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Content Standard:
7. Evaluating music and music performances
Achievement Standard:
7a. Students devise criteria for evaluating performances and compositions
Assessment strategy (both tasks are required):
TASK A: The student is asked to suggest three important criteria for evaluating music performances (e.g., technique, musical effect, tone, attack and release, balance and blend). The criteria may be in the form of either questions or descriptive phrases. The criteria suggested by the student are written down. The teacher then plays a tape of a performance by the student or by a group of which the student is a member, and the student is asked to apply his or her criteria in evaluating the performance.
TASK B: The student is asked to suggest three important criteria for evaluating music compositions (e.g., musical effect, craftsmanship, the extent to which the composer was successful in achieving his or her purpose). The criteria may be in the form of either questions or descriptive phrases. The criteria suggested by the student are written down. The teacher then plays a tape of a composition by the student or by a group of which the student is a member, and the student is asked to apply his or her criteria in evaluating the composition.
Description of response, TASK A:
Basic Level:
1. The criteria emphasize references to extramusical aspects of the performance.
2. The evaluation is coherent though incomplete. It includes statements such as, "I liked it" (or didn't) or "It made me feel good" (or didn't) without explaining how or why in appropriate music terminology.
3. In applying the criteria, the student uses general vocabulary terms more often than equivalent music terminology.
Proficient Level:
1. The criteria include references to (1) how good technically the performance was and (2) how musical it was.
2. In applying the criteria, the student uses the equivalent music terminology more often than general vocabulary terms.
Advanced Level:
1. The criteria include references to (1) how good technically the performance was, (2) how musical it was, and (3) at least one other valid criterion.
2. In applying the criteria, the student almost always uses music terminology rather than general vocabulary terms.
Description of response, TASK B:
Basic Level:
1. The criteria emphasize references to extramusical aspects of the composition.
2. The evaluation is coherent though incomplete. It includes statements such as "I liked it" (or didn't) or "It made me feel good" (or didn't) without explaining how or why in appropriate music terminology.
3. In applying the criteria, the student uses general vocabulary terms more often than equivalent music terminology.
Proficient Level:
1. The criteria include references to (1) musical effect and (2) the extent to which the composer was successful in achieving his or her purpose.
2. In applying the criteria, the student uses music terminology more often than general vocabulary terms.
Advanced Level:
1. The criteria include references to (1) musical effect, (2) the extent to which the composer was successful in achieving his or her purpose, and (3) at least one other valid criterion.
2. In applying the criteria, the student almost always uses music terminology rather than general vocabulary terms.
Achievement Standard:
7b. Students explain, using appropriate music terminology, their personal preferences for specific musical works and styles
Assessment strategy:
The student is asked to name three favorite works of music and to explain, using appropriate music terminology, just what it is that he or she likes about those works. The teacher asks
probing questions to help the student articulate the musical bases for his or her preferences. When the student uses a general term for which there is a standard music equivalent, the teacher asks, "What do musicians call that?"
Description of response:
Basic Level:
1. The student can cite one appealing musical feature of each of the works named. These features are based on the expressive qualities of music rather than on extramusical associations.
2. In some cases, the student uses music terminology rather than general vocabulary terms in describing his or her preferences, but in other cases he or she does not.
Proficient Level:
1. The student can cite two appealing musical features of each of the works named. These features are based on the expressive qualities of music rather than on extramusical associations.
2. More often than not, the student uses music terminology rather than general vocabulary terms in describing his or her preferences.
Advanced Level:
1. The student can cite three distinct, appealing musical features of each of the works named. These features are based on the expressive qualities of music rather than on extramusical associations.
2. The student uses a wide vocabulary of music terms in describing his or her preferences.
Content Standard:
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Achievement Standard:
8a. Students identify similarities and differences in the meanings of common terms used in the various arts
Assessment strategy:
The student is asked to explain in simple language the meaning of the following terms in as many of the arts (i.e., music, dance, theatre, visual arts) as possible: line, form, contrast, color, texture. By asking follow-up questions and requesting examples, the teacher determines the student's understanding of the similarities and differences in meaning of these terms in the various arts.
Description of response:
Basic Level:
The student can explain the meaning of two of the five terms in at least two arts.
Proficient Level:
The student can explain the meaning of three or four of the five terms in at least two arts.
Advanced Level:
The student can explain the meaning of each of the five terms in at least two arts. The student's responses reflect an understanding of the relationships among the arts.
Achievement Standard:
8b. Students identify ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with those of music
Assessment strategy:
The student is asked to cite examples of how what is learned in music is helpful in learning other subjects taught in school or how what is learned in other subjects is helpful in learning music. Examples include singing songs associated with various countries or regions (relevant to geography); using varied tempo, dynamics, rhythm, pitch, and timbre in interpretative readings (relevant to language arts); counting the values of notes, rests, and meter signatures (relevant to mathematics); understanding how vibration of strings, drum heads, or air columns generates sounds (relevant to science); singing songs in various languages (relevant to foreign languages).
Description of response:
Basic Level:
The student can cite and explain two good examples.
Proficient Level:
The student can cite and explain three good examples.
Advanced Level:
The student can cite and explain four good examples. The student's responses reflect an understanding of the relationships among music and other disciplines.
Content Standard:
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Achievement Standard:
9a. Students identify by genre or style aural examples of music from various historical periods and cultures
Assessment strategy:
The student is asked to identify by genre or style brief, representative, aural examples of the following music: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Renaissance, Medieval, contemporary, folk, spirituals, American Indian music, jazz, opera, marches, pop songs. Each example may be repeated once if desired.
Description of response:
Basic Level:
The student can identify 50 percent of the examples.
Proficient Level:
The student can identify 75 percent of the examples.
Advanced Level:
The student can identify 90 percent of the examples.
Achievement Standard:
9b. Students describe in simple terms how elements of music are used in music examples from various cultures of the world
Assessment strategy:
The student is asked to describe or explain how (1) pitch or melody, (2) rhythm or tempo, (3) harmony or texture, (4) voices or instruments, and (5) form or structure are used distinctively in three brief recorded examples of music from diverse cultures from various parts of the world (e.g., Western Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, South Asia and India, East Asia). Each example may be repeated once if desired. The teacher asks follow-up questions if the student's answers are incomplete or unclear.
Description of response:
Basic Level:
1. The student can describe or explain the distinctive use of two of the five categories of characteristics in one of the examples.
2. The student's answers are essentially correct but superficial or incomplete.
Proficient Level:
1. The student can describe or explain the distinctive use of three of the five categories of characteristics in two of the examples.
2.The student's answers are accurate and complete.
Advanced Level:
1. The student can describe or explain the distinctive use of four of the five categories of characteristics in all three of the examples.
2. The student's answers are accurate and complete.
Achievement Standard:
9c. Students identify various uses of music in their daily experiences and describe characteristics that make certain music suitable for each use
Assessment strategy:
The student is asked to prepare a list of events or occasions at which he or she has sung, played instruments, or heard music outside school during the preceding two weeks (e.g., watching television, on a car radio, on a CD at a friend's home, at a religious service, at a piano lesson, at the mall, at a football game, at a parade, at a birthday party). Repetition should be avoided, but different kinds of music used in the same setting may be listed (e.g., music for different purposes on television). For each event or occasion, the student is asked to describe the type of music or list the title of the specific work(s) performed or heard and explain the characteristics of that work or that type of music that make it suitable for that occasion (or explain why it was not as suitable as it might have been). If the list contains fewer than five events or occasions, the teacher asks the student to think back longer than two weeks to bring the total to at least five. The teacher asks questions as needed for purposes of prompting, particularly in discussing the characteristics of music that make it suitable for specific occasions.
Description of response:
Basic Level:
1. The student is able to cite several specific events or occasions, but appears to be overlooking occasions on which he or she is likely to have performed or heard music. (The assessment is based not on the number of occasions on which the student is exposed to music but rather on the student's sensitivity to music on those occasions.)
2. The student is able to recall some of the specific works or types of music and to provide a partial or fragmentary description. He or she uses music terminology in some instances but not in others.
3. For many of the examples, the student is able to identify the important characteristics that make the music suitable for the occasion. Some of the characteristics cited are formulaic or inaccurate. Some important characteristics are omitted.
Proficient Level:
1. The student's list of events or occasions appears to be reasonable for that student.
2. The student is able to recall many of the specific works or types of music and to describe the music, using appropriate music terminology.
3. For most of the examples, the student is able to identify the important characteristics that make the music suitable for the occasion.
Advanced Level:
1. The student's list of events or occasions is extensive and detailed, and it appears to reflect a high degree of sensitivity to the presence of music in the environment.
2. The student is able to recall most of the specific works or types of music and to describe the music, using appropriate music terminology.
3. For all of the examples, the student is able to identify the important characteristics that make the music suitable for the occasion. The list includes nearly all of the major characteristics.
Achievement Standard:
9d. Students identify and describe roles of musicians in various music settings and cultures
Assessment strategy (both tasks are required):
TASK A: The student is asked to cite five different kinds of jobs that a musician might hold (e.g., school teacher; symphony orchestra or community band conductor or player; church organist, choir director, or soloist; radio or television performer; private teacher of voice or an instrument; opera or music theatre performer; folk singer; member of a rock band; entertainer in a club or restaurant). For each job, the student is to identify and describe (1) what qualifications are needed, (2) for whom the musician performs, (3) what kind of music is performed, and (4) for what purpose the music is performed.
TASK B: The student is asked to list the major roles performed by musicians in three non-Western cultures (e.g., leader in call-and-response music in West Africa, solo performer on Indian sitar, ensemble player in Javanese gamelan or in Japanese noh or kabuki theatre). For each role, the student is asked to specify (1) for whom the musician performs, (2) what kind of music is performed, and (3) for what purpose the music is performed.
Description of response, TASK A:
Basic Level:
The student can provide acceptable answers to three of the four questions for three distinct kinds of jobs.
Proficient Level:
The student can provide accurate answers to three of the four questions for four distinct kinds of jobs.
Advanced Level:
The student can provide knowledgeable and insightful answers to three of the four questions for five distinct kinds of jobs.
Description of Response, TASK B:
Basic Level:
The student can provide acceptable answers to two of the three questions for one culture.
Proficient Level:
The student can provide accurate answers to two of the three questions for two distinct cultures.
Advanced Level:
The student can provide knowledgeable and insightful answers to all three questions for three distinct cultures.
Achievement Standard:
9e. Students demonstrate audience behavior appropriate for the context and style of music performed
Assessment strategy (TASK A is required; TASK B is desirable):
TASK A: After the class has discussed appropriate audience behavior in various performance settings, the student is given a checklist. Along one axis of the checklist is a list of music performance groups or soloists (e.g., symphony orchestra, community band, piano recitalist, opera company, church choir, chamber ensemble, jazz or pop group, folk performer, marching band, gospel choir). Along the other axis is a list of behaviors (e.g., remaining quiet, remaining seated, standing up, talking with friends, singing along, applauding intermittently, reserving applause, tapping one's foot, moving to the music, chewing gum, eating or drinking, shouting). The student is asked to place a "Y" (for yes) or "N" (for no) in each box on the checklist to indicate whether or not the behavior is normally appropriate when attending performances by that group or soloist. Any exceptions should be explained in the space provided.
TASK B: As part of the curriculum, each student attends music performances by several types of groups or soloists throughout the school year. Recorded music may be used when live performances are unavailable. Each student is paired with a partner who can verify that the student behaved as reported. Performances attended with family or friends may be counted when verified by a partner. A checklist is provided. Along one axis of the checklist is a list of music performance groups or soloists (e.g., symphony orchestra, community band, piano recitalist, opera company, church choir, chamber ensemble, jazz or pop group, folk performer, marching band, gospel choir). Along the other axis is a list of behaviors (e.g., remaining quiet, remaining seated, standing up, talking with friends, singing along, applauding intermittently, reserving applause, tapping one's foot, moving to the music, chewing gum, eating or drinking, shouting). Following each performance, the student is asked to place a "Y" (for yes) or "N" (for no) in the appropriate column for that group or soloist on the checklist to indicate whether or not the student engaged in that behavior during the performance. Any unusual circumstances should be explained in the space provided. The report is verified by the student's partner.[Note: Certain factors tend to limit the usefulness of this measure; for example (1) the behavior of the individual student in a group setting is often influenced by the behavior of others in the group; (2) many behaviors, though appropriate, are not required or necessarily expected; and (3) reports by students may not be entirely reliable.]
Description of response, TASK A:
Basic Level:
The responses indicated by the student are generally appropriate, though a few may be questionable.
Proficient Level:
The responses indicated by the student are all appropriate. The student's comments, together with his or her responses concerning behavior, demonstrate a clear awareness that different types of audience behavior are appropriate in different music settings.
Advanced Level:
No meaningful distinction between the proficient and Advanced Levels is identifiable.
Description of response, TASK B:
Basic Level:
The behaviors reported by the student are generally appropriate, though a few may be questionable.
Proficient Level:
The behaviors reported by the student are all appropriate. The student's reported behaviors, together with his or her comments, demonstrate a clear awareness that different types of audience behavior are appropriate in different music settings.
Advanced Level:
No meaningful distinction between the proficient and Advanced Levels is identifiable.