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Experimenting - Sample 1 (Grade 4) May 2025

Brock Wenger via Unsplash

Experimenting Sample 1 - May 2025

Here is a creating sample using multiple AoIs. The student is experimenting with string quartets, folk music, and the ukulele. The overall marks for this experiment would likely fall in the 4 range.

Upload 1: Experimentation Report 

Upload 2: Audio Evidence 

may-2025-exp-sample--1-audio

Experimenting as a Creator

Experiments in Creating, Excerpt 1: 

0’00” - 1'26:  With or Without You String Quartet

Experiments in Creating, Excerpt 2:

1'26 - 2'30": Frog Pound

Experiments in Creating, Excerpt 3: 

2'30" - 3'23": My Folk Song

Experimenting as a Performer

Experiments in Performing, Excerpt 1: 

3'23" - 5'04": With or Without You

Experiments in Performing, Excerpt 2: 

5'04" - 6'37": Vienna

Experiments in Performing, Excerpt 3:

6'37" - 8'14"" Shenandoah

Results and Comments

This student received marks in the 11/12 range  (out of a possible 28) for this component, which, for the May 2025 assessment period, was in the 4 range. Remember that for Experimenting with Music and the Contemporary Music Maker, teachers need to predict the scores for their students (both examples of Internal Assessment) before they are sent off to examiners for moderation (see HERE for more on this). 

CRITERION A: RATIONALE AND COMMENTARY FOR MUSICAL EXPERIMENTS IN CREATING

Guiding questions:

  • How well has the student justified and supported their proposed experimentation with relevant source material and musical stimuli?
  • Is the explanation of the experimentation process and of the musical decision-making (see: Musical Decision Making) convincing? 

Music Subject Guide / Internal Assessment

The formatting of the submission is confusing. Section 1 should get right to the experimenting procedure for creating. There is no need for a section on experimenting as a researcher, as was given. Personal context may not be used, as was stated in experiment #2. The initial context is vague and adds little to the intention of the script. Further, there is no separate rationale for the creating experiment given. This should be placed at the beginning of section 1, which should start the series of creating experiments. There is no reference to the specific AoI nor context in this section. Therefore, the purpose of the experiment is vague. There is limited relevant referencing and citation. There is no given relationship to the three experiments. The evidence of relevant musical decision-making is general and limited. The content and justification are general. Marks for this criterion would most likely fall in the 2 range (out of 6).

CRITERION B: PRACTICAL MUSICAL EXPERIMENTS IN CREATING 

Guiding questions:

  • How effectively has the student conducted a series of purposeful musical experiments?
  • Is there practical evidence of informed musical decision-making... (see: Musical Decision Making)... in the musical experimentation process?  

Music Subject Guide / Internal Assessment

The first creating experiment adds a string accompaniment to the given melody. There is some stated purpose (the use of a string quartet in pop), but this lacks depth and purpose. The given example is more of a recreation of the source material rather than an adaptation. The development and application of musical ideas are mostly formulaic and not necessarily unique. There is a lack of applied research in the example. 
The second experiment refers to “location songs”, but there is no supporting research describing the meaning of location songs. The relationship of this to the first experiment is vague. 
The third experiment discusses the use of folk song, but the relationship of this to the first two experiments is confusing. There appears to be very little connection or purpose to the series of experiments. 
Marks for this criterion would most likely fall in the 3-4 range (out of 8).

CRITERION C: RATIONALE AND COMMENTARY FOR MUSICAL EXPERIMENTS IN PERFORMING

Guiding questions:

  • How well has the student justified and supported their proposed experimentation with relevant source material and musical stimuli?
  • Is the explanation of the experimentation process and of the musical decision-making (see: Musical Decision Making) convincing? 

Music Subject Guide / Internal Assessment

Just as the creating experiment, the performing experiment does not start with a rationale. This should be listed as section 2 of the written report. There is mention of the study of the ukulele, but there is no direct reference to the AoI or context. There is a lack of referencing throughout the discussion. The discussion lacks depth, and there is little relationship between the experiments. The second experiment discusses the guitar, and the third discusses the use of tablature. The intention of the performing experiment, therefore, is rudimentary and ineffective. 
Marks for this criterion would most likely fall in the 2 range (out of 6).

CRITERION D: PRACTICAL MUSICAL EXPERIMENTS IN PERFORMING 

Guiding questions:

  • How effectively has the student conducted a series of purposeful musical experiments?
  • Is there practical evidence of informed musical decision-making... (see: Musical Decision Making)... in the musical experimentation process?  

Music Subject Guide / Internal Assessment

The first experiment includes a strumming ukulele behind vocals. The depth of this as a performing study is quite general. The intention of the performing experiment should include material that offers more depth to the performing conventions of the instrument. 
The second experiment is very much similar to the first in that it includes only a strumming acoustic guitar to a vocal melody. The purpose of the performing development or technique is very general and limited. 
The third experiment investigates the use of tablature in performing a melody on the ukulele. There is some merit to the purpose of the experiment, but the relationship and development of the performing experiments are general and lack purpose. 
The examples presented represent more of a recreation of source material, and the ideas presented are formulaic rather than purposeful. There is no evidence of an adaptation of performing techniques. 
Marks for this criterion would most likely fall in the 3-4 range (out of 8).

For Further Consideration:

The student should be acknowledged for the attempt to investigate an instrument that may have been unfamiliar. Care should be given to adhere to the format as presented in the Music Subject Guide. The written report should have three clearly marked sections:

Section 1: Experimentation report - creating

Section 2: Experimentation report - performing 

Section 3: Track list 

Section 4: Bibliography

Both sections 1 and 2 should begin with a clearly stated rationale that introduces the purpose of the experiment. This should be clear and explicit. The rationale should also cover and support the AoI and context. The use of personal context should never be used in an experimentation report. There should be significant referral to referencing throughout the report. These should reinforce musical decision-making.  

Here are some site links that could be helpful with such an experiment:

  • For the application of support of musical decision making, see: Musical Decision Making  

  • In the experimenting report, it is essential to connect research to both the creating and performing experiments. For ideas on developing and connecting research skills, see: ATL - Research Skills with Lesson Ideas

  • Before submitting an experimenting report, it might be worthwhile to go over a checklist with both teacher and student to ensure all aspects of the component have been addressed: Checklist for Experimenting with Music

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