Clarification details
Updated May 2015. This document has been updated, but no new moderation issues have arisen.
The purpose of clarifications
We create clarification documents to help people understand the current requirements of achievement standards. Clarifications do not introduce new criteria, change the intent of the standard, or change what we expect from assessment.
These documents unpack and explain the language and intent of the standard so people interpret and apply the standard consistently. We provide examples or guidance as illustrations only. They are not prescriptions or requirements.
For official requirements, always refer to the current version of the achievement standard as published by NZQA.
Assessment guidance
All composition standards require students to submit both visual (written) and audio representation for moderation. Visual representation will convey compositional intent and be appropriate to genre. Audio recordings provided for moderation must be stand-alone audio files. This enables moderators to hear the same audio evidence as teachers heard when assessing student work.
Visual representation often takes the form of a written score. In some genres, an audio recording is considered the primary means of representation, particularly for contemporary song. These recordings would be of the highest possible standard to allow students to meet the requirements of ‘skilful’ representation (Excellence).
Further, extra care should be taken with the quality of the sound so that the recording could be used as a means of reproducing the music in performance. Some form of written or visual representation will also need to be included to meet the requirements of the standard (Explanatory Note 4).
Visual and audio representation needs to be combined to provide a more comprehensive picture of the student’s compositional intent and should be appropriate to the accepted conventions of the style of genre. For example:
- standard music notation for a string quartet
- lyrics with tempo and chord indications for a contemporary song
- lead sheet with melody, chords and rhythm for a jazz song (fake book format)
- tab (ideally with rhythmic indications) for a guitar piece
- graphic notation or narrative description for electronic or electro acoustic pieces.
For some students a combination of these approaches may be appropriate.