QCAA Music Extension study plan

Define the project brief for the performance or composition project, stating intended audience, stylistic intent, and the technical demands it will demonstrate.

Draft an investigation question that connects the project's stylistic choices to a broader musical context, and list at least four credible source types to consult.

Audit current skills against the project brief and record three specific technical gaps to close across the plan.

Set up a weekly practice or drafting log template that records time, task, and self-assessment for every session.

Establish a daily warm-up routine targeting the three technical gaps identified in week 1.

Draft the first complete section or movement of the project and record it for self-review.

Annotate two primary sources relevant to the investigation question, noting claims, evidence, and limitations.

Compare the draft against two model works in the chosen style and list concrete revisions.

Extend the project to a second contrasting section, ensuring the contrast is deliberate rather than incidental.

Produce an analytical sketch of the draft identifying form, harmonic language, texture, and motivic development.

Write a 300-word analytical commentary linking two specific compositional or interpretive decisions to the investigation question.

Seek feedback from a teacher or peer and log the three most actionable points.

Consolidate the full structural outline of the project, marking timings, transitions, and peak moments.

Revise the draft using at least three pieces of external feedback and document each change.

Draft a 400-word musicology section situating the project within its stylistic tradition, citing at least three sources.

Rehearse or render the complete draft end to end and record any breakdowns.

Refine technical execution in the two most demanding passages through slow, metronome-controlled repetition or targeted revision.

Compare the project's stylistic features against two contrasting works from the same tradition and note divergences.

Build a reference listening or reading list of five works that inform the project, annotating each with one stylistic observation.

Record a full run-through and evaluate it against a self-designed rubric covering accuracy, expression, and cohesion.

Polish the project to near-final standard, resolving all outstanding technical and notational issues.

Complete three timed aural drills per session covering interval, chord, and rhythmic dictation, tracking accuracy week over week.

Transcribe by ear a short excerpt from a work in the project's style and compare it with the notated source.

Identify and drill the three aural error patterns that appear most often in the drill log.

Finalise the project and produce a clean score, recording, or performance-ready version.

Complete the investigation response, integrating source evidence with the project's creative decisions.

Edit the musicology writing for coherence, citation accuracy, and consistent terminology.

Rehearse the full response aloud or in written form under timed conditions.

Proofread all written components for accuracy, citation integrity, and adherence to the investigation question.

Conduct a final full run-through or playback and log a last round of corrections.

Review the reference listening list and articulate in writing how each work shaped the project's stylistic decisions.

Complete one timed mock aural and musicianship test and review every error.