VCE Music Inquiry case studies
VCE Music Inquiry · Put your knowledge to work in context.
VCE Music Inquiry is one of the Units 3 and 4 music sequences offered within the Victorian Certificate of Education, sitting alongside Music Contemporary Performance, Music Repertoire Performance and Music Composition, with Units 1 and 2 shared across the study. It is designed for senior secondary students who want to investigate music through inquiry-based work rather than a purely performance- or composition-centred pathway, and it forms part of the VCE Music Study Design accredited from 2023. The VCE Music Inquiry case studies are 5 cases and about 1,898 words.
1Choosing an Inquiry Focus Under a Short Timeline
A Year 12 student has eight weeks until the externally assessed performance and must submit an Inquiry Focus statement by the end of week one. She has three candidate directions.
450 words, about 2 min2Deciding What Counts as Evidence in an Inquiry
A student investigating how a drummer's use of the ride cymbal shapes groove has collected three kinds of material. First, a fan blog claiming the drummer 'always plays behind the beat'.
378 words, about 2 min3Structuring the Report Around an Argument
A student's draft inquiry report has these sections: a 400-word biography of the artist, a 500-word history of the genre, a 300-word description of the song, and a 300-word conclusion saying the song is 'important'. The task requires an inquiry question, analysis of musical elements, and a justified conclusion, within 1,500 words.
317 words, about 2 min4Rehearsing Under Exam Performance Conditions
A student will perform three works in the externally assessed performance: one original composition and two contrasting covers. The specification requires a program of a set duration, and the student's current timings are 3:10, 4:05, and 2:50.
372 words, about 2 min5Balancing Originality and Influence in the Composition
A student's original composition for the assessed performance is a 3-minute piece for voice, guitar, and loop pedal. A classmate points out that its chord progression matches a well-known song and that the looped vocal layering closely resembles a specific recording.
381 words, about 2 min