Sample work Creative Arts K–6 Stage 3: Music: Exploring Graphic Scores

Suggested materials

Variety of music from South-East Asia, paper, textas, percussion instruments.

Prior learning

Students have listened to music from South-East Asian cultures and used their voices, instruments and environmental sounds to produce graphic scores. They have experimented with musical concepts, especially dynamics, texture, pitch and tone colour. Students have discussed musical concepts in their own work and the compositions of others. They have experimented with playing instruments softly and gradually adding instruments to create layers in the soundscape.

Board of Studies NSW, K–6 Creative Arts Units of Work, p 91

Outcomes

Organising Sound (MUS3.2)
Improvises, experiments, selects, combines and orders sound using musical concepts.
Organising Sound (MUS3.3)
Notates and discusses own work and the work of others.

Criteria for assessing learning

Students will be assessed on their:

• organisation of musical ideas into a composition
• exploration of ways varying musical material and environmental sound sources represent South-East Asian culture
• use of graphic symbols to represent sound and communicate their own musical ideas.

Work Sample Assessment 

Riley 

Riley has demonstrated a high level of competence in representing musical ideas using graphic notation. The symbols are clear and there has been an attempt to layer sound and indicate duration, but there is only one indication of dynamic change. The composition has been unified by the use of hats and rice throughout, and a clear explanation of the choice of symbols in relation to instruments and musical concepts has been provided. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by a student performing at grade B standard at the end of Stage 3.

Ariel 

Ariel has demonstrated an adequate level of competence in representing musical ideas using graphic notation. There is a clear understanding of how graphic symbols represent sound, and an attempt has been made to graphically notate dynamics and pitch, but there is little evidence of layering, and the composition lacks a defined starting place. There is consistency in the chime bar pattern which unifies the piece and some good explanations in relation to tone colour, pitch and dynamics. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by a student performing at grade C standard at the end of Stage 3.

Taylor 

Taylor has demonstrated a limited level of competence in representing musical ideas using graphic notation. There is no obvious starting point or direction to the composition as the symbols are isolated. The structure shows no layering of sounds, and there is little indication of rhythmic patterns and ideas. Only two of the four symbols representing sound have been explained, and the musical concepts have not been addressed in the explanation. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by a student performing at grade D standard at the end of Stage 3.

Bailey 

Bailey has demonstrated a very limited level of competence in representing musical ideas using graphic notation. Only two instruments have been included and there is minimal explanation of their use in the composition. There is an inconsistency between the description and the key, and little indication of structure, duration, pitch, dynamics or tone colour. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by a student performing at grade E standard at the end of Stage 3.