Objectives
Assessment Objectives
What is the aim of Music Medals?
Music Medals aim to encourage pupils to acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding to perform music – both within an ensemble and individually – with an appropriate control of sounds and with a sense of interpretation that enables the intentions of the composer to be communicated.
What aspects of a performance are assessed?
Candidates are assessed on their ability to perform pieces with:
- ensemble skill: this encompasses interaction, including eye contact, leading, gesture and body language; and responsiveness to the group, including balance/blend, give-and-take and negotiation.
- control of sounds: this encompasses the way sound is produced and includes situations where a poor instrument may be skilfully managed. It includes accurate pitch and secure intonation, the ability to produce consistent tone where required and to control and contrast dynamics.
- interpretation: this encompasses suitable tempo, including consistency of the chosen speed(s); rhythmic fluency; the shaping of musical phrases and the ability to articulate them as appropriate to the musical context.
- communication: this encompasses continuity and sense of performance; the ability to recover from slips; sensitivity to musical detail; and the application of technical skills in ways that convey the mood and character of the music.
Candidates are also assessed on their ability in one of the following Options:
| Call & Response: to respond to two short phrases with answering phrases that are fluent, well-shaped and imaginative. |  |
| Make a Tune: to make up a tune, using a given rhythm and (from Silver) a specified key, that is rhythmically accurate and contains a good choice of pitches. |  |
| Question & Answer: (at Copper) to echo two short rhythms; (from Bronze) to play a short phrase of unfamiliar music with continuity, accuracy and musical awareness and to respond with an improvised answering phrase. |  |
| Sight-Reading: to perform a short piece of unfamiliar music with fluency, accuracy and musical awareness. |  |
Does a candidate need to meet all of the objectives to receive a Medal?
Not all of the assessment objectives will necessarily be met in order for a candidate to achieve a Medal. Weakness in some aspects may be balanced by better performance in others. The attainment category awarded in each section of the Medal will depend on the extent to which the candidate has met the assessment objectives overall.
