Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91277 about?

Accepted Answer

In this external exam (sat at the end of the year), you pick two pieces of music that are meaningfully different from each other — for example, a Beethoven symphony movement and a jazz album. You write a detailed comparison of them, covering both the background context behind each piece (history, culture, who made it and why) and the actual musical features (harmony, texture, rhythm, instruments, compositional devices, etc.). You must refer to the musical score of at least one of the works. The exam has four parts, and you answer all of them. It is worth 6 credits and is marked externally by NZQA examiners.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91277?

Accepted Answer

1. Choose two pieces of music that are substantial (complex or significant enough to write a lot about) and clearly different from each other in style, era, or genre. 2. Study the background context of each piece — who wrote or performed it, when, where, why, and what was happening historically or culturally at the time. 3. Study the musical features of each piece in detail — things like harmony, melody, texture, rhythm, form, instruments, compositional devices, and performance practices. 4. In the exam, write a comparison of both pieces across four structured questions, explaining similarities and differences in both context and musical features. 5. Use the musical score of at least one work to support your written analysis with specific musical examples and bar references.

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91277?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You compare the two works at a basic level, covering some context and some musical features. Your points are relevant but fairly general — you identify what is happening rather than explaining it in depth. Merit: You go into more detail and make clear, specific comparisons. You explain how the context shaped the music and describe musical features with accurate vocabulary and some supporting evidence from the score. Excellence: You write a perceptive, thorough comparison. You link context and musical features in an insightful way, support every point with precise musical evidence (including from the score), and show a deep understanding of what makes each work distinctive and how they contrast.

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91277?

Accepted Answer

1. Choosing works based on personal taste or familiarity rather than musical depth and complexity — works need to be 'substantial' in a musical sense, not just personally meaningful. 2. Selecting works whose themes or content are not appropriate for a classroom/exam context. 3. Writing about context in a surface-level way without explaining how that context actually shaped the musical ideas in the piece. 4. Not using the score to back up analytical points — examiners expect specific score-based evidence. 5. Using vague or incorrect musical vocabulary instead of precise technical terms. 6. Not making a genuine comparison between the two works — just describing each one separately rather than drawing out similarities and differences.

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