• VCE VCE Subjects

  • MUSIC PERFORMANCE UNITS 3\4 - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP IM LITERALLY DESPERATE

Hello! I'm a student going into year 10 for next year, and I really need help on what to expect when I go into music performance 3/4 in year 11.

This is because I am changing to a new school for year 10, and although I had been allowed to do two vce subjects in year 10 including music 1/2, the school I am changing to does not allow students to take music 1/2 in year 10, which messes up my plans a lot.

I was planning to take music 1/2 as although my performance and technical skills in my instrument are very high, I have almost zero music theory knowledge since I have been learning the suzuki method and my teacher focuses more on the performance side of playing. I have no idea what triads and stuff like that are, and I only know what scales are 🙁, therefore I was planning to take music 1/2 to potentially catch up on this knowledge.

Additionally, I'm worried this will mess up my chances of getting a good atar in the future, since I can't really think of another vce subject i'd like to do if I do not do music performance.

I'm planning to spend 2025 catching up on all music theory knowledge, but I don't know where to start. I'd really really like some tips on what to learn, what knowledge I'll need to know for music 3/4 and more stuff like that (i can't think of it rn). PLEASE put as much details or extra tips because anything would be helpful atp, even if it seems small or irrelevant. im literally desperate

Also, I'd like to know what songs/musical variety and other musical aspects examiners are looking for during the actual performance. I'm planning to play fantasie impromptu and italian concerto, but I don't know if it shows a lot of musical variety and other stuff like that. I also don't know if I have to use a song from the actual vcaa music list.

PLEASE PLEASE HELP IM SO DESPERATE!! Thank you 🙂

p.s please link some other websites I can post this on, so I can get more feedback.

a month later

Hey, I did music performance last year (3 and 4), didn't get the best score but I do have some tips and advice I wish I knew before taking the subject.

  1. Practice theory and ear training daily. You can only really improve through daily practice, even if its just 5 minutes. some good websites are teoria and musictheory.net.
  2. know your skill level. Examiners aren't going to give you higher marks just cause you played something harder. Playing something at your level with appropriate articulation, tempo, technique etc will get you better marks than playing something beyond your level
  3. practice performing infront of people, after all, this is a performance subject. Examiners will assess you on how you communicate with others and performance decisions.
    When I was in year 10 I also knew nothing about theory lol and thats ok. 1/2 theory literally starts from the basics of learning how to read music and slowly builds up to things like chords and scales. Your school will most likely assign a textbook or something to learn theory, but if you want to do more then you could try completing the ameb theory books and exam. You shouldn't stress about written theory, once you get the hang of it it'll feel like nothing.
    because youre doing 1/2, focus this year on playing all sorts of pieces and improving yourself. 1/2 exam scores wont contribute to your SS so dont stress too much.
    let me know if anything doesnt make sense lol, hope this helps🙂
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