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Assessment Resource Centre (ARC)

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  1. Years 9-10
  2. Music
  3. Activities
  4. Theme and Variations
  5. Additional Information
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Additional Information

View the Recording Templates for this Activity (Microsoft Word, 45 KB)

Guidelines for marking

The following guidelines for marking show one approach to assigning a value to a student's work. Other approaches may be used that better suit the reporting process of the school. Categories, marks, grades, visual representations or individual comments/notations may be useful.

Range A student in this range
High

(11-15)

  • successfully arranges the theme for chosen instrument/s
  • successfully composes a variation that explores a variety of compositional techniques in a convincing and stylistic manner
  • demonstrates a high level of musical literacy in the score of their composition through the use of traditional notation
  • includes detailed and relevant performance directions
Satisfactory

(6-10)

  • arranges the theme for chosen instrument/s
  • composes a variation that explores some compositional techniques with a sense of stylistic understanding
  • demonstrates a level of musical literacy in the score of their composition through the use of traditional notation
  • includes relevant performance directions
Progressing

(1-5)

  • rewrites the theme for chosen instrument/s
  • attempts to compose a variation to the theme
  • demonstrates a basic level of musical literacy in the score of their composition
  • does not include relevant performance directions.

Feedback

The teacher will provide oral feedback during the Activity and at various stages of the compositional process. Comments on their progress during the task will assist students in making musical decisions regarding the composition of each of the variations. Comments will assist them to make musical decisions about their counter melody and methods of creating contrast through the manipulation of the concept of duration.

The teacher will provide written feedback on the effectiveness of the score. Each student will undergo self-assessment focusing on the effectiveness of their variations as compositions, and peer assessment will be used as a tool to gain feedback on initial drafts of variations.

Future directions

As a result of this unit students will have developed skills in listening, score reading, composing and performing. They will also have built on their skills in the manipulation of the concepts of music and this will be seen in the creation of the two variations.

The score of Haydn's Emperor Quartet Op. 76, No 3, 2nd movement is an accessible score that students of varying abilities can use. The compositional task provides a foundation for students in showing them ways that composers have created variation, contrast and interest in their music through the manipulation of the musical concepts. These techniques can be used in student compositions through the range of topics they study.

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