Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to develop high level improvisation skills.
It applies to musicians who apply skills to compose or vary music ‘in the moment’ in response to stimuli. They have highly developed skills in aural awareness and in the musical practice of a chosen genre or musical tradition.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Develop a professional development plan | 1.1 Listen to recordings of own improvisations, and establish professional development goals in consultation with appropriate people 1.2 Discuss factors that contribute to excellence in improvisation, and incorporate them into professional development goals as appropriate 1.3 Listen to the work of master improvisers, and evaluate techniques that could be applied to own practice 1.4 Establish criteria for monitoring and evaluating own skill development 1.5 Develop a practice plan that incorporates realistic goals for refining improvisation techniques 1.6 Identify repertoire that will help achieve technical and expressive development goals, and incorporate them into practice plan |
2. Refine techniques | 2.1 Experiment with repertoire and explore improvisation techniques 2.2 Practise playing improvised solos that contain advanced harmonic, structural, melodic and rhythmic characteristics, simultaneously phrasing and shaping the music 2.3 Build technical facility to develop confidence in own ability to create musically mature and spontaneous responses to musical stimuli 2.4 Listen critically to own performance to assess strengths and weaknesses, and adjust practice regime accordingly 2.5 Ensure that practice is undertaken with due consideration of personal health and safety |
3. Perform improvisation before an audience | 3.1 Support and enhance the contribution of others to achieve best performance outcomes 3.2 Make improvisation sensitive to the needs of other performers to encourage ensemble trust, initiative and willingness to be innovative 3.3 Respond accurately to starting cues when performing solo improvisation 3.4 Sustain musical impetus in improvisation through dynamic use of musical elements 3.5 Maintain stylistic cohesion in the realisation of harmony, melody, and/or rhythm and musical expression 3.6 Listen carefully to other performers, responding musically to their work and adjusting own performance appropriately 3.7 Provide a clear cue to the ensemble to finish the solo section as required 3.8 Ensure that the duration of solo improvisations accords with the custom and practice of the group and/or musical style 3.9 Observe ensemble customs and protocols, and follow work health and safety (WHS) requirements 3.10 Acknowledge applause according to the custom and practice of the group and/or musical style |
4. Evaluate own skill development | 4.1 View or listen to recordings of own performance to analyse technical and expressive qualities 4.2 Evaluate level of improvement in own improvisation techniques against agreed criteria 4.3 Seek and use feedback on performances to inform future professional development strategies |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to:
plan and implement ways to refine own skills, and monitor skill development progress
perform improvisations using a range of advanced musical techniques
give and respond to cues during solo improvisations.
Note: If a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at least once.
Evidence of Knowledge
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:
explain factors that contribute to excellence in improvisation
describe typical ensemble customs, protocols and practices, in relation to improvisation
describe issues that arise in the context of performing improvisations, and explain how they might be overcome
outline work health and safety (WHS) principles relevant to performing improvisations.
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates consistent performance of typical activities experienced in creative arts industry environments. The assessment environment must include access to:
relevant instruments and equipment
performance opportunities as part of an ensemble
appropriate venue with adequate space and acoustic qualities
opportunities to perform for an audience.
Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational educational and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.
Foundation Skills
This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the performance criteria that are required for competent performance.
Skill | Performance Criteria | Description |
Learning | 1.1-1.6, 2.4, 4.2, 4.3 | Actively plans, implements and evaluates strategies to improve own skills |
Writing | 1.4, 1.5 | Records areas for future improvement in a format that can be easily monitored and annotated as changes occur |
Oral Communication | 1.1-1.3, 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.3 | Uses questioning and listening skills to elicit the views and opinions of others Obtains information by listening Uses and responds to non-verbal cues |
Numeracy | 3.8 | Estimates time in performance |
Navigate the world of work | 2.5, 3.8-3.10 | Takes responsibility for personal health and safety Understands and follows practices and protocols |
Interact with others | 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.7, 4.3 | Works collaboratively to achieve common goals |
Get the work done | 1.1-1.6, 2.1, 2.4, 4.1-4.3 | Plans and undertakes tasks required to achieve goals Uses experimentation and practice to generate new or innovative approaches Makes decisions related to performance improvements Evaluates performances to identify opportunities for improvement |
Sectors
Performing arts – music performance