class time to complete your work, depending on whether you choose to compose one, two or three compositions.

Task
In consultation with your teacher, choose an appropriate school event that you could compose music for.

Possible occasions that would be suitable include:
·       a rock band performance
·       a student-produced scene in a drama, film, or dance production
·       inter-school music competitions.

You may choose to compose the music individually, or you may work collaboratively in a group of between two and five students. It is essential that each member of the group submit an individual portfolio of work. You will be marked individually for this standard, and your final mark will be based on evidence of your own creative contribution to the original music.
If you are working in a group, keep a reflective log-book to provide a record of your ongoing involvement in the composition of your group piece. It will not be assessed, but your teacher will check it regularly.
Think about how you intend the music to sound and what impact you want the music to have on the event and audience. This will help to determine the style and mood of your piece.
Create a brief statement to include with your work that outlines your musical intentions.

Your composition should:
·        show a credible and convincing correlation between the style and mood and the purpose you gave for writing it in your statement of intent
·        capture, engage, and sustain the interest of the target audience
·        create and maintain a distinctive style by using musical elements and features accurately and confidently
·        show skilful development and structuring of musical ideas by using a range of compositional techniques to achieve a sense of growth, direction, and coherency in the music
·        be represented accurately in a visual format appropriate to genre, e.g. standard music notation, a detailed lead sheet, tab with rhythmic indications, detailed graphic notation, a narrative description for electronic music, or a combination of these.