Description category 4: Structuring and organising ideas into form (composition)

As seen in Table 13, structuring and organising ideas into form clearly deals with musical composition, and the descriptions within this category are explicitly related to this. They also serve as examples of progression within the secondary music content descriptions: in Years 7–8, students are simply asked to structure compositions by using the elements of music and notation, while in Years 9–10, they are intended to plan their compositions, organise them

with a contextual understanding of the style they are working within, and engage with the Indigenous Priority (n.d.-r, version 8.3). This indicates an increased sophistication of engagement with composition, but despite the promise of these descriptions, the elaborations illustrate inconsistencies in how the ACM uses composition, undermining ACARA’s attempt to re-define the term.

The elaborations refer to students composing (writing down) new pieces of music, or arranging pre-existing music into different styles (ACARA n.d.-r, version 8.3).17 _{They do not}

reference improvisation or creating accompaniment figures, both of which are included within the definition of composition, or recording, which is not referred to by composition at all. The lack of clarity and consistency means that these activities—particularly

improvisation—are undermined, and they are not privileged within school music education to begin with (Department of Education, Science and Training 2005, p. xix).18 _{Further issues}

arise when considering the persistent references to works of music (ACARA n.d.-r).

Inconsistencies in composition severely impact the inclusivity of the ACM and are untenable in both praxial and synergistic frameworks. They position the ACM’s concept of composition within the tradition of Western art music. After the lengths that the curriculum writers went to in defining composition for the ACM, this appears to be a retrograde step that entirely negates the first praxial characteristic.

The first explicit reference to the Indigenous Priority in the descriptions themselves occurs in this category. However, its inclusion lacks consideration and detail. Within the description for Years 9–10, students are encouraged to “draw upon Australian music by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists” (n.d.-r, version 8.3), implying that students should appropriate Indigenous Australian music rather than understand it. There are two Indigenous-focused elaborations, which provide some further depth but also raise further problems:

17 _{In Years 7–8, students “[arrange] a familiar piece into a different musical style by manipulating the elements}

of music;” or they “[create] an arrangement of a known melody” (ACARA n.d.-r, version 8.3). In Years 9–10, students “[compose] and [arrange] music using the elements of music to communicate style and genre…” (n.d.- r).

18 _{Recommended actions for improving music curricula include “targeting specific priority needs identified by}

this Review: music technology, Indigenous music, gifted and talented students, creativity, composition,

improvisation and inclusive repertoire” (Department of Education, Science and Training 2005, p. xix, emphasis

Table 13: Content descriptions and elaborations for description category 4 (ACARA n.d.-r, version 8.3). Structuring and organising ideas into form

Year 7–8 content description

Year 7–8 elaborations Year 9–10 content description Year 9–10 elaboration Structure compositions by combining and manipulating the elements of music using notation (ACAMUM095). Combining and manipulating the elements of music to imitate a range of styles, using appropriate notation.

Plan and organise compositions with an understanding of style and convention, including drawing upon Australian music by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists (ACAMUM102).

Planning, recording and communicating ideas in different musical styles, including Australian music by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, using specialised notation and terminology.

Selecting, combining and manipulating sounds using

technologies to create, develop and record music ideas.

Combining and manipulating the elements of music using repetition, variation and contrast to shape compositions. Considering viewpoints— evaluations: For example—How effectively are the expressive techniques indicated in the notation of the

composition? What are the strengths of this performance or composition?

Composing and arranging music using the elements of music to communicate style and genre, and considering contemporary Australian styles and emerging genres such as Aboriginal hip hop and mash up and classical fusion of instrumentation such as symphonic orchestra and didgeridoo.

Exploring technology as a tool for creating, notating, recording and sharing music ideas.

Exploring and manipulating combinations of electronic and acoustic sounds to create new works, using technology as a composition tool and a sound source.

Arranging a familiar piece into a different musical style by manipulating the elements of music.

Considering viewpoints— psychology: For example— How does music used in games or film influence and stimulate an emotional response in an audience? Considering viewpoints—forms and elements: For example—What composition devices were used in your piece?

Experimenting with contemporary media and recording techniques to create and refine original

compositions and arrangements. Creating an arrangement of a known melody. Using style-specific notation software to record compositions.

1. Planning, recording and communicating ideas in different musical styles, including Australian music by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, using specialised

notation and terminology.

2. Composing and arranging music using the elements of music to communicate style and genre, and considering contemporary styles and emerging genres such as Aboriginal hip hop and mash up and classical fusion of instrumentation such as symphonic orchestra and didgeridoo (n.d.-r, version 8.3, emphasis added).

The first elaboration contains an explicit reference to notational styles beyond standard Western notation, which is appropriate in the context of considering “different musical styles” (n.d.-r, version 8.3). However, it is inappropriate in direct relation to Indigenous Australian musical styles, which are rarely notated traditions. The second elaboration does include some specific examples of styles students could engage with, but it appears that this is merely a list, with little indication of how or why students would engage with these styles. The consideration of the Indigenous Priority is not continuous or sequential as there are no explicit references to the Indigenous Priority within the Years 7–8 description or

elaborations. Instead, there is an oblique reference to “imitating a range of styles” (n.d.-r), which again seems to imply cultural appropriation in place of any deep understanding. The challenges that the ACM faces in articulating a multicultural music education framework are clearly realised through the composition content descriptions.

The composition descriptions and elaborations are contradictory. The concept of composition used within them virtually ignores the ACM’s own definition of the term, and the implementation of the Indigenous Priority lacks any real depth. Coupled with reference to works of music and no reference to recording music—an integral component of the creation and dissemination of popular music—these descriptions are predominantly

monocultural, and within the framework of Western music are only appropriate to a limited range of styles. However, the descriptions and elaborations display the clearest indication of progression through the ACM. Composition and the Indigenous Priority are two of the key challenges identified by the teachers within the interview sample, and they will be explored in significant detail in Chapters Eight and Nine.

5.4.5 Description category 5: Sharing artworks through performance, presentation and