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NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority

11–12Music 2 11–12 Syllabus (2025)

Implementation from 2027
Expand for detailed implementation advice

Content

Year 12

Music of Western art traditions 2

Students perform, compose, listen, analyse and respond to music from TWO different styles. Through comparison of the repertoire, students refine their aural and analytical knowledge, understanding and skills by considering the impact of Music context and Music language on musical intent in their performances and compositions.

Students refine their understanding of stylistically appropriate and changing approaches to musical documentation, and apply these appropriately to cultural, historical, audio recorded, written and hybrid methods of representing sound. They analyse and compare audio sources, scores and recordings and compare the use of tonal, metric, rhythmic, structural, textural, timbral and expressive content in music from different cultural, historical or stylistic contexts.

Students compare TWO works or collections of related pieces, ONE work of the Western art tradition from 1600 to 25 years ago and ONE work from another style.

Performing
  • Apply conventional and extended vocal and instrumental techniques and technology to expand and manipulate timbral range

  • Improvise using existing musical ideas with stylistic nuance and interpretative depth

  • Perform with stylistic responsiveness to melodic, harmonic, tonal, metric, rhythmic, structural and expressive musical gestures

  • Explore diverse forms of notation, the use of technology and the impact of composer intent on performer interpretation

Listening, analysing and responding
  • Identify and describe melodic, harmonic, tonal, metric and rhythmic patterns, and structural, textural, timbral and expressive devices in music from different musical styles

  • Compare how Compositional and Notational languages are used to shape meaning in music

  • Compare the expanded treatment and manipulation of vocal, instrumental and electronic timbres, and the use of technology in works from varying styles

  • Evaluate the ways Music context and technology have influenced the creation, performance, recording and notation of music

Creating and composing
  • Use Compositional language to manipulate and arrange existing musical and sound-based material for small, mixed ensembles

  • Create and develop new musical material for soloists and small, mixed ensembles using tonal, metric and rhythmic language appropriate to stylistic requirements

  • Develop complex musical material, blending traditional and contemporary practices and techniques to achieve expressive intent

  • Apply digital technology to support the documentation of sound-based creations

  • Create scores applying Compositional and Notational language conventions appropriate to stylistic requirements

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