Outside Concert Evaluation

Purpose: In order to grow as musicians, we must seek out exemplary aural models.

Objective: Write an evaluation of a concert you attend outside of American High School.

Guidelines:
  1. You must have your instrument represented.
  2. The concert must be at least college-level (college, university, community, professional, etc.).
  3. Take notes at the concert, including the following:
    1. date of concert, location
    2. type of performance, group(s) performing
    3. number of performers
    4. approximate number of audience members
    5. your favorite piece (& why)
    6. your least favorite piece (& why)
    7. the piece you thought sounded the best (& why)
    8. the piece you thought needed the most improvement (and why and how)
    9. music factors (musicianship, tone quality, rhythmic accuracy, dynamics, intonation, blend, balance, articulations, interpretation, expression, etc.)
    10. other factors (venue acoustics, presentation format, etc.)
    11. your overall rating of the concert (on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest)
  4. Turn in a written evaluation (typed is preferred, handwritten is okay, as long as it is legible). Use proper grammar and complete sentences.
  5. Attach a program, if one is available.
  6. One of the benefits to living in the San Francisco Bay Area is the access to the many fine music ensembles which can be found here. Acceptable groups may include Newark Symphonic Winds, Ohlone Community Band, Fremont Symphony, CSUEB Wind Ensembles, Chabot College Ensembles, San Jose State University Ensembles, professional orchestras, military bands, visiting artists, etc. (In other words, there is no excuse for not doing this assignment.)

Standards
National Standards for Arts Education, in Music
7. Evaluating music and music performances.

High School Arts Content Standards.Music
Component Strand: 4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
Students critically assess and derive meaning from works of music and the performance of musicians in a cultural context according to the elements of music, aesthetic qualities, and human responses.

Proficient
Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works of Music

Analyze and Critically Assess
4.1 Develop specific criteria for making informed critical evaluations of the quality and effectiveness of performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations and apply those criteria in personal participation in music.
4.2 Evaluate a performance, composition, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing each with an exemplary model.

Derive Meaning
4.3 Explain how people in a particular culture use and respond to specific musical works from that culture.
4.4 Describe the means used to create images or evoke feelings and emotions in musical works from various cultures.

Advanced
Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works of Music

Analyze and Critically Assess
4.1 Compare and contrast how a composer’s intentions result in a work of music and how that music is used.

Derive Meaning
4.2 Analyze and explain how and why people in a particular culture use and respond to specific musical works from their own culture.
4.3 Compare and contrast the musical means used to create images or evoke feelings and emotions in works of music from various cultures.

Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs) & Music
3. Participate in programs of personal enrichment through exposure to the arts and physical education.

Due Dates (a responsible student would mark his/her calendar now):
T. 11-3-09
F. 1-29-10
F. 4-16-10
F. 6-11-10