Clarification details
Updated September 2015. This document has been updated although no new moderation issues have arisen.
Musical intention
As outlined in Explanatory Note 5, students are required to supply a ‘brief statement of the composer’s music intent for each composition’. Student’s statements, in written form, will include the aim or purpose behind the composition, together with a general overview of musical elements to be used, e.g. instruments, form, etc.
Suggested length of compositions
Each composition should be between 2 1/2 to 3 minutes in length. This will allow students to develop musical ideas effectively and/or convincingly.
Representation
The written/visual representation should be appropriate to the accepted conventions of the style or genre.
For example:
- standard music notation for a string quartet
- a minimum of lyrics with chord indications for a pop song
- a lead sheet with melody, chords and rhythm for a jazz song (fake book format)
- a tablature (ideally with rhythmic indications) for a guitar piece
- a graphic notation or narrative description for electronic or electro acoustic pieces.
A combination of these approaches may be appropriate for some students in some cases. Visual representation and audio combine to provide a more comprehensive picture of the student’s compositional intent.
If the student is using a recording as the primary representation of their creative intentions, then 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.