AS 91274 Annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 132 KB]

TKI Music assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to perform a substantial piece of music convincingly as a featured soloist on a second instrument.

This involves the student completing a performance that is assured, musically expressive and demonstrates interpretive understanding.

This student’s performance on piano is assured, musically expressive and demonstrates interpretive understanding. The duple against triple feature of the piece is well maintained.

For a more secure Excellence, the student could iron out the minor hesitations and technical slips within the performance.

For Merit, the student needs to perform a substantial piece of music effectively as a featured soloist on a second instrument.

This involves the student completing a performance that is technically secure, stylistically appropriate and confidently communicated to the audience.

This student’s performance on violin demonstrates secure technical skills that are very close to being assured. Intonation and bowing control is generally secure and there is effective musical phrasing. The performance is confidently communicated to the audience, with appropriate posture.

To reach Excellence, the tempo needs to be more consistent with an andantino in this Romantic style (Elgar). This would allow the student to fully demonstrate their interpretive understanding of the music and secure an Excellence judgement.

For Merit, the student needs to perform a substantial piece of music effectively as a featured soloist on a second instrument.

This involves the student completing a performance that is technically secure, stylistically appropriate and confidently communicated to the audience.

This student’s performance on flute demonstrates general technical security and a subtle confidence. Notes in the lower register are well controlled. The music is appropriately demanding for this level and is effectively performed overall.

For a more secure Merit, the student could improve the technical security by developing the tone of upper register notes and their finger co-ordination. This would allow the playing to be more confidently communicated to the audience.

For Achieved, the student needs to perform a substantial piece of music as a featured soloist on a second instrument.

This involves the live presentation of music to an audience. The performance must demonstrate technical, musical and presentation skills appropriate to students in at least their fourth year of group itinerant lessons.

This student’s performance on drum-kit has demonstrated developing technical, musical and presentation skills with appropriate body language and posture. There is an inner sense of rhythmic security, with a consistent back beat generally well maintained.

To reach Merit, the student could improve their control and tightness of fill sections to strengthen technical security.

For Achieved, the student needs to perform a substantial piece of music as a featured soloist on a second instrument.

This involves the live presentation of music to an audience. The performance must demonstrate technical, musical and presentation skills appropriate to students in at least their fourth year of group itinerant lessons.

This student’s performance on bass guitar demonstrates appropriate technical, musical and presentation skills for a fourth year of instrumental study. The performance shows developing skills; the playing is rhythmically secure and mostly accurate. 

For a more secure Achieved, the student could develop their presentation skills, for example by improving the body language and posture to a level appropriate for a student in their fourth year of lessons.

For Achieved, the student needs to perform a substantial piece of music as a featured soloist on a second instrument.

This involves the live presentation of music to an audience. The performance must demonstrate technical, musical and presentation skills appropriate to students in at least their fourth year of group itinerant lessons.

This student’s performance on clarinet has demonstrated developing technical skills, with a generally clear tone.

To reach Achieved, the student could work on moving more confidently between registers to demonstrate technical skills appropriate to a clarinetist in a fourth year of group lessons. Further attention to musical shape and line (musical skills) also needs to be more fully demonstrated. Choosing a more substantial piece of music would also allow the student further potential to achieve the standard.