Music

The Arts|New Zealand Curriculum

About Music

Music is a rich part of the diverse cultures of Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a vital part of life for many communities and is an art form that can be used to express histories, knowledge bases, local contexts, language, and aspirations.

This page contains resources and tools to help support: 

  • internal and external assessment (exams)
  • teachers delivering this subject
  • learners taking this subject.

Read more about this subject on NCEA.education (external link)

Changes to Music

Sample resources for 91950 for external assessment in 2025

Assessor Support

See how our online resources and workshops can support and improve your assessment practice.

Assessor Support home

Music standards

Level 1 standards

Music achievement standards

Find Level 1 standards

Level 2 standards

Music achievement standards

Find Level 2 standards

Level 3 standards

Music achievement standards

Find Level 3 standards

NZ Scholarship standard

Find NZ Scholarship standard

Exemplars, reports, past exams and assessment schedule

Level 1

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedules and reports

Level 1

Level 2

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedule and reports

Level 2

Level 3

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedule and reports

Level 3

New Zealand Scholarship

Music assessment specifications and resources

NZ Scholarship

Cut scores

Past scores for exams for all levels

Get cut scores

Assessment specifications

Level 1

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 1

Level 2

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 2

Level 3

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 3

New Zealand Scholarship

Get the latest assessment specifications

NZ Scholarship

Assessor support materials for internal assessment

Internal exemplars

See exemplars for internally assessed Music standards

Go to exemplars

National moderator's report

Annual reports on issues and trends in assessment

View moderator's report

Clarifications

Updates on assessment and moderations

Find Music clarifications

Request clarification form

Teachers can request clarification of a standard with this form

Open request clarification form [DOC, 78.4KB]

Remote assessment matrix

Guidance for teachers if learning and assessment needs to be completed remotely

Remote assessment matrix [PDF, 172KB]

Alternative evidence gathering templates

Templates for student results when direct assessment is not possible

Get templates

Music resources on Pūtake

Online learning modules available for this subject

Go to resources

More resources

Music Technology exemplars

Music aural skills and transcription [PDF, 260 KB] – for use with standards 91093, 91275, and 91420

Conventions common to scores in any style [PDF, 284 KB] – for use with standards 91094, 91276, and 91421

Instrumental performance guidelines - for use with standards 91949, 91270, 91416

Tools

Level 1 assessment matrix

Use this Music matrix on NCEA.education with new standards in 2024

Go to the matrix

Level 2 and 3 assessment matrix

Use this Music matrix for Level 2 and 3 standards

Download matrix [DOCX, 48 KB]

Career guidance

Career information and tools to help your students on careers.govt.nz

Go to careers.govt.nz

Log in to MyNZQA school portal