M.T421

Performance Critique

In this assessment, students watch a video of their ensemble performing a piece of music they are currently studying and critique their own performances.

Students will identify strengths and weaknesses and make suggestions for improvement. After reviewing the recording and making notes on a work sheet, each student will write a critical analysis of the performance. The teacher will also assess the performance and each student’s critique and then share both with students to enhance their perceptual, descriptive, and analytical skills in music.

The teacher will need to identify a colleague, a parent volunteer, or an older student to film the ensemble performing an excerpt from a piece of music currently being studied in class. The teacher will also need to identify which part of the piece should be performed and ensure that the selection fairly represents all parts of the ensemble equally and comparably.

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

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

  • Performance Critique Worksheet

  • Inclusion of Strengths, Weaknesses, and Suggestions for Improvement

  • Use of Appropriate Musical Terminology

  • Written Performance Critique

  • 1

  • ___+2 if the Critique Worksheet is completed at a grade-appropriate writing level
    ___+1 if more than half of Critique Worksheet is completed at a grade-appropriate writing level
    __+0 if less than half of Critique Worksheet is completed at a grade-appropriate writing level

    N/A at this time.

  • Locates few or no areas in the music for improvement and gives little or no explanation of how they may be improved. (For example: “I didn’t do so well.”)

    N/A at this time.

  • Locates broad or limited areas for improvement and gives little or no explanation of how they may be improved. (For example: “The clarinets played a lot of wrong notes; they need to work harder.”)

    N/A at this time.

  • Locates areas in the music for improvement but gives only a general explanation of how they can be improved. (For example: “The trumpets played too loudly at letter D; they need to play more softly.”)

    N/A at this time.

  • Accurately locates specific areas in the music for improvement and effectively explains how they can be improved. (For example: “Rhythms are not accurate in the first and second phrases. Members should isolate rhythms within measures and practice at a slower tempo.”

    N/A at this time.

  • Performance critique does not use appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.

  • Performance critique uses appropriate musical terminology some of the time.

    N/A at this time.

  • Performance critique uses appropriate musical terminology most of the time.

    N/A at this time.

  • Performance critique consistently uses appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.
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