1. Music Performance & Music Ensemble
How to assess popular music performance
Chris Baker
www.musicstudentinfo.com

2. Grading your Group Performances
Can we assess popular music performance?
Is it possible?
Is it just subjective?
Definition: based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes,
or opinions: his views are highly subjective | there is always the
danger of making a subjective judgment

3. Lets define the terms
Popular liked, admired, or enjoyed by many people or by a
particular person or group
Performance an act of staging or presenting a play, concert, or
other form of entertainment

4. Who are the great popular music performers?

5. Michael Jackson?

6. Robbie Williams?

7. Beyonce?

8. The Beatles?

9. or
The Sex Pistols?

10. Metallica?

11. Madonna?

12. Rolling Stones?

13. What do we look for in great popular
Music Performance?

14. Nice Hair?

15. Nice Shoes?

16. Well, presentation is a key factor
What else do we look for?
Be specific
Give examples

17. How will my forthcoming performances be
graded & assessed ?
Grading Criteria are key factors
They are on your assignments sheets
Look at the assignments section of www.musicstudentinfo.com
Take a close look
Target these criteria
The most successful students target these criteria

18. In Music Performance marking we draw on
grading criteria & the following factors

19. They can be divided into several areas
Here is an easy clue

20. What we hear
Balance Are all sound sources appropriately audible?
Cohesion Do they produce a convincing overall sound?
Signs of rehearsal Does it sound like they have put in the
necessary preparation to make this sound?

21. What we hear cont.
Common intent Do they sound like they are working towards
the same ends?
Pacing Is there some sense of organised change and growth?
Confidence are they comfortable with what they are doing?

22. What else might we look for in your
performances?
Here is a more abstract clue

23. Yes, what we see
Physical presence:
What they wear and their physical attributes
How they stand also, in relation to the audience
Where they stand in relation to each other and the audience

24. What we see cont.
Their physical relationship with their instrument(s) individually
and collectively
If movement is featured, is it consistent/engaging/ appropriate?

25. What else might we look for?

26. Projection/communication
Is their relationship to the audience consistent and convincing?
What techniques do they use to relate to their audience?
Is their audience appropriate?

27. Projection & Communication cont.
Is the (band projected) space between them and the audience
appropriate/comfortable
Is there any sense that dramatic elements are being drawn
upon?

28. & Other Elements
As you develop as performers you may choose to incorporate
Other elements such as:
Appropriate lighting
Visual effects smoke, etc.
Video screens and their images
Non-sound producing people involved in the presentation
dancers, 'characters', etc.

29. The End