Small composition assignments are assessed to the following criteria and weightings:

• Creativity: 30%• Craft: 30%• Presentation 20% • Process: 20%

The following guide provides a reference with regards marking expectations. However, it should be noted that staff might interpret the criteria as deemed appropriate to the assignments.

Creativity (30%)

Exceptional (27-30): An original contribution to musical thinking. Convincing, confident, imaginative, personal, bold, risk-taking, engaging.

Superior (23-26): Convincing musical logic and direction. Engagement with repertory goes beyond imitation.

Competent (19-22): Influences of other composers are evident, and display steps towards taking such influences into a new, personal direction.

Acceptable (15-18): Engaged with contemporary music culture and ideas but may parrot rather than seek to extend the ideas of other composers.

Unacceptable (15 or fewer): May be incomplete with a lack of effort on display; may deliberately copy generic stylistic traits.

Craft (30%) Exceptional (27-30): Obvious and unequivocal command of resources. Technique is matched to creative intentions.

Superior (23-26): Musical structure is fluent and lucid throughout. Displays sophisticated ability to develop and manipulate material. Advanced use of materials.

Competent (19-22): Mostly displays coherent structure, convincing clarity and use of materials.

Acceptable (15-18): Displays some capacity to express musical ideas with appropriate compositional elements but could improve in some areas.

Unacceptable (20 or fewer): Fundamental technical errors evident in notation, understanding of instruments, musical form, etc.

Presentation (20%)

Exceptional (18-20): The standard of a professional commercial publication or situation; excellent audio demo (if required)

Competent (15-17): Attractive scores presented with clarity but could be more professional in a number of areas. Competent audio demo (if required)

Acceptable (10-14): Notation legible but may still include unnecessary ambiguity and poor editing / formatting. Audio demo of lesser quality (if required)

Unacceptable (9 or fewer): Scores full of editorial mistakes, formatting errors and do not meet necessary standards of legibility. Might include a poor quality audio demo (if required).

Process (20%)

Exceptional (18-20): Has brought along relevant draft* work, completed to a high standard and presented in tutorials. Takes on advice to improve quality of work further.

Competent (15-17): Some good quality draft work brought to tutorials but could improve engagement with ideas/advice.

Acceptable (10-14): Incomplete but competent draft work brought to class with occasional vague details and an over-reliance on verbal presentation. May be resistant to taking on board advice.

Unacceptable (9 or fewer): Little or no actual draft work brought to class. Ideas may be expressed verbally but are not documented in terms of scores, sketches or relevant audio.

* Can be defined as relevant excerpts of completed or near complete score, pencil scored work, graphic representation and/or audio rendering. 

Major Work: Is assessed with a breakdown of 40% Creativity, 40% Craft, 20% presentation. There is a separate mark for participation/application in the assessments lsited above.

The following guide provides a reference with regards marking expectations. However, it should be noted that staff might interpret the criteria as deemed appropriate to the assignments.

Creativity (40%)

Exceptional (34-40): An original contribution to musical thinking. Convincing, confident, imaginative, personal, bold, risk-taking, engaging.

Superior (30-33): Convincing musical logic and direction. Engagement with repertory goes beyond imitation.

Competent (26-29): Influences of other composers are evident, and display steps towards taking such influences into a new, personal direction.

Acceptable (20-25): Engaged with contemporary music culture and ideas but may parrot rather than seek to extend the ideas of other composers.

Unacceptable (19 or less): Generic, hackneyed, pastiche.

Craft (40%) Exceptional (34-40): Obvious and unequivocal command of resources. Technique is matched to creative intentions.

Superior (30-33): Musical structure is fluent and lucid throughout. Displays sophisticated ability to develop and manipulate material. Advanced use of materials.

Competent (26-29): Displays coherent structure and convincing clarity.

Acceptable (20-25): Capacity to express musical ideas with appropriate instrumental and/or digital media.

Unacceptable (20 or less): Fundamental technical errors evident in notation, understanding of instruments, musical form, etc.

Presentation (20%)

Exceptional (18-20): The standard of a professional commercial publication or situation.

Competent (15-17): Attractive scores presented with clarity but could be more professional in a number of areas.

Acceptable (10-14): Notation legible but may still include unnecessary ambiguity and poor editing / formatting.

Unacceptable (9 or less): Scores full of editorial mistakes, formatting errors and do not meet necessary standards of legibility.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.