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Music of the Last 25 Years (Australian Focus)
List of focus compositions for Mandatory Topic: Music of the Last 25 Years (Australian Focus):
1. Ross Edwards – Symphony No. 4 ‘ Star Chant’ (2001) [Australian]
http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/workversion/edwards-ross-symphony-no-4/12750
I’ve chosen to focus on this work because there is just so much musical and compositional content in this piece, especially how Edwards included
various Aboriginal influences in the piece. Aside from that, the piece also incorporates various extended instrumental techniques, uncommon
notation, usage of changing metres, minimalistic compositional technique (musical cells and repetition), and the incorporation of unusual
instrumentations (recorded piano and percussion, Chinese percussions).
2. Paul Stanhope – Jandamarra: Sing to the Country (2014) [Australian]
http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/work/stanhope-paul-jandamarra-sing-for-the-country
This piece was written based on a story owned by the Bunuba people from Western Australia. The reason I’ve chosen this work is because I thought
that it would go hand in hand with Ross Edwards’ Symphony No. 4 as both of them drew inspiration from the Aboriginal culture, albeit in different
ways.
3. Elena Kats-Chernin – Wild Swans Ballet (2002) [Australian, female composer]
http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/workversion/kats-chernin-elena-wild-swans/13451
Eliza’s Aria is arguably one of the most well-known Australian tune, and thus I thought that it would be good for students to learn more about this
piece. The piece will also serve as an entry point into the musical style of ballet.
4. Ennio Morricone – The Hateful Eight soundtrack (2015) [Italian film composer]
I’ve decided to add in a film composer in the mix because I believe that in a movie, the music itself plays a major role in telling the story and at times,
it is the make or break for the movie. In my opinion, there are no greater contemporary film composer other than John Williams and Ennio Morricone.
The reason I’ve chosen Morricone over Williams is because the former is less well-known than the latter (but truly deserves as much attention as
Williams or Hans Zimmer), and has recently won an Oscar for this particular score.
5. Fazil Say – Alla Turca Jazz (1993)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Whp1kWZ8Y [Turkish Classical/Jazz composer]
The reason that I’ve chosen this piece is because the original composition which this piece is based on is W. A. Mozart’s famous Alla Turca. I hope
that because of the students’ familiarity with this famous classical piece that they will be able to see how Fazil Say recomposed the whole piece in a
jazz style. This will also serve as an entry point into jazz repertoires. On top of that the instrumentation for the piece is for solo piano, which will
contrast well with all the other repertoires listed.
Students’ repertoire example:
Instrument
Trombone
Approx. AMEB grade
7
Flute
5
Violin
AmusA
Cello
6
Voice (Soprano)
Self – taught, been singing in choir
and musicals since Year 4.
Repertoire
A Song for Japan – Steven Verhelst
(2011/2012)
And my angel whisper peace to me :
for treble woodwind and piano (or
strings) – Jim Coyle (2014)
Russian rag : arrangement for violin
and piano – Elena Kats-Chernin
(1996/2004)
And with the rain, tears : cello and
piano – Phillip Wilcher (2000)
Lullaby – Maria Okunev (2008)
Aseessment focus
Intonation (tuning), dynamics
change, phrasing
Intonation, use of different vibrato,
phrasing
Rhythmic sense/style (jazz),
Intonation, phrasing, ensemble skills
Tone production, phrasing, rhythm
(3/4 + 2/4)
Intonation, character, tone
projection
Unit of Work: Ross Edwards – Symphony No. 4
Duration: 7 weeks (2 x 1.5 hour lessons per week)
Students’ prior knowledge:
Students will have studied all the mandatory as well as 2 other additional topics in Year 11. They will have relatively good music notation reading skills and
are receiving private instrumental tutoring outside of school times. Students will also have learnt about using webfolio to keep track of their lessons and
composition journal since commencing Music 2 course in Year 11. The teacher will share the template with students at the beginning of the unit. In the
webfolio template, there is also a section which provides links to all the examples and scores used in class. Students will be able to use these resources to
enhance their understanding of the unit during their free time.
Assessments: Composition (10%) + Composition journal (5%)
Students will compose a 1-minute piece by drawing compositional ideas from the major focus work of the Mandatory topic – Ross Edwards’ Symphony No.
4. They will compose and the music by using either Musescore, Sibelius or Finale. However, students will not be required to record their composition. They
will also need to keep a compositional journal which outlines their compositional process. The compositional journal will be recorded in the form of a webfolio.
More information is included in the Assessment Notification.
Assessment Notification link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/eow6eky48vt63ys/Assessment%20Advice%20-%20Composition%20Task.docx?dl=0
Webfolio link: https://sites.google.com/site/synwong1993/home
Note: Although not formally assessed during this unit of work, students should remember to include weekly blogs about the activities that they have done in
class. The teacher will check the overall blogs at the end of the schooling year, which will be marked upon pass/fail criterion. Failure in this task may result
in a deduction of 10% from their final school mark.
Sequence Chart:
Activities
Integrated
Learning
Experiences
P
C
M
Part 1: Aboriginal influences in Australian
compositions
Lesson 1:
Class discussion about traditional Aboriginal music.
Helpful questions: What is Aboriginal Music? What
do you think about when people say traditional
Aboriginal music? Significance of it? Function?
Types?

Following the listening activity, discussion about
types of Aboriginal instruments – didgeridoo,
boomerang, clapsticks, voice

[Optional: Invite Aboriginal members to the school
to give a talk about this, showing students the
various types of Aboriginal instruments]

Lesson 2:
Review structure of Minmin Light  then students
get into pairs to compose/improvise a piece in a
similar style to the song, can be done without vocal
part. Encourage students to choose music from

Resource
Feedback
Students keep notes in
webfolio.
Webfolio
Verbal feedback
Students keep analysis
notes in webfolio.
Recording of Minmin
Light
Verbal feedback
Students are able to
identify Aboriginal
instruments.
Aboriginal music
handout, Webfolio
Verbal feedback
A

Students listen to recording of Minmin Light.
Analysis of the piece, focusing on the
instrumentation, texture, style and structure of the
piece.
Evidence of Learning

Students perform their
composition.
Verbal feedback,
Peer feedback
other genre/styles and arrange it in the same
structure, e.g. vocal + drone, vocal + percussion,
rhythm and melodic cues for changing sections.
Students will perform their arrangement at the end 
of the lesson. Their peers will listen to their
performance and give verbal feedback.
Lesson 3:
Students will have a discussion lesson about how
Australian composers used Aboriginal influences in
their western ‘art’ music.
Composition
performance.


Students listen to examples of Australian art music
which incorporates Aboriginal references.
Students then analyse the examples in terms of how
the composers incorporated Aboriginal references
in their compositions, e.g. through Aboriginal
instruments, texts, Dreamtime stories, history etc.

Introduction of Ross Edwards’ Symphony No. 4.
Students will listen to the first movement of the
piece.
Verbal discussion – short analysis of the first
movement in terms of Aboriginal references
Lesson 4:
Melodic dictation: Students will listen to an excerpt
from the first movement of Symphony No. 4 by Ross
Students can identify
and mention Australian
compositions with
Aboriginal influences
Webfolio
Verbal feedback
Music playlist
Students keep notes in
webfolio.
Webfolio , Aboriginal
Astronomy Handout
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio

Students are able to
identify musical features
of Symphony No.4.
Ross Edwards Spotify link, Ross
Edwards - score
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio

Melodic dictation in
handout
Melodic Dictation
Handout 1
Marking of
handout

Edwards and they will have to notate the soprano
melody.
Listen + analysis of the first section of the piece focusing on structure/form

Discuss how Aboriginal culture has been
incorporated into the piece (link to dreamtime
context)  analysis of structure, drawing back on
the traditional Aboriginal song that students learnt
in Week 1.

Part 2: Sequences and repetition
Lesson 5 - 8:
Listen + analysis of the 4th section of the piece
(Sparkling), paying attention to the unique notation
and structure.


Students are introduced to the idea of musical cells
and repetition  link to Terry Riley’s In C
Further links to the idea of phasing.
Students will learn and do a class performance of ‘In 
C’.
Students will compose a 4-part phasing piece using 
Garageband. Students are encouraged to explore
different types of instrumentation. Students will
play their composition to the class and verbal
feedback will be given.


Students make
annotations on score
and keep notes on
webfolio.
Webfolio, Ross
Edwards – Spotify
link, Ross Edwards score
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio

Students make
annotations on score
and keep notes on
webfolio.
Webfolio, Ross
Edwards - Spotify link,
Ross Edwards - score
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio
Students are able to
identify and explain
musical cells and
repetition.
Terry Riley video,
Terry Riley - In C score
Class performance
Terry Riley - In C score
Verbal feedback
Students will present
their composition.
Phasing Composition
Task, Phasing
Composition
Examplar
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio
Students will transcribe their composition from
Garageband onto Musescore.


Students will listen to the rest of the first
movement, and analyse the 2 middle sections and
how the whole section fits together.
Students will discover the various types of
uncommon notation through score analysis.
Students will learn listen and follow the score of
various compositions that used unconventional
notation, including composers such as John Cage,
Cathy Berberian, and George Crumb.
Analysis of the different types of notation that each
composer decided to go with, and why they chose
it.
Students will listen to the 4th section of the piece
again and notate the piece in graphic notation,
paying attention to the various textural layers, tone
colour, and dynamics. (this will set up another
activity in Lessons 9-10)

Students will notate on
Musescore.
Phasing Composition
Students make
annotations on score
and keep notes on
webfolio.
Webfolio, Ross
Edwards - Spotify link,
Ross Edwards - score
Students make
annotations on score
and keep notes on
webfolio.
Unconventional
notation scores and
recordings



Webfolio



Students create graphic
notation.
Verbal feedback,
Marking of
graphic score
Students will share with the class their composition
portfolio (5-10 minute presentation each)
Part 3: Centauri Proxima
Lesson 9 - 10:
Students learn to play mixed bag arrangement of 
Centauri Proxima.
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio
Verbal feedback,
peer feedback
Class performance
Proxima Centauri
arrangement
Verbal feedback
Analysis of Proxima Centauri section – Focusing on
chords/harmony being used


Listen to the recording of Proxima Centauri section.






Students make
annotations on score
and keep notes on
webfolio.
Discussion about how meaning of the text is being
conveyed through the music.
Refer back to the graphic notation done in Lessons
5-8, discuss how the context of the words is being
conveyed by the music, e.g. Proxima Centauri is the
dimmest star mentioned in the piece – music is alien
and unknown (ambiguous chords)
Further link to other sections such as the 4th section
(Orion’s belt), an area which is full of Aboriginal
Dreaming stories is ‘sparkling’ (thick texture,
multiple melodies at once/polyphonic), and Sirius is
the brightest star – loudest section in terms of
dynamics
Webfolio
Ross Edwards Spotify link, Ross
Edwards - score
Students make
annotations on score
and keep notes on
webfolio.
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio
Students make
annotations on score
and keep notes on
webfolio.
Webfolio, Ross
Edwards - Spotify link,
Ross Edwards - score
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio
Students are able to
play uncommon rhythm.
Crux Australis rhythm
Verbal feedback
Melodic dictation in
handout.
Melodic Dictation
Handout 2, Ross
Edwards - Spotify link
Marking of
handout
[Extension: Group activity where students try and
list as many of such links as possible in the piece]
Part 4: Crux Australis
Lesson 11 - 13:
Students will learn to play the rhythm to one of the 
motives in Crux Australis (body percussion).
Melodic dictation of Crux Australis soprano line.

Students learn to play Crux Australis arrangement.
Listen to recording of Crux Australis section.


Analysis of Crux Australis section – paying attention
to the changing meter of the section, and groupings
of notes in simple and compound time.

Melodic dictation of Flower Songs soprano line
(rehearsal number 6).
Comparative listening on Flower Songs and
Symphony No. 4 – note the similarities and
differences, especially the use of text and changing
meter. Also pay attention to the use of call and
response technique.
Students will improvise/compose a rhythmic
section with changing meter. Then, they will use the 
rhythm that they have composed and add a melody
to it. Ultimately, students will notate their piece on
Musescore.
Lesson 14:
Students will present their final composition to
students in class, peer and teacher’s informal
feedback will be given. Students will have a week to
polish up their composition for submission via
webfolio.



Class performance
Crux Australia
arrangement
Verbal feedback
Students make
annotations on score
and keep notes on
booklet.
Webfolio, Ross
Edwards - Spotify link,
Ross Edwards - score
Melodic dictation in
handout.
Melodic Dictation
Handout 3, Flower
Songs recording
Marking of
handout
Student will perform
and notate their
composition.
Musescore
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio
Students submit
composition.
Webfolio
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio
Verbal feedback.
Marking of
portofolio
Students keep notes on
booklet.
Students will work on an essay question. Students
will need to answer the question based on Ross
Edwards’ Symphony No. 4.
The essay will be marked as a team, with both
teacher and peer feedback given during class.
Essay question:
How have composers manipulated the concepts of
music to achieve unity in their works?
Students write a short
essay drawing on
examples from Ross
Edwards’ Symphony No.
4.
Essay Question
Handout
Verbal and peer
feedback.
References List:
Edwards, R. (2001). Symphony no. 4: for chorus and orchestra. Australian Music Centre, Australia. Scores available from
http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/workversion/edwards-ross-symphony-no-4/12750
Pinar Altay. (23 Dec 2007). Fazil Say – Turkish March. Youtube video retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Whp1kWZ8Y
Stanhope, P. (2014). Jandamarra: Sing for the Country. Australian Music Centre, Australia. Scores available from
http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/work/stanhope-paul-jandamarra-sing-for-the-country
Kats-Chernin, E. (2001). Wild Swans Suite. Australian Music Centre, Australia. Scores available from
http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/workversion/kats-chernin-elena-wild-swans/13451
Sydneycon. (27 April 2016). "The Online Music Portfolio" - Andrew Mifsud (Barker College). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T15LT3P7ORw
Humberstone, J. (2016). Week 9 Senior Secondary Music Education tutorial. University of Sydney.
Marsh, K. (2016). Week 7 Cultural Diversity in Music Education tutorial. University of Sydney.
Bunggridj-bunggridj: Wangga songs by Alan Maralung Northern Australia. International Institute for Traditional Music (!993). Traditional Music of the World
4. Smithsonian/Folkways CD SF 40430. Available for download or purchase from: http://www.folkways.si.edu/alan-maralung-with-peter-manaberu/theworlds-musical-traditions-vol-4-bunggridj-bunggridj-wangga-songs-northern-australia/world/music/album/smithsonian
Marsh, K. (2016). Week 7 Cultural Diversity in Music Education lecture notes. University of Sydney.
Riley, T. (1964). In C. Available for download from http://imslp.org/wiki/In_C_(Riley,_Terry)
Sydneycon. (30 Oct 2014). Kakadu (1988) – P. Sculthorpe (1929-2014). Youtube video retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhXoYfFX6ZA
Komaromykornel. (1 Feb 2012). Terry Riley: In C. Youtube video retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNi0bukYRnA
Edwards, Ross. (1994). Ecstatic Dances – Chamber Music Volume One. Tall Poppies Records: Australia. TP051
Bhathal, R. (2010). Aboriginal Astronomy. Ragbir Bhathal: Australia.