Your school is hosting a
showcase for parents and governors. You have been asked to provide a 10-15
minute performance appropriate to the event.
Your work: Must
be suitable for the audience
If you work as a group
each candidate in the group must be able to show their contribution. Each
candidate will be assessed individually.
TASK 1 Planning
My statement of personal aims:
Through my contribution
to the event I would like to achieve the following goals:
Through this performance i want to be able to make my overall performing skills better and gain the ability to perform in front of people on stage, therefore i want to build confidence and have that ability.
I also aim to develop my guitar skills for two songs that are in my set list and my skills on the drums for one which I may or may not use in the final performance depending on how good this is. I was able to play these songs to a good standard for my rehearsal skills unit and now i need to be able to play in collaboration with Maddy for one of the songs and be able to perform the other two songs to a good enough standard in front of people. They must be of a good standard as the audience is parents and governors who will be judging the quality of the performances.
To improve my collaboration skills I will practice the parts of the songs where the tempo changes in more detail so that when the changes happen when performing the song both Maddy and I will be adjusting simultaneously so that no mistakes are made.
To improve my guitar playing I need to practice the part of 'Don't Look Back in Anger' where the chord progression is most challenging, changing from an F bar chord to a C major so that I get to the point where I can change between those chords as well as I can between the rest of the chords.
I think that I have the
following skills:
1) Determination, when I have something to perform at, I am determined to get it done and so will work hard to make sure it is of a good standard.
2) Good rhythm and timing. I play in time and with a good pulse so I will easily know if I make mistakes with chords and be able to correct this.
I will know if I’ve
achieved it because……
I will know if I’ve achieved it because when it comes to the performance i will be able to do my performance making minimal mistakes while on stage so the performance is an accurate representation of the progress I've made over the duration of this course.
I will also receive positive feedback about the accuracy of what I play if I play well and I will leave stage with confidence that I have performed to a good standard.
I will also receive positive feedback about the accuracy of what I play if I play well and I will leave stage with confidence that I have performed to a good standard.
How I will meet the expectations of the audience:
I will meet the expectations of the audience by making my setlist be of just one genre so that parents and governors can relax and enjoy the style of music that I am most familiar with and best at playing.
I will make sure my set is of a high standard by playing less songs but ones that last longer and add up to a collective of around 13 minutes so that i'm not changing songs too often or playing for too long. It must be between 10 and 15 minutes.
Also I'll perform with a confident stage presence so that my music is therefore delivered confidently and the audience enjoy it.
I will make sure my set is of a high standard by playing less songs but ones that last longer and add up to a collective of around 13 minutes so that i'm not changing songs too often or playing for too long. It must be between 10 and 15 minutes.
Also I'll perform with a confident stage presence so that my music is therefore delivered confidently and the audience enjoy it.
Plan
of my contribution to the performance
The requirements of the brief and how I will meet them:
The brief is to put together a 10-15 set to be performed to parents and governors, therefore all the songs will need to be appropriate for a school environment, for example the language needs to be clean and they need to be songs that the parents and governors would appreciate.
The brief is to put together a 10-15 set to be performed to parents and governors, therefore all the songs will need to be appropriate for a school environment, for example the language needs to be clean and they need to be songs that the parents and governors would appreciate.
What I intend to do:
I intend to perform on stage confidently and accurately. I will play the following songs: Don't Look Back in Anger, Live Forever and If I Had a Gun. All of these songs are by Oasis who a lot of the parents and governors will be very familiar with due to their popularity especially a while back when the audience were younger. First I will play Half the World Away, it will be a good opening song because it is a the slowest song on my set list and was recently used on a Christmas advert so is very familiar. Playing this slow song first will allow me to gradually build up tempo throughout my set so that I can finish on my most energetic song. This will be a ensemble with Maddy as she has a good singing voice and it therefore allows me to focus on my guitar playing. I will play Half the World Away solo on acoustic and then If I Had a Gun and Don't Look Back in Anger on acoustic guitar with Maddy singing and I may play Live Forever on drums alone depending of the timing of my set.
I intend to perform on stage confidently and accurately. I will play the following songs: Don't Look Back in Anger, Live Forever and If I Had a Gun. All of these songs are by Oasis who a lot of the parents and governors will be very familiar with due to their popularity especially a while back when the audience were younger. First I will play Half the World Away, it will be a good opening song because it is a the slowest song on my set list and was recently used on a Christmas advert so is very familiar. Playing this slow song first will allow me to gradually build up tempo throughout my set so that I can finish on my most energetic song. This will be a ensemble with Maddy as she has a good singing voice and it therefore allows me to focus on my guitar playing. I will play Half the World Away solo on acoustic and then If I Had a Gun and Don't Look Back in Anger on acoustic guitar with Maddy singing and I may play Live Forever on drums alone depending of the timing of my set.
How I will do it:
I will complete regular practice in order to make sure the timing and the changes between sections are smooth. I will also also attend weekly drum lessons at school and practice guitar regularly at home to improve my technique. I will also play to other people to build confidence and record myself and listen back to it so I can think about what bits I need to work on more.
I will complete regular practice in order to make sure the timing and the changes between sections are smooth. I will also also attend weekly drum lessons at school and practice guitar regularly at home to improve my technique. I will also play to other people to build confidence and record myself and listen back to it so I can think about what bits I need to work on more.
Who I will need to involve?
Maddy to sing for me, a teacher to record the performance and some people to sort the sound out and operate the mixing desk to check levels during the performance.
Maddy to sing for me, a teacher to record the performance and some people to sort the sound out and operate the mixing desk to check levels during the performance.
The resources I need?
I will need an acoustic guitar, drum kit, microphone for Maddy and a microphone for my guitar and the leads to go with these set up by the sound crew and checked by me.
I will need an acoustic guitar, drum kit, microphone for Maddy and a microphone for my guitar and the leads to go with these set up by the sound crew and checked by me.
The time needed for each song/
activity:
If I Had a Gun- 4:18
Don't Look Back in Anger- 4:47
Don't Look Back in Anger- 4:47
Half The World Away- 4:21
Live Forever-4:36
Therefore both dress rehearsal and performance should take roughly 17 minutes, this is over the time required so I will probably not do Live Forever in the final performance. This will also make my performance smoother as I wont have to change instruments.
Live Forever-4:36
Therefore both dress rehearsal and performance should take roughly 17 minutes, this is over the time required so I will probably not do Live Forever in the final performance. This will also make my performance smoother as I wont have to change instruments.
Health and safety issues for
rehearsals and the performances:
The issues regarding health and safety are that there will be cables leading from the microphones for maddy and my guitar which could be tripped over and the noise level needs to stay at a tolerable volume for the audience. We will do a sound check before my performance to check levels. I will also need to think about sound levels when I change from guitar to drums as the drums are acoustic so therefore i need to control how hard i hit them. When moving around stage it will be important to think about wires and I will check that these are tucked away and preferably tapped down before I perform.
My set list:
Half the World Away - Oasis
If I Had a Gun - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Don't Look Back in Anger - Oasis
Live Forever - Oasis
Half the World Away - Oasis
If I Had a Gun - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
I added 'Half the World Away' as a solo piece to give a gentle opening to the performance before Maddy joins me on stage. I put this song at the start of my set to due to the recent John Lewis advert last Christmas had a cover of the song in it and will therefore be more generally more recognisable to the audience than the rest of my set. Both 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Live Forever' are Oasis songs that were released in the 1990's and therefore will be suited to the audience of governors and parents because they will be easily recognised due to the age of my audience.
Style and Image:
I will be playing in my school uniform because it is a school event with parents and governors and therefore they would expect me to wear it. I will present myself formally due to the nature of the occasion which is why i introduced myself sensibly.
Ideas for the
performance:
I will make sure it runs smoothly by opening with a solo performance of the first song with the microphone for my guitar and Maddy's microphone on stage all ready and then Maddy will join me on stage as she sings the next two songs before my drum piece which will have drum sticks already placed with it. I will also take a capo on stage with me so i am prepared for my second song 'If I Had a Gun' as that is the only song that needs to be played with a capo. By bringing the capo on stage with me i will not need anything extra to be brought to me on stage during the performance.
I will be very focused in my rehearsals to make sure that I play to the highest standard that I can.
I will talk to the sound team before I play and make sure that my guitar is in tune and that I have had a sound check.
I will be very focused in my rehearsals to make sure that I play to the highest standard that I can.
I will talk to the sound team before I play and make sure that my guitar is in tune and that I have had a sound check.
Staging and equipment
needs:
I will need an acoustic guitar and acoustic drum set in order to achieve the sound i want and also a microphone so that the guitar is loud enough to be heard. Capo and leads I have mentioned before. Mixing desk and people to operate this are essential so that the balance between my playing and Maddy's is good.
Staging requirements:
I will need a chair with a microphone for my guitar and a microphone for Maddy to use next to me. I will need Maddy placed nearby me so that I can communicate with her if there are any problems.
I will need a chair with a microphone for my guitar and a microphone for Maddy to use next to me. I will need Maddy placed nearby me so that I can communicate with her if there are any problems.
Rehearsal Schedule
Own preparation time (I will be practising my music with my instrumental teacher in weekly 30 minute sessions totalling 2.5 hours)
Rehearsal 1: 23rd March CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME
Plan: today I planned to practice 'If I Had a Gun' in order to perfect the timing with Maddy, as well as practicing 'Don't Look Back in Anger' individually, especially the part of the song where the chords change from Cmajor to a bar chord.
Reality: today I practiced 'If I Had a Gun' with maddy and made progression with maddy at playing in time with her singing, however I didn't have enough time to do my other target for the practice session, so will do this next time I practice this song.
Rehearsal 2: 30th March CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME
Plan: today I planned to practice 'Live Forever' on the drums as my drum teacher set me a target of playing up to the second fill with the backing track and making minimal mistakes.
Reality: today I achieved my target of being able to play up to the second fill of live forever. For next time I will practice up to next verse to the same standard.
EASTER HOLIDAYS (Own preparation time - 7.5 hours)
Rehearsal 3: 20th April CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME
EASTER HOLIDAYS (Own preparation time - 7.5 hours)
Rehearsal 3: 20th April CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME
Plan: today i worked with Maddy to practice playing both 'If i Had a Gun' and 'Don't Look Back in Anger' in time together and progress further.
Reality: We practiced both songs, showing that 'If i Had a Gun' was almost faultless on my behalf however 'Don't Look Back in Anger' needs further improvements, so that is my target for next week.
Rehearsal 4: 27th April (ARD COMPLETE 2 HOURS OF REHEARSAL IN MUSIC) CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME
Plan: to practice half the world away and get that to the same standard as the rest of the songs we have. Also practice dont look back in Anger with Maddy because after I listened to the recordings above I noticed that on "start a revolution from my bed" my chord changes were not smooth.
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Reality: Maddy didn't come in so i practised Don't look back in anger alone without vocals ensuring that I made the changes as smooth as possible between the chords. i also did this with half the world away and they are much better now and just need me to go over them.
Rehearsal 5: 3rd May CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME DRESS REHEARSAL PRACTICE AND PERFORMANCE (2 hour)
Plan: To practice all of my songs, in the order that I was going to play them, starting with 'Half the World Away' as it is the only song that I am playing alone without Maddy singing. Followed by my two other songs as they are both played with Maddy singing along. Then, I aimed to perform my dress rehearsal on stage making minimal mistakes in chord transitions as possible
Reality: in reality, I practised my entire set before going on stage and made close to no mistakes, managing to transition to F bar chords successfully whereas before I struggling to do this. However on stage, when i performed 'Don't Look Back in Anger' Maddy made a mistake by starting singing too early at the start of the final chorus which put me off and let me to lose my tempo as a result of being put out of time.
Video from DRESS Rehearsal:
Video from DRESS Rehearsal:
Rehearsal 6: 4th May CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME (2 hours)
Plan: To run through my setlist again to practice and work with maddy to correct the mistake from the dress rehearsal when performing 'Don't Look Back in Anger.
Reality: In reality, I did practice my full set and practiced the last section of 'Don't Look Back in Anger' with maddy and now she knows when to come in with vocals for the last part of the song at the right time.
Rehearsal 7: 9th May CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME (1 hours)
Plan: to practice my entire setlist and especially focus on 'Half the World Away' as that is the song that i had practiced the least as well as practicing 'Don't Look Back in Anger' as that was where i made mistakes in my performance.
Reality: I achieved all of these and improved in both songs in terms of playing changes smoothly with maddy's singing. Also, I decided to remove 'Live Forever' on the drums for my final performance because my dress rehearsal was nearly 20 minutes long and also I think that my performance would be more engaging without the drum piece because they do not have the other instruments playing with them and so it is hard to follower as a listener in the audience.
Rehearsal 8: 10th May
Plan: my plan was to run through my entire set twice, first on my own to perfect my own chord transitions and strumming pattern and then with Maddy to perfect our timing, changes in the song and overall tempo and then mirror this in the performance with confidence on stage.
Reality: SEE EVALUATION BELOW
Performers External Assessment Task 3 (May 2017)
TASK 2 – THE PERFORMANCE
FINAL LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE:
PASTE THIS LINK INTO A WEB BROWSER TO VIEW YOUR VIDEO....
Performers External Assessment Task 3 (MAY 2017)
TASK 3 FINAL Evaluation
Strengths Reflection:
I think that as a whole the performance went well because I played in time with Maddy, kept a steady rhythm throughout and there was very few mistakes made between us. She sand with good tuning and a made a nice sound. Also, i think the performance went well because we both knew the transitions and where in the song the tempo changes so it therefore went smoothly as this caused minimal mistakes to be made.
I think i managed the pace of each song very well because I kept a steady rhythm for verses and intros of each song on guitar and adjusted the tempo accordingly to the chorus' as they sped up at the chorus in each song. I tried to play with good phrasing which my teacher told me about and think I showed the way the song should be played well.
Improvement Reflection:
If i was to perform again then i would focus on improving my stage presence and perform the songs with more feeling and emotion by changing my facial expressions and making eye contact with audience. I would also like to make the performance as a whole better by varying dynamics to coincide with Maddy's singing to make give the performance more life and make it more emphasise the strengths in my ability to play the songs. I would also personally improve the performance by reducing the amount of mistakes that I made in chord transitions from a couple to none whatsoever.
Improvement #1:
Showing emotion while playing.
Strategy:
Exaggerate the dynamics and and communicate with the audience by smiling through each song.
Exaggerate the dynamics and and communicate with the audience by smiling through each song.
Improvement #2:
Stage presence and communication
Stage presence and communication
Strategy:
Looking at Maddy when performing, especially when there is a change coming up for good communication. Also speak louder when introducing songs and sounding more enthusiastic when doing so. Improving the accuracy of my playing in a few places would also help the communication of the music.
Looking at Maddy when performing, especially when there is a change coming up for good communication. Also speak louder when introducing songs and sounding more enthusiastic when doing so. Improving the accuracy of my playing in a few places would also help the communication of the music.
Improvement #3:
To play more complicated pieces which are more interesting to listen to.
To play more complicated pieces which are more interesting to listen to.
Strategy: How could you make that
improvement?:
I would play a song that had a solo riff in it to challenge myself, which i would have done if i had more time to learn it.
I would play a song that had a solo riff in it to challenge myself, which i would have done if i had more time to learn it.
Feedback from others:
"Good accuracy and tone. Rhythmically strong throughout. I f I had a Gun - well done for your recovery from the mistake. When playing with others ensure that you make eye contact and communicate in performance"
"Strengths - Strong rhythm - good rit (slow down at the end which worked well with the dynamics.
Fluid strumming pattern and obvious knowledge of chords
Good stage presence in terms of facing audience and introducing the audience to communicate.
Effective yet subtle changes in tempo (rubato - changes the song from simple cover to more developed)."
"Improvements - vary dynamics more to bring more confidence to the performance and sell what is strong playing.
Retain accuracy throughout the entire set."
"Strengths - Strong rhythm - good rit (slow down at the end which worked well with the dynamics.
Fluid strumming pattern and obvious knowledge of chords
Good stage presence in terms of facing audience and introducing the audience to communicate.
Effective yet subtle changes in tempo (rubato - changes the song from simple cover to more developed)."
"Improvements - vary dynamics more to bring more confidence to the performance and sell what is strong playing.
Retain accuracy throughout the entire set."
This feedback helped my evaluation of the performance as it highlighted the weak areas of my performance that allowed me to analyse where I can improve. It also allowed me to acknowledge the strengths in my performance such as good rit (slow down) and strong strumming pattern which I intended to do, showing me that i displayed it well enough for the audience to notice it. Before I received this feedback I hadn't noticed the strengths about the rit and the other things I was doing right. I also underestimated the importance of communication when playing with others and will work on this in the future.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, I think that my my performance went well as I performed well on my own and with Maddy singing because I made very few mistakes in chord transitions and tempo changes and demonstrated a strong strumming pattern and good stage presence which show that i met some for my targets from the beginning. Also this performance has given me areas to improve on such as varying dynamics and retaining accuracy throughout the performance which are achievable and realistic for me to accomplish. Overall, I think my performance was ultimately a success as the strengths outweigh the weaknesses.
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