BOSTES 2012 HSC Music 1 Aural Skills - Markers Guidelines and Feedback

In better responses, candidates:

• focused on duration for the entire response
• provided detailed points supported with correct musical references, using accurate descriptions, musical notation or labelled graphic notation
• discussed metre, pulse and rhythmic textural interactions accurately
• identified rhythmic roles of instruments and how they relate one to the other
• commented on rhythmic complexity and polyrhythmic ideas
• identified time changes (simple quadruple to simple triple)
• discussed specific note values
• included a range of duration elements, eg back beat, accents, syncopation, repetition and ostinato
• clearly structured their response to cover a range of duration elements, eg subheadings such as tempo, time or rhythm.

In weaker responses, candidates:

• did not consistently discuss the concept of duration
• made generalised or unrelated comments without appropriate reference to the excerpt
• confused and incorrectly applied music terminology
• referred to other works rather than the excerpt being played
• made limited comparative statements rather than provide further descriptive musical detail, eg short and long
• focused on a limited number of points rather than fully exploring the use of duration
• did not accurately identify the instruments discussed in relation to rhythmic roles and features
• did not refer to the time change.