NCEA L1 Toi Puoro key terms

The Māori term for music and sound arts, covering creating, performing and responding to sound. In NCEA Level 1 it names the subject area where you develop practical music skills and describe your own and others' work.

Playing or performing on an instrument. Used when describing the practical performance component, where you prepare and present pieces on your instrument or voice and reflect on the choices you made.

Composing or writing songs. Covers creating original melodic and lyrical material, and the process of shaping ideas into a finished piece that can be performed or recorded.

A song, or to sing. In Māori contexts it can mean a song with particular cultural purpose such as laments or love songs, and in this subject it also covers songs in any style you compose or perform.

A Māori action song, performed with stylised hand and body movements that illustrate the words. Knowing it helps you recognise a distinct genre and describe how movement and music work together.

A vigorous Māori dance form performed with strong vocal delivery, rhythmic body percussion and facial expression. It is a performance genre with its own conventions, not simply a war dance.

Pitch, or a melody line. Used when discussing how high or low sounds are, and when describing the shape and movement of a tune you perform or compose.

Sound, or a sound. Often used in compound words for types of sound, and useful when describing tone quality, timbre and the sounds an instrument or voice produces.

Rhythm or beat, and also used for a rhythmic pattern. Helps you describe pulse, repeated patterns and how rhythmic feel shapes a piece you are studying or writing.

Pulse or beat, the steady underlying heartbeat of a piece. Distinguishing pulse from rhythm is essential when describing metre, tempo changes and how performers stay together.

Speed or tempo. Used when describing how fast or slow a piece moves, including changes of speed and the effect those changes have on mood and energy.

Volume or loudness. Covers how loudly or softly music is performed, including gradual changes such as getting louder or softer and sudden contrasts between sections.

A change or section change in music. Useful for describing where a piece shifts in dynamics, tempo, texture or key, and for mapping the structure of a work.

Pronunciation and articulation. In singing and spoken delivery it covers clear shaping of words and consonants, and in instrumental playing it covers how notes are started and stopped.

A group or ensemble. Used when describing performing with others, including how parts fit together, how players listen to each other and how a group rehearses.

Voice, or language. In music it can refer to a vocal part or line, and it also links to the language of lyrics, including te reo Māori in waiata you study or compose.

A solo performance, where one person performs alone. Describes a setting where the performer carries the whole piece without a group, and the skills needed to hold an audience alone.

An instrument, or a sound-producing device. Used when discussing instrumentation, choosing sounds for a composition and describing the role each instrument plays in a piece.

Traditional Māori musical instruments such as flutes and percussion, valued as treasured cultural items. Knowing the term helps you identify instruments and discuss cultural context respectfully.

Texture in music, meaning how many layers of sound are present and how they relate. Covers descriptions such as thin, thick, melody with accompaniment, or layered parts.

A performance or presentation. Used for the event where your work is shared with an audience, including planning, stagecraft, sound checks and reflecting afterwards on what went well.

An audition or trial performance. Covers preparing a short piece under pressure, presenting it clearly and receiving feedback, which supports the performance standards in this subject.

A submission or the act of presenting work for assessment. In practice it means handing in recordings, written notes or scores by a deadline in the required format.

To record sound, or a sound recording. Covers capturing a performance or composition using microphones and software, and the basic decisions that affect recording quality.

Natural talent or aptitude. Often used when discussing a person's strengths and instincts in music, and useful when reflecting on your own abilities and areas to develop.

Skill or competence gained through learning and practice. Used when describing what you can do, setting goals and showing progress between an early attempt and a final performance.

Feedback or a response. Covers giving and receiving comments on a performance or composition, and using that feedback to make specific improvements before assessment.

To review or evaluate. Used when analysing your own work or someone else's, judging how effectively musical elements and choices achieve the intended purpose for an audience.

An idea, concept or theme. In composition it refers to the musical idea you develop, and in analysis it means the main point or intention behind a piece of music.

A topic, purpose or underlying theme. Used when describing what a piece is about or why it was made, including the story, occasion or message behind a waiata.

Thought, idea or opinion. Used when you explain your intentions, justify choices in a composition or performance, and describe your personal response to music you have heard.

Type, kind or genre. Useful when classifying music by style or category, and when explaining how the conventions of a genre shape what a performer or composer does.

Custom or correct procedure. In music it covers appropriate ways of doing things, such as how to handle taonga pūoro or how to acknowledge a composer before performing their waiata.

Genealogy or lineage. Applied to music it means the origins and transmission of a song or style, including who composed it and who gave permission for it to be performed.

Incidental or dramatic music written to accompany a scene, film, dance or game. The composer matches mood, tempo and dynamics to the action and the intended emotional effect.

A printed or published version, such as a score or lyric sheet. Knowing how to read and produce a simple score or chord chart supports planning, rehearsal and submission of work.

An explanation or clarification. Used for the written or spoken commentary that accompanies a performance or composition, where you explain decisions, influences and the intended effect.