Students communicate by singing set exercises using appropriate vocal techniques. Exercises will be assessed during tutorial times in Week 4. 

Set singing exercises will be assessed on individual demonstration of:

• the use of appropriate/healthy vocal technique 
• posture and alignment
• breath management
• vocal clarity (simultaneous onset and balanced sound)
• vocal placement 
• articulation (consonants - tongue, teeth and lips) 
• musical quality

Students maintain a reflective journal that demonstrates their understanding of their own voice as a means of effective communication in various modes, and in group and individual contexts. Specific journal requirements and format will be outlined and distributed in the Week 2 Lecture.    

The journal will be maintained for a minimum of 8 weeks and will be assessed on individual demonstration of:

• Documentation of all vocal practices that occur outside tutorial times 
• Regular practice structure and content 
• Weekly reflection statements (including reflections on lecture and reading content) and how this relates to your individual voice use 
• Weekly documentation of individual progress
• Appropriate referencing (APA) and writing style
• Specific journal requirements will be distributed and discussed during the Week 2 Lecture; Journals are to be submitted via Turnitin by 5pm on the due date.

Students participate in a collaborative creative process that completes with a group performance in the Week 9 Lecture time.

In this assessment task, the ways in which the students contribute during the process is monitored in tutorials and in iLearn discussion forums. During the creative process, students culturally and socially mediate, respect and implement the viewpoints of others; students then participate in a collaborative musical performance and critically reflect on the process and performance.

Students participate in a creative group process (practice) and perform a vocal ensemble song. Incorporating aspects of group and self-assessment, a reflection statement (maximum of 500 words) will be due the week after the ensemble performance.

The ensemble song may be rehearsed with a backing track, but the performance must be a cappella (unaccompanied). Percussion instruments may be used; a loop station may also be used for the layering of percussive sounds to underscore the ensemble. Maximum song length is 3.5 minutes. While most of the ensemble will be group singing (with harmony, answering phrases and echoes), each student must sing at least one line solo or one line with another singer (duo).

Ensemble singing will be assessed on individual demonstration of:

• participation in the process leading to the ensemble performance 
• individual performance (from memory) within an ensemble (musical quality and presentation)
• the use of appropriate/healthy vocal technique 
• posture and alignment
• breath management
• vocal clarity (simultaneous onset and balanced sound)
• vocal placement 
• articulation (consonants - tongue, teeth and lips) 
• musical quality
• individual reflection statement 

It is envisaged that up to 4 hours of ensemble rehearsals will occur outside tutorials. This time has been allocated in the student workload for this unit.

Students are required to submit a pre-performance reflection on their learning process (maximum of 500 words) via Turnitin by 5pm on Friday 1st May.

With reference to unit readings and individual research, students discuss the voice as an expressive instrument. Specific essay topics will be outlined and distributed in the Week 4 Lecture.     

The essay will be assessed on discussion of:

• anatomical and physiological voice function
• appropriate voice use 
• vocal technique for singing
• musical expression through singing
• vocal health strategies
• vocal care strategies
• substabtiated argument using unit readings and individual research
• appropriate referencing (APA) and writing style
• essays are due via Turnitin by 5pm on the due date

For this assessment task, students are required to research, prepare and effectively communicate singing a song.

Students will perform a song of their choice (from memory) to a backing track or to musical accompaniment.  For this assessment, students are not permitted to accompany themselves.

Maximum song length is 4 minutes.

Vocal performances will be assessed on individual demonstration of:

• spoken introductions to songs
• the use of appropriate vocal technique 
• posture and alignment
• breath management
• vocal clarity (simultaneous onset and balanced sound)
• vocal placement 
• articulation (consonants - tongue, teeth and lips)
• interpretive elements (including lyrical*, stage/performance skills, microphone technique and confidence)  
• musical quality (including dynamics, phrasing, musical integrity/pitch accuracy)
• stylistic integrity (including appropriate musical accompaniment and vocal quality) 

*For those students choosing to sing in a language other than English, you must provide a translation of lyrics for the assessment panel at the time of your assessment.