Browse through questions from the NSW BOSTES HSC Music 1 Aural Exam questions or search for specific questions by entering a topic, composer, title or concept into the search field above. Click on the question to launch the scaffold and revision info.
| Year | Topic | Composer | Excerpt Title | Concept(s) | Question |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Rock (Instrumental) | Rush | YYZ | Duration | 01. Explain how DURATION is used in this excerpt. |
| 2019 | Popular music | Kate Miller-Heidke | Where? | Pitch, D&ET | 02. Explore the use of PITCH and DYNAMICS and EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES in this excerpt. |
| 2019 | Dance/Electronic | ODESZA | Loyal | Tone colour, Texture | 03. Describe how the use of TECHNOLOGY has affected TONE COLOUR and TEXTURE in this excerpt. |
| 2019 | Film music | Thomas Newman | Quenelle with Regency Sauce, Etc. | All concepts, Contrast, Unity | 04. Analyse the use of both UNITY and CONTRAST in this work. |
| 2018 | Film music | Ramin Djawadi | Westworld | Tone colour | 01. Describe the use of TONE COLOUR in this excerpt. |
| 2018 | Dance/Electronic | Sam Spiegel and Ape Drums | Mutant Brain | Duration | 02. Explore how DURATION is used in this excerpt. |
| 2018 | 20th Century | George Gershwin | An American in Paris | All concepts, Contrast | 03. Analyse how CONTRAST is used in this excerpt. |
| 2018 | World music | The Piano Guys | In a Hurry | All concepts, Contrast, Unity | 04. Explain how TEXTURE is used in this excerpt. |
| 2017 | World music | Eleni Vitali | To Tsantiraki | Pitch | 01. Describe the use of PITCH in this excerpt. |
| 2017 | Film music | Alan Silvestri | What are you doing? from Mouse Hunt | All concepts, Contrast | 02. How is MUSICAL INTEREST created in this excerpt? |
| 2017 | Rock, Pop | Silverchair | Across the Night | Tone colour | 03. Explore the roles of the SOUND SOURCES in this excerpt. |
| 2017 | Jazz | Christian McBride | In a Hurry | All concepts, Contrast, Unity | 04. Explain how both UNITY and CONTRAST are achieved in this excerpt. |
| 2016 | Pop | Rick Price | Bridge Building Man | Structure, Tone colour | 01. Describe the STRUCTURE of this excerpt with reference to the use of SOUND SOURCES. |
| 2016 | 19th Century | Verdi, Giuseppe | Overture from La Traviata | Pitch, Texture | 02. Explain how PITCH relates to TEXTURE in this excerpt. |
| 2016 | World music, 20th/21st Century | Jacqueline Fuentes | Sinuoso Trópico | D&ET, Texture | 03. How are EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES and DURATION used in this excerpt? |
| 2016 | 20th/21st Century | 2Cellos | Mombasa | All concepts, Tension | 04. Explain how TENSION is achieved in this excerpt. |
| 2015 | 19th Century | Bizet, Georges | Farandole from L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 | Pitch, Melody | 01. How is MELODIC MATERIAL used in this excerpt? |
| 2015 | Jazz | Herbie Hancock | It Ain't Necessarily So | Texture, Unity and Contrast | 02. Explain how the LAYERS OF SOUND are used in this excerpt to achieve unity and contrast. |
| 2015 | Pop | Ver 1 - Dusty Springfield | Ver 2 - The White Stripes | I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself | All concepts, Compare | 03. Compare how the CONCEPTS OF MUSIC are used in the two versions of I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself. |
| 2015 | Australian Music, 20th/21st Century | The Australian Voices | Kalkadunga Yurdu | Interest, Tone colour, Texture | 04. How are the VOICES used to create MUSICAL INTEREST in this excerpt? |
| 2014 | Pop | Simply Red | Fairground (Rollo and Sister Bliss Remix) | Tone colour | 01. How are SOUND SOURCES used in this excerpt? |
| 2014 | Music of a culture | Alms for Shanti | Superbol | All concepts | 02 - Describe the MUSICAL FEATURES of this excerpt? |
| 2014 | Film music | Thomas Newman | The Attack of the Hook-Handed Man | All concepts, Tension | 03. How is TENSION created in this excerpt? |
| 2014 | Rock, Pop | The Notting Hillbillies | Run Me Down | Structure, Unity, Contrast | 04. How does STRUCTURE contribute to both UNITY and CONTRAST in this excerpt? |
| 2013 | Rock, Pop | Elana Stone | Come on Over | Pitch | 01. Describe the use of PITCH in this excerpt. |
| 2013 | Jazz | James Morrison and Swing City | Fanfare | Structure, Texture | 02. PART A - Outline the STRUCTURE of this work. 02. PART B - How is TEXTURE developed in this work? |
| 2013 | Rock, Pop | Despite My Deepest Fear | Firework | All concepts, Styles | 03. Explore the features of the STYLES used in this excerpt. |
| 2013 | 19th Century | Edvard Grieg | Wedding Day at Troldhaugen | All concepts, Contrast | 04. With specific reference to the CONCEPTS OF MUSIC, explain how contrast is achieved in this excerpt. |
| 2012 | Rock, Pop | Christa Hughes and the Honky Tonk Shonks | Back in Black | Duration | 01. Explore the use of DURATION in this excerpt. |
| 2012 | 20th/21st Century | Jane Aubourg | Finding Frangipanis | Texture | 02. Identify the layers of sound in this excerpt and describe how they are used |
| 2012 | Film music | Colin O'Malley | Wildcat Fanfare (Drumline) | All concepts, Contrast | 03. How is MUSICAL INTEREST maintained in this excerpt? |
| 2012 | Film music | Burkhard Dallwitz | Kate and Tilly's Waltz | All concepts, Contrast, Unity | 04. Explain how UNITY and CONTRAST are achieved in this excerpt? | 2011 | Baroque | Vivaldi, Antonio | Autumn from the Four Seasons Op.8 | Structure , All concepts | 01. Describe the STRUCTURE of this excerpt with reference to the use of MUSICAL MATERIAL. |
| 2011 | Rock, 19th Century | Tchaikovsky, Apocalyptica | Hall of the Mountain King | Contrast, Duration, All concepts | 02. How is MUSICAL INTEREST achieved in this excerpt? In your response, refer to DURATION and at least ONE OTHER CONCEPT of music. |
| 2011 | Australian music, Pop | Yothu Yindi | Djäpana | Texture, Tone colour | 03. Describe the TEXTURE of this excerpt with reference to specific SOUND SOURCES. |
| 2011 | Pop | Dido and Faithless | One Step Too Far | Unity, Contrast, All concepts | 04. How are REPETITION and VARIETY achieved in this excerpt? In your answer, refer to the CONCEPTS OF MUSIC. |
| 2010 | Pop | Benny Benassi, The Biz | Let it Be | Contrast, All concepts | 01. Describe how MUSICAL INTEREST is created in this excerpt. |
| 2010 | Film music | Marinelli, Dario | Atonement | Pitch, Duration | 02. How are the concepts of PITCH and DURATION explored in this excerpt? |
| 2010 | Rock, Pop | The Angels, Tourettes | Take a Longline. Ver 1 - The Angels Ver 2 - Tourettes | Tone colour, D&ET, Compare | 03. Compare the use of both TONE COLOUR and EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES in the two versions of Take a Longline. |
| 2010 | 20th/21st Century | Bernstein, Leonard | I Feel Pretty - Oscar Peterson Trio | Unity, Contrast, All concepts | 04. Describe how UNITY and CONTRAST have been achieved in this excerpt. In your answer, refer to the CONCEPTS OF MUSIC and specific examples from the excerpt. |
| 2009 | Medieval | Anonymous | Ductia - Ars Antiqua de Paris | Tone colour, Texture | 01. Part A – Identify three TONE COLOURS you hear in this excerpt. 01 Part B – Discuss how TONE COLOUR emphasises the changes in TEXTURE. |
| 2009 | Pop | Mika | Grace Kelly (Acoustic) | Pitch, Contrast | 02. Focusing on the concept of PITCH, describe how CONTRAST is achieved in this excerpt. |
| 2009 | Australian music | Roach, Archie Compare | Took the Children Away Ver 1 - Archie Roach Ver 2 - Archie Roach (Aus Art Orchestra) | Duration, Compare | 03. COMPARE the use of DURATION in the two versions of Took the Children Away. |
| 2009 | Film music, Jazz | Sherman | I Wanna Be Like You | D&ET, All concepts, Contrast | 04. With reference to EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES and ONE OTHER CONCEPT, describe how musical interest is achieved in this excerpt. |
| 2008 | Pop, Film music | Soundtrack, Queen | Somebody to Love – From Happy Feet | Contrast, All concepts | 01. In this excerpt, how does the composer maintain INTEREST? |
| 2008 | Traditional | Paredes, Bob | Bulgar Frailach – By Bob Paredes | Pitch, D&ET | 02. Comment on the use of PITCH, DYNAMICS and EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES in this excerpt. |
| 2008 | 20th/21st Century | Prokofiev, Sergei | Dance of the Knights - Romeo and Juliet | Duration, Pitch | 03. Discuss the composer’s use of DURATION with reference to the THEMES and ACCOMPANIMENT in this excerpt. |
| 2008 | Jazz, Australian music | Whittaker, Blaine | The Messenger | Structure, All concepts | 04. Define the STRUCTURE of this excerpt with reference to the CONCEPTS of MUSIC. |
| 2007 | Pop | Architecture in Helsinki | The Owls Go | Contrast, Tone colour | 01. In this excerpt, how is VARIETY created through the use of TONE COLOUR? |
| 2007 | 19th Century | Mendelssohn, Felix | Symphony No. 4 | Pitch | 02. Describe Mendelssohn’s use of PITCH in this excerpt. |
| 2007 | Pop, Rock | Satie, Erik | Variations on a Theme - Blood, Sweat and Tears | Contrast, Compare, All concepts | 03. Describe the differences in the musical treatment of each excerpt. Refer to the CONCEPTS of MUSIC in your answer. (It is not necessary to address all concepts.) |
| 2007 | Rock, Pop | Clegg, Johnny | These Days | Texture | 04. Identify the LAYERS of SOUND and describe how they are used in this excerpt. |
| 2006 | Pop | Puretone | Addicted to Bass | Tone colour | 01. Comment on the roles of the SOUND SOURCES in this excerpt. |
| 2006 | 19th Century | Lalo, Edouard | Norwegian Rhapsody | Texture, Duration, Contrast | 02. Describe how the composer creates VARIETY through the use of TEXTURE and DURATION. |
| 2006 | Pop | Sting | Until - Sting and the Brodsky Quartet | Pitch, All concepts | 03. By referring to the CONCEPTS of MUSIC, describe the relationship between the MELODY and ACCOMPANIMENT in this excerpt. |
| 2006 | Jazz | Davis, Jimmy | You Are My Sunshine - James Morrison | D&ET | 04. How are DYNAMICS and EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES explored in this excerpt? |
| 2005 | Music of a culture | Mestisay | Danza de los Enanos | Structure | 01. Outline the STRUCTURE of the excerpt. |
| 2005 | Baroque | Vivaldi, Antonio | Concerto Opus 10 No. 1 - In F major | All concepts, Unity | 02. How is REPETITION used in this excerpt? |
| 2005 | 20th/21st Century | Xenakis, Iannis | Phlegra | All concepts, Tension | 03. With reference to the CONCEPTS of MUSIC, describe how TENSION is created in this excerpt. |
| 2005 | Rock, Pop | Zeppelin, Led | Hot Dog | Pitch | 04. Describe the use of PITCH in this excerpt. |
| 2004 | Pop | Living End, The | Tainted Love | Duration | 01. Discuss the use of DURATION in this excerpt. |
| 2004 | Film music | Zimmer, Hans | Driving | Structure | 02. Explain the STRUCTURE of this excerpt. |
| 2004 | Pop | Ben, Jorge | Mas Que Nada - The Idea of North | Tone colour, Contrast | 03. Discuss how TONE COLOUR is used to create INTEREST in this excerpt. |
| 2004 | 20th/21st Century | Ives, Charles | Variations on America | Contrast, All concepts | 04. How is CONTRAST achieved within this excerpt? |
| 2003 | Jazz | Rodgers, Paul | Muddy Water Blues | Pitch | 01. Discuss the use of PITCH in this excerpt. |
| 2003 | Traditional | Traditional | Tarakihi | Texture | 02. Identify the LAYERS of SOUND, and describe how they are used. |
| 2003 | 20th/21st Century | Piazolla | Allende | All concepts, Contrast | 03. How does the composer maintain INTEREST in this excerpt? |
| 2003 | 18th Century | Haydn, Joseph | Piano Trio No. 18 | Unity, All concepts | 04. Referring to the CONCEPTS of MUSIC, describe how the composer achieves UNITY in this excerpt. |
| 2002 | Renaissance | Anonymous | La Volta | Struture | 01. Describe the STRUCTURE of the excerpt. |
| 2002 | Jazz, World music, Rock | Zawinal, Joe | Mi Gente | Tone colour | 02. Explain how the PERFORMING MEDIA are used in this excerpt. |
| 2002 | Australian music | Smeaton, Bruce | Seven Little Australians | Contrast, All conecpts | 03. How is CONTRAST created in this piece? |
| 2002 | 19th Century | Bizet, Georges | Habanera - Filippa Giordano | Pitch, D&ET | 04. Describe the solo singer’s use of PITCH and EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES in this performance. |
| 2001 | World music, Pop | Florzinha, Comadre | SaPopemba | All concepts | 01. Describe how the CONCEPTS of MUSIC are used in this excerpt. |
| 2001 | Film music | Herrmann, Bernard | North by Northwest - Prelude | Duration | 02. Discuss the ways in which various RHYTHMS are used in this excerpt. |
| 2001 | 19th Century | Berlioz, Hector | Te Deum | All concepts, Tension | 03. How are the CONCEPTS of MUSIC used to create a CLIMAX in the excerpt? |
| 2001 | Film music, Pop | Mandingo | Medicine Man | Structure | 04. Describe the STRUCTURE of the excerpt, supporting your answer with reference to other MUSICAL CONCEPTS. |
