Viva Voce. Tips. Introduction

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1 Viva Voce The Musicology viva voce is a two-way discussion between examiner and student in which the student must demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of music in the topics studied. The viva voce must have a musical focus based on extensive listening. Students may focus on a specific area of the topic studied, which they will outline for the examiners on the Viva Voce Outline Summary Sheet. Assessment and Reporting in Music 1 Stage 6 November 2009 Music 1 musicology students will present a 10-minute viva voce during the practical examinations. 1) Examiners will assess your knowledge and understanding of the concepts and how they relate to your topic. 2) They will be looking for a musicological focus in your viva voce, an understanding of your chosen topic, 3) an understanding of the musical concepts and the relationship between them. 4) hey will also expect you to make use of musical examples to support your discussion. Tips. Remember that this is a discussion between you and the examiners, not a speech.. Prepare a summary sheet and listen to a broad range of music.. Concentrate on the music and relate research to the concepts.. Have musical examples available at the examination to substantiate your findings. Introduction The viva voce examination requires students to spend ten minutes discussing their chosen topic with the examiners; a focused musicological discussion. Ultimately, it will be up to the student to give the examiner enough information about their topic and to demonstrate depth of knowledge and focus of study. It is important to remember that the musicology elective is equivalent to other electives and requires a similar amount of preparation. The focus is always on the music and the

2 musical concepts. The examiners really want to hear about the music, and how the concepts have been used in relation to your topic. There are a number of stages of preparation for this examination: Decide on the topic, the specialisation within the topic and the hypothesis. Find the resources and analyse the music through the concepts. Prepare your Outline Summary Sheet. Practice the viva voce. Consider the set-up of the space you will be using. Be positive, articulate and knowledgeable in the examination. Decide on the topic There are a number of approaches, but students need to keep in mind that a topic should really stimulate and interest them and one that will be fun to research and prepare. Select music that you already have an interest in or know something about. It may be useful to think about some songs that you have performed and select a topic that relates to them. It is easier to have an aim or hypothesis to discuss musical details. This will enable you to form conclusions about the music, and not just list facts about it. It will also assist you to structure your viva voce. In 2012 the Year 11 Viva Voce is on the topic Rock Music. Here are some areas of Rock music. Highlight some that you would be interested in as a topic: Analysing and exploring a genre of Rock Comparing two genres of Rock Examining how a Rock style has changed over time Exploring how a Rock artist or band s musical style has changed over time A band or artist s musical influences and how these are evident in their music How technology has impacted Rock music The role of the voice/guitar/drums/bass or other prominent instrument The role of the synthesizer as a melodic and accompanying instrument

3 Here is a rather extensive list of Rock musical styles. Highlight some that are of interest to you: 2 Tone Acid rock Afro punk Alternative country Alternative dance Alternative metal Alternative rock Anatolian rock Art punk Art rock Avant-garde metal Baroque pop Baggy Bandana Thrash Beat Bent edge Big beat Bisrock Black/doom Black metal Blackened death metal Blues-rock Breakcore Britpop C86 Canterbury sound Cello rock Celtic punk Celtic metal Celtic rock Chicano rock Christcore Christian metal Christian punk Christian rock Coldwave College rock Comedy rock Country rock Cowpunk Crossover thrash Crunkcore Crust punk Crustgrind Cybergrind Dance-punk Dance-rock Dark cabaret Dark rock Darkwave D-beat Death 'n' roll Deathcore Death/doom Deathgrind Death metal Death punk Death rock Digital hardcore Djent Doom metal Dream pop Drone metal Dunedin sound Electric folk Electronic hardcore Electronic rock Electroclash Electro punk Emo Emo pop Emo violence Epic doom Ethereal Wave Experimental rock Extreme metal Folk metal Folk punk Folk rock Freakbeat Funeral doom Funk metal Funk rock Garage punk Garage rock Garage rock revival Glam metal Glam punk Glam rock Goregrind Gothabilly Gothic metal Gothic rock Grebo Grimecore Grindcore Grindie Groove metal Group Sounds Grunge Grungecore Gypsy punk Hard rock Hardcore punk Heartland rock Heavy metal Horror punk Indie pop Indie rock Indietronica Indorock Industrial black metal Industrial death metal Industrial metal Industrial rock Industrial thrash metal Instrumental rock Jam rock Jangle pop Jazz rock Jersey Shore sound Krautrock Lo-fi Madchester Manguebeat Manila Sound Mathcore Math rock Medieval folk rock Medieval metal Melodic death metal Melodic hardcore

4 Melodic metalcore Metalcore Mod revival Nardcore Nazi punk Neue Deutsche Härte Neue Deutsche Welle Neo-classical metal Neoclassical dark wave Neo-folk Neo-prog Neo-psychedelia New prog New rave New wave New Wave of British Heavy Metal New Wave of New Wave New Weird America Nintendocore Noisecore Noisegrind Noise pop Noise rock No wave Nu gaze Nu metal Oi! Ostrock Pagan metal Pagan rock Paisley underground Piano rock Pinoy rock Pop punk Pop rock Post-Britpop Post-grunge Post-hardcore Post-metal Post-punk Post-punk revival Post-rock Power pop Power metal Powerviolence Progressive metal Progressive rock Protopunk Psychedelic rock Psychobilly Punk blues Punk jazz Punk rock Punkcore Queercore Raga rock Rapcore Rap metal Rap rock Reggae rock Riot grrrl Rock Against Communism Rock and roll Rockabilly Rock in Opposition Rock noir Roots rock Sadcore Samba-rock Screamo Shoegazing Shock rock Ska-core Ska punk Skate punk Skate rock Slowcore Sludge metal Soft rock Southern metal Southern rock Southern sludge Space rock Speed metal Straight edge Stoner doom Stoner metal Stoner rock Stoner sludge Street punk Sufi rock Sunshine pop Surfabilly Surf music Swamp pop Swedish death metal Symphonic black metal Symphonic gothic metal Symphonic metal Symphonic power metal Symphonic rock Synthpop Swing revival Taqwacore Technical death metal Third Wave Ska Thrashabilly Thrashcore Thrash metal Trashabilly Trip rock Tulsa Sound Twee pop Unblack metal Viking metal Viking rock Visual kei Youth Crew War metal Wizard rock Zeuhl

5 Choose a focus within the topic Too broad a topic may end with a viva voce that is superficial (lots of simple facts) as you try to cover far too much. Too narrow a focus is just as damaging as it restricts the depth of exploration of the music. Remember that the focus is always on the music and the musical concepts. For example, if you were discussing an aspect of music in film, the examiner really wants to hear about the music, and how the concepts have been used to create the music for a particular scene; not about the plot or characters. Cross out any foci that would be inappropriate: The history of an instrument Biographical details of a band/performer Vocal expressive techniques The plot of a Rock opera The role of the synthesizer in Rock music A wide range of listening in the topic area will help you to develop the premise you will ultimately take in your studies. So if your topic is film music, you need to move through a few steps to decide upon a focus that will then lead to a hypothesis. Example Film music Genre: action films Examples used: Matrix, Terminator. Topic: The use of technology in the music of the two films How is it used to good effect in the music? Which musical concepts can be focused upon and used in discussion? After listening to the music, you may find that tone colour and texture are the important elements. By deciding upon the musical examples that can be analysed through the musical concepts, you will begin to draw out the detail required for the focus or aim of your viva voce. You may find that as your research becomes more detailed, similarities and differences start to become clear. And then the structure of the viva voce will begin to take shape. After more research into the music, you may find that your hypothesis may read:

6 The films The Matrix and Terminator demonstrate the use of technology to manipulate tone colour and texture in contrasting ways. It is now time to write an overview of what you know and understand. This includes what do you hope to achieve by the end of your study. A mind map is a great way to do this. Here is an example: Created using a FREE online tool at Create a mind map of an area of rock that you may wish to focus on:

7 Find the resources Which musical works will best serve your focus and hypothesis? From the musical works you have selected, choose a series of short excerpts that will support the basis of a discussion. Each excerpt needs to be reasonably brief (not more than seconds) and demonstrate one or more concepts that can be easily discussed. Depending on how you have approached the topic, you may only need 4 6 excerpts but can have up to 15. List them in order of importance. This may be chronological, by order of merit (in terms of your topic), or grouped according to your study of the concepts. Do not limit your listening simply to the works you choose to use in the viva voce. You SHOULD be able to draw all your experiences in listening into some of your answers. You MUST mention other songs that you know relate to your topic. Where can you find musical examples? Your teacher will show you: Keepvid.com saveyoutube (insert the word save into the web address) Example: becomes Select save as mp3 Go to and download viva.mp4 -This shows you how to edit songs to create sound clips. Analyse the music through the concepts When selecting these excerpts, keep in mind that each one needs to be analysed using the concepts of music. And remember that the concepts are used differently in each piece of music. For example, the chosen topic may be the role of the bass. In rock music, the concepts of duration, pitch and dynamics and expressive techniques will be appropriate, but if you have a different focus and want to explore the role of the bass in an orchestra, you will have to recognise the difference and focus more on pitch and tone colour. Ensure that the musical excerpt is the most suitable you can find. Sorting out these excerpts can take a lot of time so don t leave it to the last minute.

8 Analyse each song on a sheet under the following headings: Pitch Duration Texture Tone Colour Structure Dynamics & Expressive Techniques This will help you identify important aspects and trends. Finally, ask yourself how relevant each musical excerpt is in terms of your hypothesis. Consider which musical examples you can demonstrate Examples could include rhythmic motifs (played or clapped), melodic lines, riffs, specific instrumental techniques, or demonstrating stylistic characteristics by singing: bends, dropoffs and scat in jazz, or melisma as melodic decoration in rock/pop music. Become confident with these examples by practising them regularly. Some topics suit the inclusion of musical score excerpts. These may be the same as a recorded excerpt or in addition to them. On a score, you may be able to demonstrate melodic lines, key changes, chordal patterns, changing musical textures and much more. Remember that whatever you wish to be discussed needs to be briefly stated on the Outline Summary Sheet. You may want to include videos or pictures to support your discussion. These can only be used if you relate what is in them back to the topic and the musical concepts. Write your outline Your outline guides your viva. It should be structured and set out so that you can easily follow it. You viva will not happen in order so make sure that you can navigate it easily. You should list the CD or track numbers on the viva so that you can easily jump to each musical example. The outline must contain key words only, no definitions and no answers. It is a summary. The outline that you have must be identical to the examiners copy. Group concepts or similar features together.

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10 Your viva is guided by the outline. Bad outline = Bad Viva! Summary sheets need to focus on the areas of the music that you will be discussing. These sheets give the examiners a clear understanding of the scope of your study, and allow them to go straight to the important areas of discussion by basing questions on the information given. The viva voce has to allow you, the student to demonstrate the depth and breadth of your knowledge. Very brief summary sheets are a disadvantage to the student and overly detailed summary sheets will not allow the examiners time to discuss everything mentioned. Remember that the Outline Summary Sheet will give the examiners a framework on which to base their questions, so practise writing out the summary sheet until you feel you have a good structure for the viva voce and all the information is included in a succinct form.

11 You may divide your summary into three sections, and create two or three subsections within each. Imagine that you have approximately three minutes for each section, for questions, answers and the playing of musical examples. There will then be one minute to sum up, if the examiners ask you if there is anything else you would like to add. Once you break it down like this, you realise how efficient you have to be in communicating your knowledge and how careful you have to be with your inclusions on the summary sheets. Start with the title or premise of your topic. Here are a few examples: Topic: Rock music To demonstrate the role of the bass in the music of (name of performer) Topic: Australian music To show how the use of indigenous instruments has shaped Australian Rock music in the last twenty years. Topic: Film music To highlight the musical differences in three films of the same genre Topic: Jazz The solos of Charlie Parker; how they define Be-bop After the hypothesis, structure the outline sheet through headings and point form subheadings. These subheadings could be structured by musical example or by musical concept. Each dot point needs to expand on the concept and point the examiners in the direction of the focus of your study. On your outline, include the title of the musical excerpt and composer/performer. It may help to add the tape or CD cues as well. Practise the viva voce Practise the viva voce with your teacher and classmates to help you realise where more detail needs to be included, or conversely where too much irrelevant information slows down the momentum of the viva voce. Video each of these sessions over a period of a few months so that you can sit down and analyse where you have weaknesses and strengths. You can video your practice on an ipad, ipone, ipod or laptop. Focus upon your strengths, and build up your weaknesses. For example, if you generalise and talk in circles when someone asks you a question about tone colour, do a lot of study on the terminology used to describe tone colour and practise it. Throughout your viva you should offer play musical examples, the examiner should not have to ask you to play examples. You can also play instruments, sing and clap rhythms to demonstrate musical examples.

12 When you review a practice viva voce consider the following: Are you taking a moment to think exactly what is being asked? It can be easy and tempting in stressful moments to just start talking. Think carefully and answer the question that is being asked. Can you be more concise and clear in your explanations? Practise becoming familiar with the language of the concepts and know how to use the words and what they mean. How can you improve your answers and responses to questions? Are you mumbling or rambling when you are unsure of your response to a question? Go back and check all your information relating to that piece of music and the concepts that apply to it. Did you miss any opportunities to use a recorded example that was prepared for that type of question? Again, try not to rush answers, and think about your store of musical resources. Use them as much as possible. Did you miss any opportunities to demonstrate an answer on your instrument? Sometimes this can be an extremely quick and effective way of communicating the appropriate musical concept. Does the viva voce summary sheet give others the opportunity to ask questions that will focus on your area of study? Summary sheets need to be carefully prepared. Be mindful that you have ten minutes to discuss your topic with the examiners, so aim to keep your topic sheet concise. You should have a timer/stopwatch in front of you to monitor the time. You can get easily bogged down and not present all of your viva. Consider the space you will be using Practice with the equipment and the space you will be using for the examination. Become familiar with the technology you will use in the examination.

13 Lay out all CDs and resources in a predetermined and easily accessible order. CDs: number and name the track. Include minutes and seconds for your chosen example. Again, use a machine that is familiar to you. If you have compiled your own CD of musical examples, ensure that the labelling is correct, and check that it plays on the equipment you have for the examination. (Some players only play commercial CDs.) Musical instruments and electric/electronic equipment: check that is in working order. Leads, contacts, and amplifiers need to be in excellent condition. If you are still not sure, try to have a back up for leads and amplifiers. Make it easy to move around if you have to. For example, if you need to use the drum kit or electric guitar or keyboard, set up the room so that it easy to move about and still be within a reasonable distance of the examiners. The examiners will be interested in seeing what you are demonstrating, so consider both the distance and the angle of presentation. The examination Be positive, articulate and knowledgeable in the examination. The examiners are interested in finding out what you know about your topic and the music you have chosen to study for this topic. The Outline Summary Sheet will allow them to structure their questions so that you can respond with musical detail. You need to remember that the viva voce will be timed, and that you and the examiners have ten minutes to explore your topic. To start the viva, a student may be asked a broad get straight to the musical examples as soon as possible. The examiners will then have the question, but it is vital that you opportunity to ask quite incisive questions about your excerpts and musical observations. Be careful not to labor a point. You do not want to run out of time, and still have your best examples to come! Towards the end of the examination, you may be asked to sum up, or add anything that was not covered in the discussion. This needs to be brief and succinct.

14 Some types of questions that you may be asked: This is an interesting topic. How did you come to choose it? You have a few musical examples here, which would you like to start with? Before you play this excerpt, could you explain what we need to listen for? How does this show? What is the role of? Can you explain the use of? Can you give any other examples of? Does this happen any other times? Is this a usual feature of the music? Who wrote this? Does this happen in any other songs? When was this song recorded/written? Have you seen this band live? Why do you think they do this? Can you define the term? These questions, as you can see, are broad but allow a student to give detailed and perceptive answers. A good working knowledge of the concepts, but more specifically about the music studied for the topic is paramount. It is also apparent that a carefully structured Outline Summary Sheet is important in determining the direction of questioning in this examination. The musicology viva voce is a chance to demonstrate your musical knowledge of your chosen topic. With careful planning, consistent work and practice, it should be a positive and rewarding experience.