Analysing and Appreciating
Identifies and describes the musical characteristics of a hip-hop song (CI, UC)

The teacher establishes the genre of hip-hop and sets the students some focus points for listening to and analysing "Chains" by DLT and Che Fu. They are motivated to do this, as they are to create their own song based on the ideas they develop from this exercise. The students listen and follow a lyric sheet. The teacher then asks them about the meaning of the song, its purpose, and its effect. Individual students accurately analyse the intent of the song (that is, to highlight the impact of the Rainbow Warrior incident on New Zealand and the more general issue of nuclear testing in the Pacific). Through questioning and discussion, the teacher and the students deconstruct the song, describing features of:

• the vocal styles, notably the rapping and singing
• the instrumentation, that is, the drums, guitars, scratching, and keyboard.

The teacher encourages the students to focus their listening by replaying a section of the song. The students accurately identify changes in instrument techniques and note the melody used in the chorus. They analyse the chorus in more detail, describing features such as "more bass", "more scratching", and "echo on the vocals", which the teacher relates to the use of delay in the recording. Finally, the teacher draws out ideas on the shift from rap to harmonised vocals in the chorus. The students provide all their responses in a focused and knowledgeable way.

Creating
Selects, combines, and structures original musical ideas for a hip-hop song based on an investigation of hip-hop style (PK, DI)

A group of boys who are the guitarists and vocalists have been working on the lyrics and chord structure for the chorus. Here, they develop a chorus hook for their song. The teacher encourages and advises them. One boy adds a vocal echo/harmony part, and the chorus is complete. The group has carefully chosen guitar chords to shift from the intense, two-chord minor-feel verse to an open, major-feel chorus reflecting the words "We can fly away". This is clever composition writing.

Next, the rapper adds his rap and the other vocalists add some "chorusing" for impact on key words in this stylistic syncopated chanting. They know and understand the genre of rap and can perform it well.

Two girls have listened to the rap and chorus chord structure and worked on their own to develop riffs based on ideas from "Chains". Now they share their ideas, select the best, and combine their parts to harmonise in an original two-part riff on violin and cello. The riff they have added works perfectly as it combines long notes moving in contrary motion and a small "turnaround idea" where the voices stop at the end of the phrase "We can fly away". This complements the smooth melody line the boys have developed. It has a strong sense of phrase, harmonic structure, and melodic shape. Their verse riff has a strongly syncopated rhythmic pattern and is harmonised as a two-part chord, its notes played a fifth apart. The effect of this clever idea is to make the string parts stand out as they cut through the guitar chords.

Playing
Rehearses a group composition from memory, using suitable instrumental techniques and developing musicianship (PK, CI)

The teacher works the audio mixer, and the students complete microphone vocal checks and sound checks for turntable, guitars, drums, violin, and cello. The dancers have developed their breaking for this work. The students go through the song many times, perfecting their performance. The clip shows a section of the song during rehearsal.

Playing
Performs a group composition from memory and reflects on the experience (CI)

The students perform their composition with finesse, showing confidence and competence as they proudly present their song to an audience of peers. All aspects of the composition and performance come together, and the audience shows its appreciation by getting into the whole dance genre and dancing with the music. At the end of the performance, the audience questions the performers about the experience of making and presenting a hip-hop song.

The performers respond to questions about the best aspects of performing, coping with nerves, and how the music impacts on their lives. Individual students respond with their views on this rewarding, positive learning experience. Their self-esteem is high, their co-operative skills are well honed, and their musical skills and knowledge bases well developed for future composing and performing.