Standard Level (SL)
50% - Choice of Solo Performance, Group Performance or Creating
Solo Performance - Submission of a recording - Performance length must be is 15 minutes - All musical styles are encouraged - Accompanists or accompaniment tracks are required where piano parts are a part of the score - Students are allowed to submit one piece as a member of a small group as long as the student’s individual contribution is clearly identifiable |
Higher Level (HL)25% - Required:
Solo Performance - Submission of a recording - Performance length must be is 20 minutes - All musical styles are encouraged - Accompanists or accompaniment tracks are required where piano parts are a part of the score - Students are allowed to submit one piece as a member of a small group as long as the student’s individual contribution is clearly identifiable - Required: Contrasting pieces |
Solo Performing Guidelines:
During this study students should aim to develop performance skills through solo or group music making. Performance demands self-discipline and focus on the part of students as they learn to recreate music.
Solo performing—SLS, HL
The student is required to submit a recording selected from pieces presented during one or more public performance(s). The total performance time must be:
Any musical style is permitted. However, the submission should consist of contrasting pieces and should display the student’s strengths. The submission should reflect the best that the student has achieved throughout the course.
Music technology
Students choosing music technology must use pre-existing pieces and present them as recorded performances that show interpretative and stylistic qualities. This means that close attention must be paid to aspects of articulation, dynamics, phrasing, tempo, timbre/tone colour, part balance and other pertinent musical characteristics, just as in a traditional instrumental performance.
Each performance of a pre-existing piece for music technology purposes must involve a minimum of four simultaneously sounding parts. The use of the drum kit constitutes a single part. Conversely, the performance of a four-part fugue for keyboard or a string quartet fulfills the requirement, as would a jazz combo of bass, piano, drum kit and saxophone.
All parts must be MIDI-entered—sampled parts and drum loops are only acceptable if the teacher is able to verify that the samples have been performed by the student.
Small group
Students may also choose to include one example of work as a member of a small group. However, the student’s contribution to this small group must be clearly identifiable, with, if any, limited doubling by another instrument/voice, and must be a substantial part of the piece. This piece may not exceed five minutes in duration.
As solo performance in music technology already involves a minimum of four instruments, music technology students may not present a small group piece.
Accompaniment
With reference to accompaniment, submissions must be presented according to musical convention. For example, if a piece is composed for flute with piano accompaniment then it is expected that the presentation will feature both the soloist and the accompanist. Backing tracks of accompaniments not conceived as such are strongly discouraged.
In some cases, musical conventions will dictate more than one performer as part of the accompaniment. For example, a jazz saxophonist may traditionally perform along with piano, guitar, string bass and drum kit. Another example is a singer in a rock band, who may have the backing of an electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit. Despite the number of musicians providing the accompaniment in these cases, it can be said that the structure of the groups is still solo and accompaniment. In these particular cases the piece will still be considered as a solo piece. Piano reductions are also acceptable—as, for example, in the case of a concerto.
Solo performing—SLS, HL
The student is required to submit a recording selected from pieces presented during one or more public performance(s). The total performance time must be:
- SL—15 minutes
- HL—20 minutes. The purpose of recording performances is to allow students subsequently to select a number of contrasting pieces to represent their best work for internal assessment. The Diploma Programme music teacher must be able to verify that the recording is the authentic performance of each student. In performing their pieces students may use:
- any instrument and/or voice, or
- the computer as a musical instrument.
Any musical style is permitted. However, the submission should consist of contrasting pieces and should display the student’s strengths. The submission should reflect the best that the student has achieved throughout the course.
Music technology
Students choosing music technology must use pre-existing pieces and present them as recorded performances that show interpretative and stylistic qualities. This means that close attention must be paid to aspects of articulation, dynamics, phrasing, tempo, timbre/tone colour, part balance and other pertinent musical characteristics, just as in a traditional instrumental performance.
Each performance of a pre-existing piece for music technology purposes must involve a minimum of four simultaneously sounding parts. The use of the drum kit constitutes a single part. Conversely, the performance of a four-part fugue for keyboard or a string quartet fulfills the requirement, as would a jazz combo of bass, piano, drum kit and saxophone.
All parts must be MIDI-entered—sampled parts and drum loops are only acceptable if the teacher is able to verify that the samples have been performed by the student.
Small group
Students may also choose to include one example of work as a member of a small group. However, the student’s contribution to this small group must be clearly identifiable, with, if any, limited doubling by another instrument/voice, and must be a substantial part of the piece. This piece may not exceed five minutes in duration.
As solo performance in music technology already involves a minimum of four instruments, music technology students may not present a small group piece.
Accompaniment
With reference to accompaniment, submissions must be presented according to musical convention. For example, if a piece is composed for flute with piano accompaniment then it is expected that the presentation will feature both the soloist and the accompanist. Backing tracks of accompaniments not conceived as such are strongly discouraged.
In some cases, musical conventions will dictate more than one performer as part of the accompaniment. For example, a jazz saxophonist may traditionally perform along with piano, guitar, string bass and drum kit. Another example is a singer in a rock band, who may have the backing of an electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit. Despite the number of musicians providing the accompaniment in these cases, it can be said that the structure of the groups is still solo and accompaniment. In these particular cases the piece will still be considered as a solo piece. Piano reductions are also acceptable—as, for example, in the case of a concerto.