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Assessment Resource Centre (ARC)

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  1. Years 9-10
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  4. Composing for Percussion
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Composing for Percussion


Grade Work Samples
End of Stage 5 (end of Year 10)
Grade B Casey  
New Work Samples
Ricky

Description of activity

Students create a group composition in pairs that explores characteristics of the piece Defying Gravity for between four and eight contrasting percussion parts. The work should be produced on computer and should use a variety of tone colours, and a 5/4 metre with a variety of rhythmic values and rests. Students must create both a score and a recording.

Context

This activity is from a skills-based unit where students have been developing composition and improvisation skills within the context of Australian percussion music. In this unit students particularly focused on the pieces Defying Gravity and The Percussion Symphony by Carl Vine.

Areas for Assessment

Outcomes

A student:

5.3 performs music selected for study with appropriate stylistic features demonstrating solo and ensemble awareness

5.4 demonstrates an understanding of the musical concepts through improvising, arranging and composing in the styles or genres of music selected for study

5.6 uses different forms of technology in the composition process

5.9 demonstrates an understanding of musical literacy through the appropriate application of notation, terminology, and the interpretation and analysis of scores used in the music selected for study.

Criteria for assessing learning

(These criteria would normally be communicated to students with the activity.)

Students will be assessed on their ability to:

  • compose a work for between four and eight percussion parts
  • use computer technology to create a score and recording of their work
  • select a variety of tone colours appropriate to their composition
  • demonstrate an understanding of 5/4 metre and variety of rhythmic tone colours and rests.
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