LOGAN PARK HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC DEPARTMENT

Achievement Standard: 90270 (2.7) Version 2

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of music works
Credits: 5
Level 2 2011
An analysis and comparison of two New Zealand compositions:
Overture: Aotearoa, composed by Douglas Lilburn
Drum Dances, composed by John Psathas

Student Instruction Sheet

You are studying two New Zealand music works of differing styles and eras. Through
studying the music you must display your knowledge and understanding of:
o social/ historical/ cultural contexts of the music
o analysis of the features of the music
o comparison of the two compositions and their contexts
These particular assessments involve the study of two music topics. One focuses on
the orchestral overture Aotearoa composed by Douglas Lilburn. The other focuses
on the contemporary chamber piece for piano and percussionist Drum Dances,
composed by John Psathas. The comparison concerns the similarities and
differences of the two composers compositions and styles.

Lilburn assessment
You have completed a study of Douglas Lilburns Aotearoa Overture in class. You
have two tasks to complete related to this work.

Each task will be completed in class time.

You may refer to any of the materials covered in class and you may bring with
you any extra material you have researched.
Blank scores of the Overture will be available.

Task 1: Social/ historical/ cultural context

Research information about the late 19th and early 20th century Nationalist
composers:
a. Name five late 19th and five early 20th century composers and a major
work by each.
b. Write a brief summary of the philosophies and style that affected the
music each wrote.
c. Describe the context of Lilburns compositional style at the time of the
Aotearoa Overture. Do you consider him to be a nationalist composer?
Justify your answer.
Your answers to task one should fit onto two A4 sides. You may like to use bullet
points.

Task 2: Features of the music.

Describe how Lilburn uses the following musical aspects to construct the Aotearoa
Overture.
You might include musical quotations to illustrate the points you make.
Structure
Themes, their characteristics, and ways in which they are developed
Use of tonality
Write a maximum of two A4 pages.

Psathas Assessment
Having completed a study of John Psathas and Drum Dances, you will be given a
week to prepare each of these two tasks.
You will have some class time for the tasks but you are also expected to work
on them for homework.
You may refer to any of the materials we have covered in class and you may
bring with you any extra material you have researched.
Task 3: Social/ historical/cultural context
Research the development of the following styles of composition (and performance)
in the twentieth century. Name prominent composers from each style and where
possible name at least two of their works.

Serialism, atonality and twelve tone music

minimalism

electronic music

chance music

free jazz and the beginnings of jazz rock

Your notes should be a maximum of two A4 pages.
Task 4: Features of Drum Dances
Describe how Psathas has incorporated any or all of the above styles of
twentieth century composition into Drum Dances. You will need to consider
the following musical elements and give specific examples
structure
rhythm and tempo
tonality
melody
texture and timbre
dynamics
.Your notes should be a maximum of two A4 pages.

Comparative assessment
To complete the assessment for this achievement standard you will compare the
music of the two composers, Douglas Lilburn and John Psathas.

The task will be completed in class time.

You may refer to any of the materials covered in class and you may bring with
you any extra material you have researched.

Task 5: Comparison: The music of Psathas and Lilburn

Compare and contrast the music of Psathas and Lilburn, with particular regard to the
works we have studied, Drum Dances and the Aotearoa Overture.
You might set out your information in table form on your own paper as shown below.
Support your answers with musical examples where relevant eg. identify the work(s),
bar number(s), write a musical quote.
Your notes should be a maximum of two A4 pages.

Similarities

Differences

Lilburn and Psathas

specific techniques in
composing
Features, including
compositional and
structural devices found in
their music
Musical and non-musical
influences affecting their
compositional style
Assessment
Tasks 1 and 2 will be completed over two music classes during term 2, week 7 (16
and 17 June)
Tasks 3, 4 and 5 will be completed over three music classes, including homework
during term 3, week 3 (16-19 August)
Assessment Schedule MUSIC 2.7 (AS 90270 Version 2): The music of Lilburn
and Psathas
Evidence
The
students
completed
Lilburn,
Psathas
and
comparati
ve tasks

Achievement

Achievement with
Merit

Achievement with Excellence

Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of

the social/ historical/ cultural contexts of
music works.

Demonstrate in depth knowledge and

understanding of features of music works
through analysis.

Compare music works and/or contexts

making clear coherent and insightful links.

Demonstrate knowledge of the

social/ historical/ cultural contexts
of music works.

Demonstrate detailed
knowledge of the social/
historical/ cultural contexts of
music works.

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of features of music
works through analysis.

Demonstrate detailed
knowledge and understanding
of features of music works
through analysis.

Compare music works and/or

contexts making appropriate links.

Compare music works and/or

contexts making clear and
coherent links.

Task 1

The student demonstrates:

The student demonstrates:

The student demonstrates:

Correctly identifies and labels 3 late

19th and 3 early 20th Century
composers.
A major work by at least 3 is correctly
identified and labelled. At least 3
composers are correctly identified in
terms of style and musical
approach/importance with 3 relevant
pieces of evidence
eg Debussy
Impressionist
Use of whole tone scales
Influenced by Gamelan
3 relevant points made about
Lilburns style eg
Influence of Vaughan Williams
Young composer etc
Some conclusions drawn about
nationalism in music.

Correctly identifies and labels 4 late

19th and 4 early 20th Century composers.
A major work by at least 4 is correctly
identified and labelled. At least 4
composers are correctly identified in
terms of style and musical
approach/importance with 4 relevant
pieces of evidence
eg Debussy
Impressionist
Use of whole tone scales
Influenced by Gamelan
4 relevant points made about
Lilburns style eg
Influence of Vaughan Williams
Young composer etc
Valid conclusions drawn about
nationalism in music.

Correctly identifies and labels 5 late 19th

and 5 early 20th Century composers.
A major work by each is correctly
identified and labelled. Each composer is
correctly identified in terms of style and
musical approach/importance with 5
relevant pieces of evidence
eg Debussy
Impressionist
Use of whole tone scales
Influenced by Gamelan
5 relevant points made about
Lilburns style eg
Influence of Vaughan Williams
Young composer etc
Insightful and valid conclusions drawn
about nationalism in music.

Detailed knowledge and understanding

of the features of Lilburns music with
clear, accurate references to their use in
the Aotearoa Overture. Minimum 7
detailed features eg
Dorian mode used in several keys as
well as major/aeolian

In-depth knowledge and understanding of

the features of Lilburns music with clear,
accurate and perceptive references to their
use in the Aotearoa Overture. Minimum 6
in depth understandings eg
A part moves from C dorian to C major to A
dorian, with explanation of what dorian
mode is.

Task 2

Knowledge and understanding of the

features of Lilburns music with some
references to their use in the Aotearoa
Overture.
Minimum 5 features eg
Use of dorian mode
One movement AB

Task 3

Knowledge of styles of contemporary

composition with reference to
social/historical/cultural contexts,
prominent composers and their works
3 styles identified and described with
a prominent composer and two of their
works for each.

Detailed knowledge of styles of

contemporary composition with
reference to social/historical/cultural
contexts, prominent composers and their
works
4 styles identified and described with
detail with a prominent composer and
two of their works for each.

Comprehensive knowledge of styles of

contemporary composition with reference
to social/historical/cultural contexts,
prominent composers and their works
5 styles identified and described in
detaill with a prominent composer and two
of their works for each.

Task 4

Knowledge and understanding of

stylistic features and musical
elementsof Drum Dances with some
musical examples
Minimum 2 stylistic features and
relevant discussion of 3 elements with
examples

Detailed knowledge and understanding

of stylistic features and musical
elements of Drum Dances with clear,
relevant musical examples
Minimum3 stylistic features discussed
and relevant discussion of 4 elements
with examples in detail

In-depth knowledge and understanding of

stylistic features and musical elements of
Drum Dances with clear, highly relevant
musical examples
Minimum3 stylistic features discussed and
relevant discussion of 6 elements with
examples in detail

Appropriate links about the similarities

and differences between features of
the music of Psathas and Lilburn;
some appropriate musical examples
written to illustrate statements; some
appropriate conclusions
drawn about the musical and nonmusical influences affecting the music
of each.
Minimum
4 stylistic similarities or differences
2 examples to illustrate these
2 valid points comparing 2 composers
influences

Clear and coherent links about the

similarities and differences between
features of the music of Psathas and
Lilburn; clear and relevant musical
examples written to illustrate statements;
clear and relevant conclusions drawn
about the musical and non-musical
influences affecting the music of each.
Minimum
5 stylistic similarities or differences, clear
and coherent
3 clear relevant examples to illustrate
these
3 clear and relevant points comparing 2
composers influences

Clear, coherent and insightful links about

the similarities and differences between
features of the music of Psathas and
Lilburn; clear and highly relevant musical
examples written to illustrate statements;
clear, coherent and insightful conclusions
drawn about the musical and non-musical
influences affecting the music of each.
Minimum
5 stylistic similarities or differences, clear
and insightful
3 clear and highly relevant examples to
illustrate these
3 clear coherent and insightful points
comparing 2 composers influences

Task 5

You will need to achieve in all 5 tasks to achieve this standard. The following grades will be combined to gain
these overall grades
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