M.E417

Music Editor

Each student will act as the editor for a music publishing company by helping a composer finish the rough draft of a new solo piece.

Students will receive a Student Booklet with an unfinished printed score. The teacher will then play a recorded version. Students will be able to listen to the recording a total of five times over the course of one class period (50–60 minutes).

In a short essay, students will write (1) one paragraph about three things (e.g., compositional devices, melodic contour, key, range, tempo changes) they find effective and worth keeping in the piece, (2) one paragraph about three changes the composer should make to the existing piece, and (3) one paragraph suggesting how to finish the piece.
To best ensure students are prepared for this kind of assessment, the suggested time of year for administration is winter/spring.

NOTE: This assessment model can be modified to adapt music presently being used in the class. The teacher would need to (1) select a solo piece from music presently being used in the class, (2) determine what might constitute an “unfinished” section, (3) reproduce that part of the score for the students, (4) replace the relevant parts in the Student and Teacher Booklets, and (5) prepare a recording of the fragment for the listening part of the exercise.

This item has not yet been field-tested.

Teacher Booklet

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Student Booklet

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This is an analytic rubric. The column on the left shows the dimension that is being measured in the student’s performance. The levels across the top row indicate the performance level in the dimensions. Occasionally all dimensions and performance levels are exemplified by multiple students in a single recording.

TEACHER SCORING RUBRIC

  • Dimension

  • Required Feedback

  • Supporting Examples

  • Explanations

  • Writing Mechanics

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

  • Student does not select or discuss musical characteristics and does not suggest how to end the piece.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student selects and discusses some musical characteristics but leaves out a number of required points.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student selects and discusses most but not all of the musical characteristics.

    N/A at this time.

  • Student selects and discusses three musical characteristics that are effective and should be kept, three changes to make, and thoughtful and interesting ways to end the piece.

    N/A at this time.

  • No supporting examples are given or examples are not from the score.

    N/A at this time.

  • Some assertions are supported by clear and purposeful examples; some examples are referenced using measure numbers and/or other identifying information.

    N/A at this time.

  • Most assertions are supported by clear and purposeful examples; most examples are referenced using measure numbers and/or other identifying information.

    N/A at this time.

  • All assertions are supported by clear and purposeful examples; examples are referenced using measure numbers and/or other identifying information.

    N/A at this time.

  • No explanations are given.

    N/A at this time.

  • Some explanations for feedback are presented but are generic and lacking in thoughtfulness.

    N/A at this time.

  • Explanations are mostly clear and persuasive.

    N/A at this time.

  • Explanations are clear and persuasive, demonstrating insight, thoughtfulness, and creativity.

    N/A at this time.

  • Incorrect grammar, spelling, capitalization, and other issues make understanding difficult.

    N/A at this time.

  • The student’s final essay is somewhat clear but contains numerous errors in grammar, spelling, etc.

    N/A at this time.

  • The student’s final essay is mostly clear with few errors in grammar, spelling, etc.

    N/A at this time.

  • Writing mechanics are superb and professional.

    N/A at this time.
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