Brief:

Your school is hosting a showcase for parents and governors. You have been asked to provide a 10-15 minute performance appropriate to the event.

Your work: Must be suitable for the audience

If you work as a group each candidate in the group must be able to show their contribution. Each candidate will be assessed individually.

TASK 1 Planning

1. My statement of personal aims:

Through my contribution to the event I would like to achieve the following goals:

For one of my goals. I would like to improve my confidence I want to be able to sing without the singers in the backing in front of a suitable audience. This is achievable because I will be rehearsing with instrumental backing tracks and will perform to other people in advance of the performance on stage in order to improve my confidence.

I would also like to improve my ability to keep up with the backing tracks and know where I should be in the song.

Another goal that I would like to achieve is to be able to the play the cello playing with the bow in one piece or two pieces. This will be achievable because I am able to play pizzicato but I am not able to do the bow hand probably, I can sometimes but not all of the time, I haven't been able to do it yet I have like once or twice but then sometimes I just forget.

I think that I have the following skills which I will use to help me achieve these goals:
I know how to play without the bow. I know all the chords off by heart and where they are on the cello.

I am organised and determined and work hard. I will make sure I am prepared for each sessions and be determined to achieve my goals.

I will know if I’ve achieved it because……
I will know if I’ve achieved it because I would be able to play a piece with the bow. I will able to record myself without the singer and perform all my songs without getting too nervous and having to give up.

How I will meet the expectations of the audience:

I will find out what type of music people would like to hear by asking a survey with my family and friends as it is good to have different opinions for example my dad would prefer to listen to classical music preferred to my sister she would prefer pop music.
I will make 10-15 minutes long so the audience won't get bored or annoyed. For example if it was 3 minutes the audience would want more from me like "Play more", however if it was 20 minutes the audience would get annoyed and bored so we put it in the middle 10-15 minutes
The people will see it's me as I will introduce myself at the start of my performance.
Singing with the backing track is better because then you can actual hear me singing other than the actual singer as well because then you won't be able to hear me
I will try and move around a bit more because then it looks interesting.

2. Plan of my contribution to the performance

a) The requirements of the brief and how I will meet them:

It has to be 10-15 minutes. Also, it must be suitable to the audience of parents and governors. So my song will have appropriate lyrics (no swearing) and will be popular music that will appeal to an older age range.

What I intend to do:

I have spoken to my parents and some of my friends parents and they said that they would like to hear something that means something to me so that I can perform it to my bets ability. I will perform the following songs; Story of my life by 1D, Make You Stay by The Girl And The Dreamcatcher and True Love by Dove Cameron. I choose these 3 songs and they are my favourite songs and they mean something to me like; Story of my Life helps me remembers my childhood and how I've grown since I was a baby and how much I have become more helpful around the house. Also because of it brings back memories of me in Y7,Y8,Y9 and Y10 and helps remember I am just a person it doesn't matter what they say to you. Just be Yourself. Make You Stay reminds of my friendships and how my family has helped me get through my life. First I will play Make You Stay this is because I think it would be a good opening song because it sounds like I am telling the people to stay and it has a catchy chorus. . I choose Story of my life because it helps me stay strong and brings back memories of my granddad and my nan before she got her medical condition.Also, I am singing True Love by Dove Cameron because it helps think of true love and my love relationships with my family. This will be a good song because I hear it on a daily basis. This will be good choices for the audience because they are nice and catchy songs and they are modern so people will know them. I will be playing 1,2,3,5 out of cello time joggers this will be good for the audience as it something different. I will be playing 1,2,3 and 4 without the bow and 5 and 7 with the bow.

How I will do it:

I will record myself every 2 weeks and then play it back and see how can improve. I will also do rehearsal once every week all through no stopping. Also, during my free time at home I will practice my cello piece because I really need to practice.

Who I will need to involve:

It would only me for the most part because I am doing it all by myself. But I will need someone to record it. My cello teacher will be involved because she is helping learn the cello. Also I will need the sound team to set up microphones and a mixing desk to control the sound while I play, to mic up my cello pieces and play my backing tracks without the singers.

The resources I will need:

Resources I will need a Ipad to record me and I would need my phone to play the music. I will also need a microphone so they can hear me. Also, for my cello pieces I will need a stand and a chair.

The time needed for each song/ activity:

Make You Stay - 3 minutes 32 seconds
Story Of My Life - 4 minutes 5 seconds
True Love - 3 minutes 41 seconds
1 (Bow down, O Belinda) - 19 seconds
2 (Under Arrest) - 30 seconds
3 (Hill an' gully rider) - 25 seconds
5 (Jim along Josie) - 40 seconds

Health and safety issues for rehearsals and the performances:

I could trip over the cables while singing - This is a health and safety hazard because I could injury myself very badly. To make sure that this doesn't happen I will get the sound crew to check that leads are safely tucked away or tapped down and I will be careful when moving around.
The noise levels can be too loud - This is a health and safety hazard because it could damage people's hearing. I will make sure that speakers are turned down and ask the sound team to do a sound check before my performance.
Staging - I must be careful of the edge of the stage so that I do not fall off.

My set list:

True Love - Dove Cameron (Singing)
Story Of My Life - One Direction (Singing)

Make You Stay - The Girl And The Dreamcatcher (Singing)
Under Arrest - Cello Time Joggers (Playing The Cello)
Hill an' gully rider - Cello Time Joggers (Playing The Cello)
Bow down, O Belinda - Cello Time Joggers (Playing The Cello)

Jim along Josie - Cello Time Joggers (Playing The Cello)

Style and Image:

I will have everything set up like having the leads plugged in to the correct place so that the set up is professional. I am going to be wearing my school uniform as the performance is to parents and governors so they will want to see me looking smart and representing the school. I will stand centre stage and present myself formally to the audience.

Ideas for the performance:

I will explain what song I am doing and why I choose it very short and simple to introduce each piece. I will be prepared so I know when they around of applause so I know when to move to the next song. I will be prepared by warming up my voice before I go on. Also, I will need to check if my cello is in tune before I go in.

Staging and equipment needs:

I will need a Ipad this is because I need to be able to have my backing tracks played. Also, I will need a microphone so people will be able to hear me. Also I will need a stereo to plug in the microphone and the Ipad this is because people will be able to hear me. I will need a stand and a chair for my cello requirements because then I can sit down and see my music.

Staging requirements:

I will not need too much space. I will need mic centre stage because then I am not too far away. I will need my cello on the floor below the stage because then they will be able to see me.

Rehearsal Schedule

Own preparation time (I will be practising my music with my instrumental teacher in weekly 30 minute sessions totalling 2.5 hours)

Rehearsal 1: 23rd March CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME (1 hour)

Plan: Practice one song without the singer

Reality: In today's lesson I practiced my singing without the singers. This is because then I can hear how high or low pitch is in the song preferred to I am singing. Also, I done this because I can hear it with the singer and then without the singer. I felt like this is very useful because then if I don't get it the right the first time I could try again.

Rehearsal 2: 30th March CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME (1 hour)

Plan: Be able to practice all my cello pieces in time with music. Also, I will try and sing a song without the singer and without the lyrics

Reality: In today's lesson, I played along with the music for my cello pieces and I was able to able to play 4 out of 6 pieces in time. I was very proud of myself. I felt like I was better because one of my peers started counting for me.I felt like this would help me because then I know the beats. The other half of the lesson, I practiced my singing I was able to sing half of a song without the lyrics and without the backing I felt like I done very well.

EASTER HOLIDAYS (Own preparation time - 7.5 hours)
During the Easter Holidays, I was practicing my pieces on my cello as I need to learn and practice them as my assessment is coming up. I was learning pieces 1,2 and 3 without the bow and I am playing 4,5 and 7 with the bow. I found 1,2 and 3 the was easiest, then 4 and 5 were ok and 7 was the hardest. This is because 7 you have to have to hold it for 3 beats and then move on to the next note.

For the second week of the easter holidays, I was listening to the beat of my last song "Up". This is because I chose this song a couple of days back because I need 15 minutes and including my next two pieces on the cello and this song hopefully is 15 minutes. I hope it is. But I was practicing my other songs as well as Up as I don't want to forget the lyrics while I am singing on my performance.

Rehearsal 3: 20th April CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME (1 hour)

Plan: Be able to play all my cello pieces in one go.

Reality:In today's lesson, I played along with the music for my cello pieces and I was able to play 4 out of 6 pieces in time. I was very proud of myself.

Rehearsal 4: 27th April (ARD COMPLETE 2 HOUR OF REHEARSAL IN MUSIC) CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME

Plan: Be able to sing 2 songs in a row.

Reality: In today's lesson I practiced my singing without the singers. This is because then I can hear how high or low pitch is in the song preffered to I am singing. Also, I done this because I can hear it with the singer and then without the singer. I felt like this is very useful because then if I don't get it the right the first time I could try again. I sang two of all them in a row.

Rehearsal 5: 3rd May CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME (2 hour)

Plan: Practice my cello pieces and be able to sing my 4 songs in one go.

Reality: I learned most of my pieces, I learned 1,2,3,4 and 5. This is were probably the easiest ones to remember as they have similar notes and they are quicker. I have been counting the beats as it I play it as some of the pieces I have to hold on for 2 or 3 beats so I am counting in my head 1,2,3 next note. In today's lesson I was able to sing my songs all in one like I was performing on stage next week. I will be able to perform next week including my cello pieces.

Rehearsal 6: 4^th May CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME (2 hour)

Plan: Know all of the cello pieces
Reality: I learned most of my pieces, I learned 1,2,3,4 and 5. This is were probably the easiest ones to remember as they have similar notes and they are quicker. I have been counting the beats as it I play it as some of the pieces I have to hold on for 2 or 3 beats so I am counting in my head 1,2,3 next note. In today's lesson I was able to sing my songs all in one like I was performing on stage next week. I will be able to perform next week including my cello pieces.

Rehearsal 7: 9^th May CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME (1 hours)

Plan: Sing 3 songs in a row

Reality:

In today's lesson I practiced my singing without the singers. This is because then I can hear how high or low pitch is in the song preffered to I am singing. Also, I done this because I can hear it with the singer and then without the singer. I felt like this is very useful because then if I don't get it the right the first time I could try again. I sang three of all them in a row.

Rehearsal 8: 10^th May CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT TIME (2 hours)

Plan: Play at least 4 of my pieces in time

Dress Rehearsal Evaluation

Strengths Reflection:

· I was able to sing 3 out of 4 songs without the singers
· I knew some of the lyrics off by heart but not many

Improvement Reflection:

· I can stop turning my head when I am looking at the lyrics because people were not able to hear me via the microphone

· I could show some expression like when it is a key moment of the like right of the end of story of my life I could put my hands in the air or do a little twirl

Improvement #1: Re-Print the lyrics

· I could re-print the lyrics and not put them double sided and this could my stage presentation like I could move about more

Improvement #2: Change the song "Up"

· I think I should cancel out “Up” and sing a different song like “True Colours” or something else. I have changed it the song "Bet On It"

Improvement #3: Stage Presentation

· Another improvement is that I could improve my stage presentation like move about

Feedback from others:

·Strengths   My peer, Eliza thought I stayed in time for most of the performance
·         Another that my peers thought I did well was I projected my voice clearly when I was facing the microphone
·         Also they liked my transitions when I was changing between songs it was smooth like it introduced clearly and loud
·         They also thought the songs were different ranges of songs and it was good

Weakness

# My peers thought there was a few pitch issues throughout my performance – to improve this I could listen to the songs over and over again to create the perfect pitch

· I kept on facing away from the mic – sound wasn’t picked up – to improve this I could get a music stand and have it facing so I don’t have the in my hand and not facing the wrong way

· One song was with singers instead of just the backing track – to improve this I could change “Up” for another song or I can sing the full version of “True Love” but I have my cello pieces I wasn’t able to play my cello pieces as I have injured my arm that I play the cello with

· Also I had the lyrics in my hand the whole of performance

This feedback helped with my evaluation of the performance because....

I did not know we were allowed to move.

Conclusion:

True Love went ok. It was good because I knew most of lyrics but not all of them. It went bad because the backing track was a bit too loud so you couldn't barely me singing. Story Of My Life went ok as well. Make you stay was good and bad. It was good because I knew most of the lyrics. On the other hand, it was bad because at the start I came in too fast and for the chorus I came in too slow. For this song, I need to improve coming in time and knowing the lyrics also I need to stop getting easily distracted from people and I need to move around because I don't want look like a lemon I want to look like I'm a professional singer. Up needs improvement but I am thinking of canceling that song and change it for Bet on it by Troy.

TASK 2 – THE PERFORMANCE

Performers External Assessment Task 3 (MAY 2017)

FINAL LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE:

Performers External Assessment Task 3 (April 2017)

TASK 3 FINAL Evaluation

Strengths Reflection:

I think personally I done good as my pitches were good as people could actually hear. Also, I didn't have my lyrics in my hand.

My performance fits the brief because it was 15 minutes long (not including the time for song change overs and instrument changes). It was also suitable for parents and governors with recognisable songs with good lyrics and nothing inappropriate.

Improvement Reflection:

I honestly think I could improve on my stage presence. I need to improve my pitching with the song as I didn't keep in time with the song and my timing wasn't accurate so I finished at a different time to the actual song.

Improvement #1: There were many problems with the 1st song in terms of timing with the backing and some tuning issues

I would practice until I came in at the right time to improve it and keep going over the bits I found tricky. I think I need to practice singing along with the singer more.

Improvement #2: Improve my skills on the cello

Play with first finger and the bow or just first finger and pizzicato. I need to keep my bow straight and on one string as sometimes this slipped and keep a steady beat while I play.

Improvement #3: Tuning issues

Keep practising and doing the vocal warm ups my teacher has taught me so that I can check I can sing the notes right. Record myself and listen back to see if I am getting closer to the notes.

Feedback from others:

Strengths:

There were no health and safety issues
My introduction to songs were clear
I didn't turn away from mic singing - could hear clearly
Set List was engaging
I sung and played confidently
There was no mistakes with my cello pieces

Weakness:

Several filming issues in songs
Pitching issues
Cello pieces could of been more difficult

The feedback helped with my evaluation because

I hadnt thought about the difficulty of my pieces and really think I should work on developing my cello skills with daily practice so that I can play things of a higher level.

Conclusion:

Overall I think I showed a lot of progress from the start of my practice to my performance. The song; True Love went ok. It was good because I knew most of lyrics but not all of them. It went bad because the backing track was a bit too loud so you couldn't here me singing so well and sometimes my pitch slipped. Story Of My Life went great with much better pitch as I knew most of song off by heart but I needed help coming into the song like when to start and when to move on to the next verse. Make You Stay went good because I knew most of the lyrics however, it went bad as for the end I finished too early but I was able to bring it back. I honestly think I could do better but I tried my best. I feel like Bet On It went good because I knew the song off by heart but I needed to slow down a little bit but I still conveyed the songs to the audience well so that they could hear how they should go.

Sophie Ellis Music Practitioner

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Live Music Performance EXTERNAL CORE

Improvement Reflection:

Feedback from others:

Conclusion:

Improvement Reflection:

Feedback from others:

Conclusion:

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