All aspects of music are explored throughout the VCE Music Course. Students refine musicianship skills, developing a critical awareness of being listeners, performers, creators and music makers. Students practise ways of effectively communicating and expressing musical ideas to an audience as performers and composers, and, in turn, respond to musical works as an audience. This develops a foundation of knowledge and skills for students to compose, arrange, interpret, reimagine, improvise, recreate and critique music in an informed manner.
Entry
Whilst there are no formal prerequisites for entry to Units 1 and 2 Music, it is strongly recommended that students have a background of commitment and achievement in music, in order to make the most of the opportunities presented in the course of study. Where classes are less than five students, a moderating partnership is entered into with one or more Victorian schools also studying VCE Unit 3 and 4 Music. For further details please email the Director of Music.
Students completing Year 9 elective Music are eligible to apply to be considered to accelerate into VCE Music Performance Unit 1 & 2 studies, and students completing Year 10 elective Music are able to continue into this course.
This Unit focuses on an exploration into how music is organised by performing, creating, analysing and responding to music works that exhibit different approaches. Students prepare and perform ensemble and/or solo musical works, they create (arrange, compose or improvise) short music exercises and analyse and respond to a range of music.
Area of Study 1: Performing
This area of study focusses on practical music-making and performance skills. Students develop their individual instrumental and musicianship skills through regular practice, demonstrating technical skills, developing ensemble skills and preparing and performing solo and ensemble works. Students may present on a variety of instruments and/or sound sources, and also sing as part of their program.
Area of Study 2: Creating
In this area of study, students create a folio of brief creative responses, developing appropriate methods of recording and preserving their own music.
Area of Study 3: Analysing and Responding
Students explore how music is organised and the components of this organisation through developing skills in aural analysis. They also develop auditory discrimination of music language concepts such as chords, scales, melodic and rhythmic patterns.
In this unit, students focus on the way music can be used to create an intended effect through performing, creating, analysing and responding to a wide range of music.
Area of Study 1: Performing
In this area of study, students prepare and perform solo and group works, one of which should demonstrate their understanding of effect in music.
Area of Study 2: Creating
Students assemble a folio of brief responses using a variety of sound sources demonstrating their understanding of the possibilities of creating effect in music.
Area of Study 3: Analysing and Responding
In this area of study, students develop skills in analysing how effect can be created in music and how the treatment of elements of music, concepts and compositional devises contribute to this effect.
The range of assessment tasks includes solo performance, group performance, demonstration of technical work and exercises, performance of unprepared material (sight reading or improvisation), written reports, folios of theory and aural exercises, composition and/or improvisation exercises.
Assessment in Units 1 and 2 is carried out by the College.
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Instrumental Music Lesson Assistance
Students undertaking VCE Units 1 and 2 Music Performance are entitled to one free 45-minute instrumental music lesson each week during school time up to their performance examination early in Term 4. The Geelong College is only able to support payments to members of the College music or College instrumental staff and these lessons are only to be conducted on our premises.