Performing (p.13)
Opportunity for music-making
Variety of skills possible
Approaches (p.13)
Diversity - experiences, interests, genres
'Limitations' of individualised teaching
Possibilities in Secondary Schools
Examples - scope of skills
Seven Performing Categories (p.14)
Broadening of possibilities
Categories - song singing, choir/orchestra/military band, ensemble
(vocal and/or instrumental), classical instrument
(individual), traditional Irish instrument,
improvisation, other
D Additional Information (p.18)
Aural transmission
Exclusion of scales/arpeggios
Accompanists
Contrast in music presented
2. PERFORMING SKILLS
All Junior Certificate music students should have the opportunity of developing their performing skills. All experiences of musicmaking are valuable and should be encouraged.
Previous syllabuses have concentrated on the performance of a student as a soloist in the classical or Irish traditional manners. The new syllabus recognises that a great variety of practical musical activities already take place both within and outside the formal timetabled curriculum. Many of the worthwhile extra-curricular musical activities (e.g. choirs, school orchestras, liturgical musical groups, school musicals, concerts etc.), which formerly had not been part of the examination syllabus now need to be recognised and included in the syllabus. In fact, many music teachers already teach performing skills, although no recognition has heretofore been given in the formal examination programme to these activities. The new programme allows for the presentation of all examinable performing skills.
2.1 Approaches
Students' musical experiences and interests are diverse. So too are the various performing interests of music teachers. Therefore, there should be a variety of approaches and musical genres formally recognised on the syllabus. Attention is drawn to the fact that popular musical genres are recognised as equal in value to traditional and classical styles. Group musicmaking, as well as solo performing, is encouraged. The emphasis is on the activities themselves and credit should, therefore, not be awarded solely on the basis of a technically polished performance.
Many teachers equate the acquisition of performing skills with individualised teaching. This, in fact, is how instrumental ability is usually taught. Whereas this approach best suits those with a special aptitude for a particular instrument, there is no evidence, however, to suggest that it is the best method for all. There are many, otherwise musical, pupils who fail to respond to individualised music lessons. For these pupils, the social aspect of making music in a group is often more relevant and enjoyable.
It is worth noting that, as a general guideline, recognised music teachers in Secondary Schools are allowed to include up to one third of their contractual teaching hours in instrumental teaching. This is allowed only where the students being taught are also undertaking regular classwork in music for either Junior Certificate or Leaving Certificate courses. Its usefulness in contributing to group activities as part of the performing skills section should be noted. Group musical activities are a valuable asset in a school and they also enhance the profile and relevance of the subject.
There are some students however w h o s e individual performing skills are independently acquired and are of such a standard as to make this category the option of choice. It is not intended that class music teachers will have to be involved in any extracurricular individualised lessons to ensure that all music students measure up to what has been the traditional approach to learning an instrument. The new syllabus allows more scope in the practice and presentation of music-making activities.
2.2 The Seven Performing Categories
The range of activities allowed under the performing skills has been substantially broadened. This is essential in order to cater for the increased involvement in active music-making. Group musical activities, performing in the popular idiom and the most accessible of all performing media, the human voice, are all permitted in the new Junior Certificate programme. A brief outline of what is intended in each of the seven listed performing categories, together with the pertinent approaches and level(s), is given below.
(1) SONG SINGING
This category is intended to cater for all students including traditional singers, folk singers, singers in the popular idiom, those who attend individual voice lessons and those who sing regularly as members of a Junior Certificate Music class.
APPROACH: Class-based, School-based or Individually-acquired
LEVELS: Ordinary and Higher
(2) PERFORMING AS A MEMBER OF A RECOGNISED CHOIR, ORCHESTRA OR MILITARY BAND
Recognised choirs, orchestras or military bands refer to those groups described on page 29 of the syllabus.
APPROACH: Class-based or School-based
LEVEL: Ordinary only
(3) PERFORMING AS A MEMBER OF A VOCAL AND/OR INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE [NOT CATERED FOR UNDER CATEGORY 2]
This category covers all other different types of group music-making in the various different musical genres and idioms. An individual or all the members of a group may be entered for the examination. It is important that the group be heard at the time of the examination. Musical activities suitable under this category include traditional and folk groups, pop groups, groups presenting a selection from a stage musical or an operetta, classical groups, recorder groups, madrigal groups, c~ili bands, church choirs etc. Where a singer is being accompanied by another student, the singer will present under either category I (at Ordinary or Higher Levels) or category 3 (at Ordinary Level only) and the accompanist under category 3 or 7 depending on whether an Ordinary or Higher Level skill is being presented. Where an instrumentalist is being accompanied by another student, one or both can present under category 3 (Ordinary Level only) or under category 7 (Higher Level).
APPROACH: Class-based, School-based or Individually-acquired
LEVEL: Ordinary only
(4)PERFORMING INDIVIDUALLYINSTRUMENTS
ON APPROVED CLASSICAL
These students are required to adher~ to the programme given on pages 7 and 30ff.(APPENDIX C), of the syllabus. There is no substitution allowed for the listed pieces. A sight reading test will also be given. No aural memory test will be available in this catesorv. Classical instrumentalists who wish to perform a programme of music of their own choice, either at Ordinary or Higher Level, may present under category 7.
APPROACH: School-based or Individually-acquired
LEVELS: Ordinary and Higher
(5) PERFORMING ON TRADITIONAL IRISH INSTRUMENTS
The precise requirements of this category are given on pages 59ff.(APPENDIX D) of the syllabus. The lists given under APPENDIX D are not mandatory. Students may choose other suitable material if they wish. The listed pieces are readily available and indicate an appropriate level of difficulty for the age group.
APPROACH: Class-based, School-based or Individually-acquired
LEVELS: Ordinary and Higher
(6) IMPROVISING ON A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OR VOICE
By definition, this category should be the least formalised of all the performing skills. It presumes no particular musical style or idiom and defies prescription or set pieces. Only very general guidelines can be given, e.g. the different classes of improvisation (melodic, rhythmic, harmonic or any combination of those three) are listed. (See page 69 of the syllabus.) Students will perform their prepared improvisations. They will then be given some time to realise an unprepared improvisation. The unprepared improvisation will be similar in style and degree of difficulty to one of the ones they have already presented.
APPROACH: Class-based or Individually-acquired
LEVELS: Ordinary and Higher
The followlng ways may De helpful in illustrating suitable kinds of improvising activities.
MELODIC: Performing well-knownmelodies by ear, improvising regular melodic phrases to follow given openings, ornamenting existing tunes;
RHYTHMIC: Replacing long note-values with repeated notes of shorter duration, improvising a rhythmic ostinato to a well-known tune;
HARMONIC: Improvising "backing" chords to wellknown tunes, improvising cadences, improvising a single accompanying line of music or a descant to well-known tunes, improvising a major/minor variant of a well-known tune;
COMBINATIONS: Improvising harmonic riffs/ostinatos to known tunes, improvising a melodic phrase over a chord sequence, adding harmony to a melodic improvisation, intensifying the rhythm of an harmonic riff.
(7) OTHER NON-SPECIFIED PERFORMING SKILLS
Category 7 caters for students where none of the other categories suitably describes what a candidate intends to present or the level to be presented. Examples include classical performances other than those presented under category 4, ethnic music other than Irish, ensemble music at Higher Level etc.
APPROACH: Class-based, School-based or Individually-acquired
LEVELS: Ordinary and Higher
2.3 Additional Information on the Presentation of Performinq Skills
In many instances, the preferred method by which music is learnt is by way of aural transmission. This is especially true in the case of folk songs, traditional performances and a good deal of amateur choir work and popular music. In recognition of this fact, students presenting under all performing categories, with the one exception of category 4, may choose to undertake an aural memory rather than a sight reading test.
It was decided to exclude scales and arpeggios from all performing categories for two reasons. Firstly, in most cases, and especially where singing, traditional music and the performance of popular genres are concerned, such skills are not usually required. Secondly, where they have been required in the past, their usefulness was as a measure of the student's technical control of the performing medium. Since this skill will also be assessed in the context of the student's ability to perform pieces of a particular degree of difficulty, it would be a duplication of purpose to undertake separate confirmation of this fact through an independent assessment of scales and technical exercises.
An accompanist should always be provided where an accompaniment is normal or required for the proper realisation of the music being performed e.g. musical arrangements of folk music should be presented with accompaniment, solo traditional performances of folk music should be presented without accompaniment. Popular musical genres presented by individuals should be performed with sufficient accompaniment to sustain the harmony and rhythm i.e. with keyboard or guitar. In many cases, it is possible for both soloist and accompanist to present simultaneously for the examination.
In all cases, contrasting music should be presented. Contrast may be achieved either by choosing pieces/songs with different speeds and moods, or by performing music in different styles e.g. an arrangement of a folk song contrasts well with a song in the classical or popular styles, classical pieces composed during different historical periods also provide good contrast.