SACE Stage 2 Music Studies exam-day guide
SACE Stage 2 Music Studies · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed copy of your performance program or repertoire list
Bring several copies if the provider requires one for the examiner and one for the accompanist. Confirm the required number and format with your school or the provider, since presentation requirements vary.
Your instrument, plus a backup where practical
Check strings, reeds, drumheads, cables, batteries, and pedal power supplies the day before. Bring spares (reeds, strings, picks, sticks, cables, batteries) in a labelled bag.
Accompanist arrangements confirmed
Confirm arrival time, meeting point, warm-up room, and the order of pieces with your accompanist. Bring a clean, legible copy of the piano part. Confirm with the provider whether an accompanist is required or permitted for your instrument.
Scores or lead sheets for the examiner
Provide legible scores or charts if the assessment requires them. Confirm with the provider whether original copies, photocopies, or digital scores are acceptable.
Tuning device and any approved accessories
Bring a tuner, metronome, capo, or other accessories you normally use. Confirm with the provider whether electronic devices are permitted in the room.
Photo identification
Bring current photo ID as specified by your school or the provider. Confirm the exact accepted forms of ID with the provider before the day.
Water and a light snack
Keep hydration and food simple and familiar. Avoid trying new foods or heavy meals immediately before performing.
Performance attire prepared in advance
Choose clothing that suits your instrument and the occasion and that you have already rehearsed in. Confirm any dress requirements with your school.
Written confirmation of your session time and venue
Record the reporting time, venue, room number, and contact number. Plan to arrive early enough to register and warm up without rushing.
A short warm-up routine you have practised
Prepare a five- to ten-minute routine (long tones, scales, lip slurs, breathing, or slow passages) that settles you without tiring you.
A plan for page turns and stage setup
Decide who turns pages, where you stand or sit, and how you will signal readiness. Rehearse entrances and endings with your accompanist.
Emergency contact and transport backup
Have a backup route and a contact number in case of transport delays. Confirm with the provider what to do if you are running late.
Plan the day
Run a full timed mock performance of your entire program in the order you will present it, including spoken introductions if required. Record it, listen back, and note only two or three priority fixes rather than trying to change everything.
Check all equipment and instrument condition, replace worn consumables, and confirm accompanist logistics in writing. Confirm with the provider any details you are unsure about, such as score format, ID requirements, or permitted equipment.
Do a focused technical session on the passages identified in the mock, then stop technical work on difficult passages and shift to consolidation. Slow, accurate repetition is more useful now than fast repetition.
Run one moderate-length rehearsal at performance tempo, then stop. Avoid learning new repertoire or making major interpretive changes at this stage.
Pack your instrument, spares, scores, ID, water, and attire. Lay everything by the door. Confirm your reporting time, travel plan, and accompanist arrival time.
Protect your sleep and voice or hands: avoid loud social settings, heavy physical work, and long screen sessions. Eat familiar food and hydrate normally.
Eat a normal breakfast, do a gentle physical warm-up (stretches, breathing, lip or finger warm-ups), and review only the opening bars and key transitions of each piece.
Arrive at the venue with buffer time. Register, locate the warm-up space and the performance room, and confirm where you will meet your accompanist.
Warm up briefly and stop before you feel tired. Use the waiting time for calm breathing and mental rehearsal rather than loud practice.
Set up deliberately, take a moment to settle, and begin when you are ready. If you make a mistake, keep the pulse going and recover at the next stable point rather than restarting.
Follow the examiner's instructions about order, repeats, and stopping. If asked to stop early, do so promptly and politely; this is normal and is not a judgement on your playing.
Thank the examiner and accompanist, collect your belongings and instrument, and note anything you want to remember for future performances.
Rules to check
Follow all instructions from the examiner and venue staff about entry, setup, and when to begin or stop playing. If an instruction is unclear, ask politely before you start.
Bring the identification and documentation your school or the provider requires. Confirm the accepted forms of ID with the provider in advance rather than assuming.
Keep the performance space professional: silence phones and watches, avoid unnecessary talking, and do not record the session unless you have explicit permission.
Use only equipment, scores, and aids that are permitted. Confirm with the provider in advance whether devices such as tuners, metronomes, or tablets are allowed in the room.
If you need a break, water, or an adjustment, ask the examiner. Confirm with the provider in advance how breaks are handled in your practical session.
Treat accompanists, examiners, and other candidates courteously, and keep noise away from rooms where others are performing.
Understand what is being assessed: confirm with the provider how your program is weighted and whether program notes, introductions, or sight-reading tasks form part of the assessment.
If something goes wrong (equipment failure, illness, lateness), tell the examiner or supervisor immediately and follow the provider's process. Confirm that process with the provider beforehand so you know who to contact.