What should I play for my HSC music performance pieces? What stuff gets the marks??? (1 Viewer)

[JYBJYBJYB238]

ok so I'm in year 12 and I'm still having huge trouble finding songs for my HSC!!!!! :/// I play guitar - acoustic fan - and sing a bit. I've been thinking since year 10 and I just can't think of anything that I want to play for the actual HSC!!! :/ i can play a few instrumentals like John Butler 'Ocean', 'Foundation' and I've written my own music... but I really don't know what gets the marks when it comes down to the HSC I've busked a bit and played on stage and at little music events and stuff, so I'm not totally unexperienced with performing - its just the pieces. I'd prefer to sing and play and i have people i can play with and all. - I'd rather try to avoid anything astronomically technical though in case i blow it.....
Any suggestions would be gggrrreeeatt.

 

[sinawi]

Re: What should I play for my HSC music performance pieces? What stuff gets the marks

1. John Butler
2. Tommy Emmanuel
3. Andy Mckee

are the three peeps that I played, and I played all guitar instrumentals.

A few tips:

1) Don't play your own music
2) Don't sing if it's not your main strength - stick with your strength, only sing if it compliments the guitar, otherwise just assess yourself on guitar. If singing is something you love doing, and you're good at it, do a Angus Julia stone kind of thing and play acoustic and assess yourself on the singing only. It ultimately depends what you think is better in the long run.
3) Although you don't want to, if you want a band 6 you need to play hard pieces and move outside your comfort zone NOW! Do it these holidays and term 1 in fact. Master the hard pieces over the next 4 or 5 weeks 1 or 2 hours a day and you'll be done your music hsc performance set list before term 2. If it's singing or guitar, make sure the pieces are diverse and differ from one another in terms of mood


If you need any specific tips or have any questions don't be afraid to PM me There's so much depth to get into and so much to say.

As for pieces, I did ocean (but my own version because it's overdone), angelina by emmanuel, for my father and rylynn by andy Mckee.. It took me ages to learn but it was worth it

Some suggestions:

- The three I listed above
- Angus and Julia Stone (for singing)
- Led Zeppelin (for singing/guitar)
- Jimmi Hendrix for guitar or vocals
- Bon Iver (for singing)

Pretty much anything that's in your most played top 10-20 itunes list I'd spose that's not overly popular and over done in the marking centre.

 

[sinawi]

Re: What should I play for my HSC music performance pieces? What stuff gets the marks

1. John Butler
2. Tommy Emmanuel
3. Andy Mckee

are the three peeps that I played, and I played all guitar instrumentals.

A few tips:

1) Don't play your own music
2) Don't sing if it's not your main strength - stick with your strength, only sing if it compliments the guitar, otherwise just assess yourself on guitar. If singing is something you love doing, and you're good at it, do a Angus Julia stone kind of thing and play acoustic and assess yourself on the singing only. It ultimately depends what you think is better in the long run.
3) Although you don't want to, if you want a band 6 you need to play hard pieces and move outside your comfort zone NOW! Do it these holidays and term 1 in fact. Master the hard pieces over the next 4 or 5 weeks 1 or 2 hours a day and you'll be done your music hsc performance set list before term 2. If it's singing or guitar, make sure the pieces are diverse and differ from one another in terms of mood


If you need any specific tips or have any questions don't be afraid to PM me There's so much depth to get into and so much to say.

As for pieces, I did ocean (but my own version because it's overdone), angelina by emmanuel, for my father and rylynn by andy Mckee.. It took me ages to learn but it was worth it

Some suggestions:

- The three I listed above
- Angus and Julia Stone (for singing)
- Led Zeppelin (for singing/guitar)
- Jimmi Hendrix for guitar or vocals
- Bon Iver (for singing)

Pretty much anything that's in your most played top 10-20 itunes list I'd spose that's not overly popular and over done in the marking centre.

 

[AAEldar]

Re: What should I play for my HSC music performance pieces? What stuff gets the marks

To chime in:

Have variety. Don't play all of the same artists, or the same genre/style. Finger-style is great and it's what they love to see, but mix it up with what types!

You don't necessarily need the most technically challenging pieces - you just need to play moderately difficult pieces with expression and emotion. Throw in dynamics changes and you're a winner in the markers eyes.

Definitely don't sing and play guitar UNLESS you can do it very well. A lot of people try to do this and don't do it well - the markers know what they're looking for.

If you do want to play something hard, as sinawi said start now. Don't just know how to play your pieces, know how to play them perfectly, without having to think about them, and so that you're able to pick up from any point of the song without question.

Don't avoid something extremely technical if it's a piece you would love to play - have the motivation to do it. If you can pull it off it'll be worth it.

I played:

Vincent by Chet Atkins - solo piece on a nylon string
Angelina by Tommy Emmanuel (same as sinawi!) - solo piece but I also played this on a nylon for something different
Wooden Ships by Nigel Westlake - this was a sort of classical piece, I had an ensemble (harp, viola, bass clarinet, cello). Do something like this, and well, and it'll serve you ewll
Going Home (Local Hero Theme) by Mark Knopfler - electric with a little band (and a saxophone)

I killed the externals, but was let down by my laziness internally.

 

[sinawi]

Re: What should I play for my HSC music performance pieces? What stuff gets the marks

Excellent song choices AAEldar, loving the variety.
Very well said too, everything this guy has said is 110% spot on.

Play something you love, have variety (some with bands, some without, energetic, slow ect) make sure it isn't too easy, put emotion into it, learn it all now > perfect it months and months before HSC. You should be sweet.

 

[JYBJYBJYB238]

Re: What should I play for my HSC music performance pieces? What stuff gets the marks

Thanks for the tips.
I do sing and play better than my instrumentals.
But in saying that ~ I've been tossing around having a go at Ocean OR Bella Soave by Tommy Emmanuel as one of my pieces for a while... so i guess I'm on the right track-ish then?
I'll have a look at all the suggested songs/artists too - thanks again!