NCEA Level 3 Making Music exam-day guide
NCEA Level 3 Making Music · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission slip and photo ID
For any NZQA external written paper you sit during exam week, carry your admission slip and an acceptable photo ID. The exact list of accepted ID types is set by NZQA, so confirm it with your school's exams officer well before the day.
Instrument and consumable spares
Bring your primary instrument plus the parts that fail under pressure: reeds, strings, sticks, cables, batteries, rosin, valve oil, capo and picks. Label every case. If your programme uses more than one instrument, confirm with your teacher how changeover time is handled.
Printed scores or charts
Print a clean, legible set in performance order, with bars numbered and page turns planned. Bring a second copy for your accompanist or the assessor only if your school requires it - confirm that requirement rather than assuming it.
Backing and click tracks
Put every track on a labelled USB plus a backup device, using the file names and format your teacher has already tested. Check levels, count-ins and endings on the actual venue system. Decide now what you will do if the technology fails.
Small equipment kit
Pencil, eraser, tuner, metronome, sticky tabs, spare manuscript paper, water and a small towel. For written papers add pens and a ruler. If you plan to use a calculator in a music paper, confirm the permitted model with your teacher first.
Rehearsed warm-up routine
Write a 10–15 minute warm-up you have already practised: long tones, lip slurs, scales, breathing or a short technical study. Ask where you may warm up and how much time the venue allows before your slot.
Programme order and timing
Confirm the order of pieces, total playing time and any cuts or repeats with your teacher. Time the full programme including pauses and instrument changes, because running over the allowed time can affect the assessment.
Recording and moderation arrangements
Check whether your performance is being filmed or recorded for moderation, where the camera and microphones are placed, and what you must do at the start and end. Ask about consent and storage if you are unsure.
Achievement standard and assessment schedule
Read the standard and schedule for every standard you are submitting. Know which evidence counts - solo programme, ensemble contribution, composition portfolio - and which criteria your teacher will apply.
Venue, report time and transport
Confirm the venue, reporting time and transport. Aim to arrive at least 30–45 minutes before your call so you can register, set up and warm up without rushing.
Stationery for written papers
Pack pens, pencils, ruler, eraser and a clear water bottle. Leave notes, phones and smart watches out of the room and store them as the supervisor directs.
A reset plan for nerves
Decide in advance how you will recover from a mistake: keep the pulse, move to the next entry and finish the programme. A short breathing routine before you begin is more useful than last-minute practice.
Plan the day
Settle logistics in one conversation with your teacher: dates, venues, report times, programme order, and whether scores or backing tracks must be submitted early. Service or restring your instrument now, not the night before. Run the full programme once under timed, performance-like conditions and note two specific fixes. If you are submitting a composition or arrangement portfolio, confirm the upload deadline and file format today.
Do one light, confident run-through - no new repertoire and no heavy practice. Pack every checklist item into one bag, charge devices, label the USB, print spare scores and lay out your uniform. Check transport and set two alarms. Aim for a normal night's sleep rather than late practice.
Eat a normal meal and hydrate. Warm up briefly before you leave if possible, then do a second light warm-up at the venue. Arrive early, register, tune and walk the setup. Keep conversation positive and avoid comparing preparation with other candidates.
Set up quietly and efficiently, tune, and take a moment before you begin. Perform in the order you planned; if something goes wrong, recover and continue rather than restarting unless the assessment rules allow it. Acknowledge your accompanist and leave the space professionally.
Read the whole paper and the instructions first, then allocate minutes per question based on marks. Answer the questions you know best first if that helps confidence, but watch the clock. Write legibly and confirm any permitted resources before you enter.
Rules to check
For external NZQA papers, carry your admission slip and acceptable photo ID. Admission without them is at the supervisor's discretion, so confirm the exact rule and accepted ID types with your school's exams officer before exam week.
Phones, smart watches and other devices must be switched off and stored where the supervisor directs. Do not keep a device on your person in the exam room.
Bring only what the assessment permits: instrument, scores, approved backing tracks and stationery. Unauthorised notes or pre-recorded material not approved by your teacher must stay outside the assessment space.
Compositions, arrangements and written responses must be your own work. Acknowledge borrowed material, samples or outside help as your teacher requires, and do not discuss written paper content until the exam period ends.
If you need to leave the room, ask the supervisor; you will normally be supervised. Confirm the school's rules on late arrival and early departure, which are set by NZQA rather than by the music department.
Arrive at the reporting time, not the start time. Late candidates may be admitted but will not usually receive extra time, so confirm the exact policy with your school.
Your work is assessed against achievement standard criteria, not ranked against other candidates. Do not ask the assessor or supervisor to discuss grades or marks on the day; results and moderation follow later.
Any accompanist, page-turner or ensemble member must know their role and reporting time. Only people approved by the school may be in the assessment space, so confirm who is allowed in.