Home of real teaching & learning
  • Full support for teachers
  • Focus on critical thinking
  • Engaging classroom activities
  • Integrated student eBook
  • Assessed tasks / qBank
  • Practice exam questions
Find out more Download brochure

The InThinking Guarantee: Our sites are written by expert practitioners and not by AI

See our AI policy

Disclaimer: InThinking subject sites are neither endorsed by nor connected with the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

Don't miss out, find out!

Exploring Sample 1 - Nov. 2025 (Grade 7)

Free Image via Unsplash

Exploring Music in Context - Full Portfolio

The first student exploring sample from the November 2025 marking session includes the use of three AoIs. This sample first explores film music through AoI 3 using Monsters Inc. by Randy Newman. Then, the personal context and AOI 2 are addressed through the Chinese pop (C-pop) music of Jay Chou. Finally, this exploring sample investigates the Norwegian folk music of Grieg, applying AoI 1 and the global context. 

Upload 1: Written Work 

For the submission of the cover sheet (this is known as 6/MEMC), you will need to visit MyIB, but for a complete summary of ALL the forms that need to be submitted, you may visit Preparing the IB Forms and Submission 

Upload 2: Audio Evidence 

upload-2- nov.-2025.mp3

Creating Exercise Personal Context (Note: The personal context may be used for the creating exercise but may not be used for the performed adaptation 

Inspired by Chou's “Coral Sea.”  0:01 - 1:08

Performed Adaptation Local Context
Stimulus for Performed Adaptation. Monsters Inc. 1:08 - 2:09
Performed Adaptation. 2:09 - 3:16. Performed on the piano 

Upload 3: Audio Reference Materials

upload-3-nov.-2025.mp3

AoI 3: Music for Monsters Inc. 0:00 - 0:39

AoI 2: Chinese Pop Music. 0:40 - 2:11

AoI 1: Norwegian Dances.  2:12 - 2:36

Actual Marks and Comments

This student received a total of 20 points out of 24,  which rendered the result of a 7 in the Nov 2025 (18-24 was the grade boundary for 7) assessment period. You may visit Subject Reports - May 2025  for a complete analysis of the statistics for November 2025.  

Teachers and students need to USE the criteria to help build an UNDERSTANDING of the assessment of this component. Before opening up the criteria and comments, students, and teachers should visit Using the Criteria - Student Exercise 

CRITERION A: SELECTION OF EVIDENCE
Guiding questions:

  • Does the student explore diverse musical material?

  • Is the evidence well-chosen and appropriate to the exploration?  


    Music Subject Guide / External Assessment?

This criterion is worth a total of 6 points. 
The student's exploration portfolio contains three works that cover three different AoIs and three different musical contexts. The musical material is mostly relevant and has a clear sense of musical purpose. There is sufficient demonstration of competent musical understanding.
Musical contexts are identified, but could use some further brief justification. 
Care should be given that the musical elements unique to the given genre are explicit as the piece is introduced. This was done quite well with the first example, but less so in the second and third examples. 
In order to remain under the word count, it is important to focus on the musical elements significant to the genre and the AoI. 
The timestamps for all supporting audio evidence are clear throughout the discussion and provide clear evidence of the applicable material. 
These criteria would most likely fall under the higher-mark band, receiving a 5 out of 6.

 CRITERION B1: CONDUCTING MUSICAL RESEARCH
Guiding questions:

  • How well does the student communicate the findings?
  • How effective are the selected findings?
  • Does the student use accurate terminology?
  • How effectively does the student locate the musical findings?   

Music Subject Guide / External Assessment

This criterion is worth a total of 9 points.
The student explains significant musical findings in each of the three different examples. The applied musical terminology is mostly accurate and captures the essential understandings of the three examples. Care should be taken to avoid such comments as “emotional intensity” as found in the second example. This is not a musical term and remains vague. Discussion should concern itself with focusing on factual information supported by examples (both written and aural) and research.
The analysis tends to drift with several elements not necessarily unique to the topic. The discussion of conjunction and disjunction melodic development is not necessarily unique. Overall, the discussion, though, is purposeful and demonstrates an understanding of the core elements of the topic. 
Musical inserts add much to the discussion, but students should consider citing the inserts where needed. 
These criteria would most likely fall under the higher-mark band, receiving a 7 out of 9.

CRITERION B2: IMPLICATIONS

Guiding questions:

  • Does the student explain the implications of their research for creating and performing in the selected styles? 
     

Music Subject Guide / External Assessment

This criterion is worth a total of 3 points.
It is important to note the connection of research to applied creating and performing in this component. In the creating statement, the student continues to discuss the “emotional intensity” of the work. While this may be true, the discussion should focus on objective musical characteristics that make the style/genre unique. The musical characteristics presented are correct and applied sufficiently, but these are not necessarily unique to this genre. 
Still, the student explains the implications of their research and applies these effectively. 
These criteria would most liekly fall under the higher-mark band, receiving a 3 out of a possible 3. 

CRITERION C1: UNDERSTANDING CREATING CONVENTIONS

Guiding questions:

  • How well has the student realized the creating conventions of a musical style? 


    Music Subject Guide / External Assessment

This criterion is worth a total of 3 points.
As stated above under implications, the analysis should focus on musical characteristics most essential in understanding the selected topic. The creating sample illustrates an example such elements such as relationship to the dominant, shift to broken chords, rim-shots, antecedent and consequent phrases. There is further discussion as to the use of scales as well as parallel movement. While these are true, they are not necessarily unique. 
Has the student realized the creating conventions? These may not be fully convincing. Yes, these are definitely suitable but might not be regarded as fully purposeful. 
These criteria would most likely fall at 2 out of a possible 3 points. 

Note: 

Remember that it is a requirement of submission that candidates include a TRACK LIST in their written work. Although there may have been indications written on the cover sheet (not included here), on page 45 of the Music Guide, it is written explicitly that a TRACK LIST should appear as an appendix.

CRITERION C2: UNDERSTANDING PERFORMING PRACTICES

Guiding questions:

  • How well has the student shaped the performing practices of a musical style? 


Music Subject Guide / External Assessment

This criterion is worth a total of 3 points.
The case here is somewhat stronger than that of the creating convention. The argument presented at the beginning of the study was the incorporation of jazz elements into the film or AoI3. Here, the student explains these ideas and applies them on his/her own instrument. The student explains the performance decisions necessary to convey these styles. 
The student has shaped the performing practices to meet this style. The interpretation is accurate, consistent, and purposeful.
These criteria would most likely fall under the higher-mark band, receiving a 3 out of 3.

Summary of Marks:

   POSSIBLE MARKS: 24

A: Selection of Evidence  5/6

B1: Conducting Musical Research  7/9

B2: Implications 3/3

C1: Understanding Creating Conventions 2/3

C2: Understanding Performing Practices 3/3

GRADE 7

Note: The total mark for this submission would most likely fall in the 20 range out of a possible 24 meriting an overall mark of 7 for this submission period. 

For Further Consideration 

Diversity is a key factor when submitting this component. The question often arises as to how many AoIs, contexts, and examples to use. The explanations need to be comprehensive, which is challenging to do under the 2400-word limit. 

Here, the student submitted three AoIs with three different musical contexts. While the format is not mandated by the IB, it may be worthy of consideration. The subject guide states that two AoI need to be applied, but as was the case here, the inclusion of a third AOI makes for a stronger argument.

Because the word limit is challenging, one will need to make sure the essential musical characteristics are clear, explicit, and to the point. Be sure these are clear in the introduction to each topic. 

It may be worth considering to start each topic with something such as, "Musical characteristics that my research found most essential to this topic include….

The inclusion of accurate timestamps makes for a very solid exploration submission. We would advise including these in the discussion. As these will most likely be extracted from the student's journal, the making of the audio track can take some time. You will want to keep this in mind as you prepare to submit the material.

All materials on this website are for the exclusive use of teachers and students at subscribing schools for the period of their subscription. Any unauthorised copying or posting of materials on other websites is an infringement of our copyright and could result in your account being blocked and legal action being taken against you.

Help