SACE Stage 2 Music Performance - Ensemble cheat sheet

School assessment for Ensemble Performance is weighted at 70% of the total Stage 2 Music Performance grade; the external assessment contributes the remaining 30%.

The school-assessed ensemble component is graded against two criteria: Performance (accuracy, technique, expression) and Ensemble Skills (balance, blend, intonation, responsiveness, communication).

Performance criterion descriptors typically move from 'some inaccuracies and insecure technique' at the lower bands to 'consistent accuracy, secure technique and stylistic understanding' at the top bands.

Ensemble Skills descriptors reward synchronous entries and releases, matched articulation and dynamics, stable intonation across the ensemble, and audible visual/physical communication between players.

Students submit a recorded performance (or a live assessed performance) of a program typically totaling several minutes; the exact time allocation is set by the school within SACE guidelines and must be confirmed with the teacher.

A performance portfolio or journal documenting rehearsal process, repertoire choices, and ensemble decisions may form part of the school assessment evidence, depending on the school's approved assessment plan.

Repertoire must be drawn from published ensemble works or approved arrangements; parts must be distinct and each player's contribution must be identifiable in the recording.

Moderation requires that recordings and assessment sheets be retained; the school's assessment plan (approved by the SACE Board) governs task number, timing, and weighting within the 70%.

Absence or technical failure at a recorded assessment must be handled under the school's approved special-provisions policy, not by re-recording at will.

The external assessment for Stage 2 Music Performance is weighted at 30% and is typically a performance examination assessed by external or SACE-appointed assessors.

External performance criteria mirror the school criteria: accuracy and technique, interpretation and expression, and ensemble cohesion including balance, blend, intonation and communication.

Program requirements (total performance time, number of works, mandatory contrasting styles) are set annually by the SACE Board; students must check the current subject outline for the exact minutes and work count.

Works performed externally must not duplicate works already submitted for school assessment; the external program is separate repertoire.

Scores and parts must be presented to the assessors; where a work is improvised or aurally learned, a lead sheet or written outline is normally required.

Assessment is recorded; the recording and assessor marking sheets are retained by the SACE Board for moderation and appeals.

Students with a disability or illness may apply for special provisions (e.g., extra time, rest breaks, alternative format) through the school's SACE special provisions process before the exam.

Ensemble membership for the external assessment must be declared; the same ensemble may be used for school and external assessment only if the repertoire differs.