IB Group 6 Music The Contemporary Music Maker HL Extended projects

What This Is and Why It Matters for IB

The Contemporary Music Maker (HL) is an extended project in the Music subject that requires students to create and perform their own music. This topic appears in the Music syllabus, specifically in the Internal Assessment (IA), where students need to demonstrate their ability to create, perform, and analyze music. Students often get this wrong by failing to connect their music to the required criteria, such as analyzing the musical elements and evaluating the performance.

Where It Appears in the IB Syllabus

The Contemporary Music Maker (HL) is assessed in the Music IA, which is part of the Group 6 subject. Students need to complete a 20-minute performance and submit a portfolio that includes the music, a written analysis, and a reflection on the performance.

Key Command Terms

• Analyze: Break down the musical elements, such as melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre, to understand their relationship and impact on the overall composition.
• Evaluate: Assess the performance, considering factors such as tone, pitch, and dynamics, to determine its effectiveness in conveying the intended meaning.
• Discuss: Examine the musical elements and performance in relation to the required criteria, providing evidence and examples to support the analysis and evaluation.

Step-by-Step Understanding

1. Understand the requirements: Familiarize yourself with the IA criteria and the specific requirements for the Contemporary Music Maker project.
2. Create a composition: Develop a musical piece that demonstrates your understanding of the musical elements and the required criteria.
3. Perform the composition: Execute the performance, paying attention to tone, pitch, and dynamics.
4. Analyze the musical elements: Break down the composition, examining the relationships between melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre.
5. Evaluate the performance: Assess the performance, considering factors such as tone, pitch, and dynamics, to determine its effectiveness in conveying the intended meaning.
6. Discuss the composition and performance: Examine the musical elements and performance in relation to the required criteria, providing evidence and examples to support the analysis and evaluation.

⚠️ Avoid merely listing the musical elements without analyzing their relationships and impact on the overall composition.

Assessment Criteria Connection

Real Student Mistakes

Example 1

A student submitted a composition that lacked a clear structure and failed to demonstrate a good understanding of the musical elements. The student lost marks because they did not analyze the composition, instead simply listing the musical elements without examining their relationships and impact on the overall composition.

Example 2

A student performed a composition that was technically proficient but lacked expression and nuance. The student lost marks because they did not evaluate the performance, instead simply stating that it was "good" without considering factors such as tone, pitch, and dynamics.

Exam Technique (Paper-specific)

For the Music IA, students need to allocate their time carefully, ensuring that they have enough time to complete the performance and submit the portfolio. The performance should be structured to demonstrate the musical elements and meet the required criteria, and the written analysis should provide clear and concise evidence and examples to support the analysis.

Internal Assessment / Extended Essay Relevance

The Contemporary Music Maker project is closely related to the Extended Essay (EE) in Music, where students can explore a specific aspect of music, such as the role of melody in a particular composition or the impact of cultural context on musical performance.

TOK Connections (if applicable)

The Contemporary Music Maker project can be connected to the Ways of Knowing, specifically the Aesthetic way of knowing, which involves the creation and appreciation of beauty and artistic expression. Students can explore how the musical elements and performance convey meaning and aesthetic value.

Quick Check (Self-Assessment Questions)

1. What are the key musical elements that need to be considered in the Contemporary Music Maker project?
   • Model answer: Melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre.
2. How should the composition be structured to meet the required criteria?
   • Model answer: The composition should have a clear and well-structured structure, demonstrating a good understanding of the musical elements.
3. What factors should be considered when evaluating the performance?
   • Model answer: Tone, pitch, and dynamics.

Revision Card (60-Second Summary)

• Contemporary Music Maker: An extended project in Music that requires students to create and perform their own music.
• Composition: A clear and well-structured composition that demonstrates a good understanding of the musical elements.
• Performance: A confident and expressive performance that showcases the musical elements and meets the required criteria.
• Written Analysis: A clear and concise analysis of the musical elements, providing evidence and examples to support the analysis.
• Reflection: A thoughtful and well-supported evaluation of the performance, considering factors such as tone, pitch, and dynamics.
• AO1: Create: A clear and well-structured composition that demonstrates a good understanding of the musical elements.
• AO2: Perform: A confident and expressive performance that showcases the musical elements and meets the required criteria.

If You Get Stuck

• Review the IA criteria and the specific requirements for the Contemporary Music Maker project.
• Ask your teacher or a study group for help.
• Approach the exam question by breaking it down into smaller, manageable parts, and focusing on one aspect at a time.

Related IB Topics

• Composition: A related topic in Music that requires students to create a musical composition that meets specific criteria.
• Performance: A related topic in Music that requires students to perform a musical piece that meets specific criteria.
• Music Theory: A related topic in Music that requires students to understand and apply musical concepts and terminology.