Past Exam Responses
Here is my 2024 effort for Contemporary Performance. This response is under timed conditions. As a result, there WILL be mistakes!! Please please please PM me when you find mistakes. I would love to fix them. There are many different ways of analysing. It’s a real risk putting this out here as I’m sure anyone who teaches ... Read more
Well, here is this year’s attempts! As always, please let me know of any issues so I can fix them. My gratitude to the VCE community we have which is really strong. Especially to Susie Heggie for your wisdom and double checking and Steven Majstorovic who helped me get access in time! Read more- Here is my 2023 effort for the new study design – Repertoire Performance. Thank you to the facebook crew who got the files to me! This response is under timed conditions. As a result, there WILL be mistakes!! Please please please PM me when you find mistakes. I would love to fix them. There are many ... Read more
- Here is my 2023 effort for the new study design – Contemporary Performance. Thank you to Adrian and Steven who got the files to me and who helped explain what the different feels were! This response is under timed conditions. As a result, there WILL be mistakes!! Please please please PM me when you find mistakes. ... Read more
- Here is my 2022 effort. Thank you to Amy who got the files to me. This is our last exam of this Study Design! Again, this response is under timed conditions. As a result, there WILL be mistakes!! Please please please PM me when you find mistakes. I would love to fix them. There are many ... Read more
- 2021 VCE Aural and Written Exam for Music Performance. Jenny Gillan’s sample Answers. Please let me know if you find any errors! Read more
- 2020 Music Performance Exam Sample Responses completed in a timed setting on the day of the exam. Read more
- My dear, dear students. Congratulations on getting beyond this exam!! I’m not kidding when I say warming up the VCASS class before this exam is one of my favourite teaching activities. There’s just a lovely energy – plus, you’re a great group of students so being with you before this means a lot to me. ... Read more
- Question 2 Work: ‘Dawn Mantras’ by Ross Edwards Performers: Sydney Children’s Choir, Cantillation, Lyn Williams (Conductor) Album: Eternity: The Timeless Music of Australia’s Composers ABC Classics, 2004) Excerpt length: 1’46” (10 Marks) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECP5AydSmnc Describe the ways in which tone colour is used to achieve expressive outcomes. Character – Low, resonant, rumbling male voices enter with complementary tone colours to the reverberant, rumbling tone colour of the ... Read more
- Question 1 Work: ‘Them Wolves’ by Nigel Westlake Performers: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Album: Babe: Orchestral Soundtrack (DewABC Classics, 2015) Excerpt length: 1’38” (8 marks) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RirT53cA0lM Discuss how the performers use dynamics and blend of instrumental voices to achieve expressive outcomes. The initial expressive outcome of tranquility is created through a unified blend of instrumental voices. Instruments play with warm, resonant tone colours. Particularly lower brass and ... Read more
- Interpretation A Work: ‘Billie Jean’ Performer: Michael Jackson Album: Thriller (MJJ Productions INC., 1982 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr4EQDVETuA Timing: 1 minutes 52 seconds Interpretation B Work: ‘Billie Jean’ Performer: Chris Cornell Album: Carry On (Interscope Records, 2007) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xW25VB1Mpw Timing: 1 minutes 46 seconds Compare the ways in which the two interpretations create different expressive outcomes through three of the following: tempo balance of music lines tone colour articulation *Note the question asks for only three. I have provided responses for all ... Read more
- Interpretation A Work: ‘A Case of You’ Performer: Prince Album: A tribute to Joni Mitchell (Nonesuch, 2007) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lJ0f75oSL4 Timing: 2 minutes 28 seconds Interpretation B Work: ‘A Case of You’ Performer: k.d. lang Album: Hymns of the 49th Parallel (Nonesuch, 2004) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–Cpg7P_B1c Timing: 2 minutes 21 seconds Compare the ways in which the performers manipulate the following to achieve expressive outcomes: Tone colour Balance of music lines Improvisation/embellishment/ornamentation A Tranquil but more energetic B ... Read more
- Question 2 Work: ‘Out of Time Part III’ Artist: Iain Grandage Performers: WA Youth Orchestra with Alumni Excerpt length: 1’32” (8 Marks) Describe how the performers create and sustain mood and character in this work. An elated, uplifting, energetic, excited character is created and sustained through The use of high pitch and shimmering, metallic tone colours in the glockenspiel These tone colours are later reflected by the ... Read more
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmVXLnmdstY Question 1 Work: ‘Albatross’ Artist: Sarah Blasko Album: What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia, 2006) Excerpt length: 1’02” a) How do the performers use tone colour to achieve expressive outcomes? (5 marks) A tranquil character with an underlying sense of restlessness is created through Overall, unified, warm, mellow, resonant tone colours. Often due to low pitch Aspirate and ‘creaking’ tone colours in ... Read more
The third question in the 2016 VCE Music Style and Composition Exam. QUESTION 3 Excerpt: George Deryfus, Sextet for didjeridu and Wind Ensemble (10 Marks) https://youtu.be/Y51y3VJ7lIY?t=13m20s (1 minute 4 seconds) Discuss how contrast is used in this excerpt The didgeridoo and woodwind instruments set up contrast immediately through articulation and tone colour. The didgeridoo has legato articulation of the drone which is ... Read more- The final analysis question of prerecorded music for the 2016 Music Style and Composition Exam. Sample responses by Jenny Gillan Question 4a. Describe the treatment of melody in excerpt 4a Hubert Giraud and Jean Drejac ‘Sous le ciel de Paris’ This question features two excerpts from this work – excerpts 4a and 4b. 4b includes all of excerpt 4a ... Read more
- The second question in the 2016 Music Style and Composition exam. These questions would also be worthwhile setting for Music Performance exam students as revision. QUESTION 2a. Excerpt: Mia Makaroff ‘Butterfly’ (2 minutes 1 second) (10 Marks) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st4zI_37JtU Explain how the voices are used in this excerpt In the introductory chord of this excerpt voices are used in the manner of ... Read more
- It is the first year I’ve put my responses up for this subject, and may well not be a regular thing given the insanity of my timetable at this time of year but for your interest, here are my responses to the 2016 exam. Question 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGt000iascg Excerpt: George Gershwin An American in Paris (1 minute 7 seconds) (10 Marks) Discuss ... Read more
- Question 16 Work: ‘Deception Bay’ Artist: Boo Seeka a) Describe how the vocalist uses tone colour to create expressive outcomes. (4 marks) The expressive outcome, a laid-back, relaxed character. Tone colours are warm and mellow created through a male vocalist singing at comfortable register = relaxed The overall approach to vocal tone colour remains stable. There are subtle changes but generally the tone colours ... Read more
- Question 17 Work: Wild Swans Concert Suite – Eliza Aria Composer: Elena Kats-Chernin Track from the album: Wild Swans (ABC Classics, 2007) (12 Marks) This excerpt has changing moods. Discuss how the performers create these moods using: blend and balance between voice and instruments articulation The mood of this work is tranquil at points and more energetic at others. Blend and balance: In the opening tranquil sections the parts ... Read more
- Question 17 Work: ‘The Brumbies from ‘The Man From Snowy River’ Artist/Composer: Bruce Rowland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw6nB1_E4GA 2 minutes 8 seconds How do performers manipulate expressive elements to communicate tension within this work? In your response refer to at least two of the following: Articulation Dynamic Range Tempo Choice Tone Colour Tone colour: The introductory low, rumbling, reverberant drone immediately creates a tense character through extremely low pitch ... Read more
- Question 16 Work: ‘The Village’ (excerpt) Artist: Boy and Bear Track from the album: The Moonfire 1 minute 35 seconds. a) Describe how the performers create character in the vocal parts of this work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RxaRKEaLzc An energetic yet relaxed character is created through varying vocal techniques which create a wide variety of tone colours. Sudden changes in approach to rhythm and tone colour also ... Read more
- There has been some question as to whether vibrato is considered part of articulation. I have had many discussions with many colleagues about this and some feel it is and some feel it isn’t!! If this teaches me anything it’s that there can be many approaches to a question and that the music and academic world ... Read more
- Question 17a Work: ‘Sharpen the Battle Claws’ Artist: David Hirschfelder Track from the album: Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’ Hoole (Water Tower Music, 2010) a. Describe two ways in which performers use articulation to create character in this excerpt. Performer use vibrato to create character. Sometimes the vibrato is used sparingly. In the introduction there is limited vibrato in ... Read more
- Question 16 Work: ‘Stakeout’ Artist: The Tango Saloon Track from the album: Shadows & Fog (Newmarket Music, 2012) Explain the performers’ use of instrumental timbre and the blend of instrumental lines to create a sense of character in this performance. Initial Character – reflective with restless undertones. A reflective character is created through use of stable approach to timbre (tone colour). The woodblock and ... Read more