HSC Music 2 study plan

Audition and select two contrasting performance pieces that together demonstrate technical control and interpretive range

Map the formal structure and harmonic language of both chosen pieces bar by bar

Draft a 16-bar original motif in a chosen style and notate it accurately with dynamics and articulation

Establish a daily 20-minute technical routine targeting the specific demands of each piece

Record a baseline full run of each performance piece and log every technical fault with timestamps

Isolate and slow-practice the three weakest passages until played cleanly five times consecutively

Extend the 16-bar motif into a 32-bar section using a contrasting texture

Analyse how two published works manipulate motif and sequence, and apply one technique to your draft

Develop the 32-bar draft into a complete short composition with a clear beginning, development, and close

Harmonise a given eight-bar melody in two distinct styles and justify each chord choice in writing

Compare the treatment of a single musical element across two works from different periods

Notate the full composition with correct score layout, transposition, and performance directions

Perform both pieces end to end from memory or with minimal reliance on the score

Write a structured essay plan comparing two prescribed works across context, structure, and treatment of material

Refine interpretive decisions in each piece and articulate the reasoning aloud in a recorded commentary

Sight-read one unseen excerpt daily, targeting accuracy of rhythm and pitch under time pressure

Draft two full musicology essays under timed conditions using the prepared plans

Transcribe four melodic excerpts by ear, moving from tonal to increasingly chromatic material

Identify intervals, chord qualities, and cadences by ear in sets of twenty with accuracy tracking

Annotate a score while listening to identify instrumentation, texture, and structural markers in real time

Perform rhythmic and melodic dictation daily, increasing length from four to eight bars

Identify modulations and harmonic progressions by ear in short recorded excerpts

Run both performance pieces under simulated exam conditions with a single uninterrupted take

Compare your baseline recordings from week two against current takes and document measurable improvement

Complete one full mock examination covering musicology, aural skills, and composition tasks under strict timing

Perform both pieces for a listener and incorporate their feedback into final interpretive choices

Revise the composition against the marking criteria and produce a final polished score

Review all analytical notes and condense them into a single quick-reference summary sheet

Perform both pieces daily at full tempo with attention to stamina, projection, and communication

Run daily short aural drills to maintain sharpness without overloading

Rehearse exam-day routines including warm-up, setup, and recovery from mistakes

Review summary sheets and mock-exam errors, targeting only the highest-impact remaining gaps