M.E401

Laying Down a Track

In this event, students will demonstrate mastery of a short (12–44 measures) segment of
music that is currently being performed in their large ensemble class. The music for this exercise should be selected from pieces for full band, orchestra, or choir that are already part of the curriculum and being rehearsed for performance at a future date.

Students in each section will be given a copy of the music they will perform, a Student Booklet containing the directions, a Student Reflection Sheet, and a copy of the Teacher
Scoring Rubric that the teacher will use to score the work. The students will be recorded individually with a video camera and assessed on the technically correct and expressive performance of their assigned part.

For scoring, the teacher will read a reflective piece written by the student, view the student’s recorded evidence, and then score the performance based on the Teacher Scoring Rubric in the Student Booklet.

This item has been voluntarily field-tested by Michigan teachers with a non-representative sample of students.


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
  • Tone

    Support, Resonance, Breath Energy, Balance/ Blend, Vowel Shape

  • Pitch

    Pitch Accuracy, Tuning (Section, Ensemble)

  • Rhythm

    Note/Rest Values, Steady Pulse, Attacks/ Releases, Tempo

  • Technical Elements

    Articulation, Hand/Stick/Bow Technique, Pronunciation, Diphthongs

  • Interpretation

    Phrasing, Dynamics, Expression, Style, Tempo

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
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