WACE ATAR Music exam-day guide
WACE ATAR Music · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Instrument and accessories
Bring your primary instrument plus any spares you rely on (strings, reeds, sticks, cables, pedals, power supply). For voice or non-portable instruments, confirm with the provider what is supplied on site and what you must bring.
Printed performance scores and a copy for the assessor
Bring legible printed scores or lead sheets for each piece. Whether photocopies or originals are required, and how many copies the panel needs, is set by your school or the examining authority, so confirm with the provider.
Accompanist details confirmed
Confirm your accompanist's arrival time, warm-up room, and repertoire. If the provider supplies an accompanist, confirm rehearsal arrangements and whether a fee applies with the provider.
Photo identification
Bring current photo ID as specified in your exam instructions. The exact accepted forms and whether ID is checked at the practical venue should be confirmed with the provider.
Exam timetable and venue confirmation
Know your reporting time, venue, room number, and any registration desk. Reconfirm the day before, as times can change.
Program order and timing sheet
Write out your chosen program order with running times so you can present it clearly and manage the set length. Confirm any total time limit and whether you may choose the order with the provider.
Tuning device and metronome
Bring a clip-on tuner and a metronome if permitted. Some venues restrict electronic devices in the exam room, so confirm with the provider what is allowed at the instrument.
Water and a light snack
Bring water and a small snack for before or between items. Check whether food and drink are permitted in waiting areas with the provider.
Warm-up plan
Prepare a short warm-up routine you can do quietly and safely, and know where you are permitted to warm up. Confirm available warm-up space and time with the provider.
Comfortable, appropriate clothing
Wear something that lets you play freely and looks professional. Avoid loose sleeves or accessories that could interfere with your instrument.
Backup plan for equipment failure
Pack spare batteries, cables, and a backup for any electronics. For amplification or backing tracks, confirm with the provider what playback equipment is available and in what format files must be submitted.
Review the assessment criteria
Reread the marking criteria for your practical so you know what the panel rewards (tone, accuracy, expression, presentation). These criteria are published by the examining authority, so verify the current version with the provider.
Plan the day
Run a full mock performance in the actual order, timed end to end, including walk-on, tuning, pauses between pieces, and walk-off. Record it and listen back for balance, tempo stability, and any memory slips. Fix only small, high-value issues now; avoid major changes to interpretation or technique.
Check all equipment: change strings or reeds if needed and let them settle, test cables and pedals, charge or replace batteries, and confirm your accompanist is set. Print fresh scores and mark your copies clearly.
Confirm logistics: reporting time, venue, parking or transport, and what the provider supplies versus what you bring. Resolve any uncertainty with your teacher or the provider now, not on the day.
Do a light, careful practice session focused on warm-ups, tricky passages at slow tempo, and starting points of each piece. Stop while you still feel fresh; do not exhaust yourself.
Pack your bag using the checklist: instrument, accessories, scores, ID, water, tuner, spares. Lay out clothing. Set two alarms and plan your departure time with a buffer for delays.
Visualise each piece briefly, especially the openings and any transitions. Get a full night's sleep; sleep matters more than one more late practice session.
Eat a normal breakfast and hydrate. Do a short, gentle warm-up (10-20 minutes) rather than a full practice session. Arrive early enough to register, settle, and warm up again quietly before your call time.
At the venue, check in, confirm the room and running order, tune carefully, and take a few calm breaths. Keep conversation light and avoid last-minute score cramming that raises anxiety.
Enter calmly, greet the panel politely, and set up without rushing. Tune if permitted, take a moment of silence before starting, and give a clear preparatory beat or breath so your accompanist and you start together.
If you make a mistake, keep going; do not restart unless the rules allow it and the error is at the very beginning. Recover musically and stay focused on the next phrase.
Between items, pause briefly, reset posture and breathing, and adjust equipment only as needed. If the panel asks questions or gives instructions, listen fully and respond clearly.
Thank the panel, collect your belongings, and leave quietly without discussing your performance inside the exam area. Note what went well and what to improve for future assessments.
Rules to check
Follow all instructions from the supervising staff and panel. Arrive by your reporting time; late arrival procedures and whether you can still perform are set by the examining authority, so confirm with the provider in advance.
Bring the identification and documentation specified in your exam instructions and present it if asked. Accepted ID forms and check-in procedures vary, so confirm with the provider.
Keep to your approved program and any total time limit. Whether you may choose the order of pieces, repeat sections, or substitute repertoire on the day must be confirmed with the provider before the exam.
Do not bring unauthorised materials or electronic devices into the performance room. What counts as permitted equipment (tuners, metronomes, page-turners, playback devices) is defined by the provider; ask rather than assume.
Breaks and rest periods, if any, are at the panel's discretion or set by the provider's procedures. If you need an adjustment or rest break for a documented reason, arrange it through the provider well before the exam.
Perform only your own prepared material; do not use pre-recorded backing that includes your own performed part unless the rules permit it. Confirm acceptable backing-track formats and content with the provider.
Scoring is done by the panel against the published criteria for your practical. You will not receive a mark or detailed feedback on the day; results and feedback are released through the provider's official process.
Maintain academic integrity and respectful conduct throughout. Any suspected misconduct or breach of exam rules is handled under the provider's policies, so read the current rules and confirm any ambiguity with the provider.