HSC Stuff > The HSC Journey Journal

HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!

<< < (10/12) > >>

angewina_naguen:
08/11/2018

Here I sit, listening to my favourite Celtic Thunder songs (it's been forever since I listened to anything but classical music or Aviencloud playlists for "friendly study music"), reflecting on thirteen years of high school.

My exams actually finished last Wednesday and I have been having my share of freedom. It has been a rewarding year and call me crazy but I am almost ready to receive my marks back so I can finally part with the HSC. I'd love to know how my Major Works went externally and whether they will all come back in one piece (I'm looking at you, my BOW).

This is yet to be my goodbye to this thread. I refuse to part just yet until my results all returned  :) I have, however, decided to announce that I will be continuing my creative endeavours post high school and will be looking to a uni journal or a creative corner thread to share my future projects. After the exams, I felt massive exhaustion and wanted nothing more than to simply sleep. However, the inclination I had to continue writing, to fold some origami cranes, to find new repertoire to learn with my partner and to just create was not something I could ignore. I think the Major Works this year are only a start to what is going to potentially be a lifetime of creation and artistic pursuits. I am excited to share this all with you  ;D

Leading up to the HSC results coming out, I will be doing reviews on each of the Major Works I completed and finalising my thoughts before saying farewell to it all. I will also be attending the AN meetup for NSW 2018's so I am pumped to meet all the wonderful people who have supported this thread and inspired me as an audience for my creative journey this year  ;D

That will be all for this slightly emotional and bittersweet post. I would like to end the entries of this thread with fondness and reflection as an advocate for the amazing opportunities that Major Works can provide  ;D Have a great evening, all!

Toodles,

Angelina  8)

angewina_naguen:
12/11/2018

Major Work Subject Reviews

Subject: Society and Culture

Major Work: Personal Interest Project (PIP)

Form: Written

Weighting in External Assessment: 40%

Major Work Contents:

- 500 word Introduction
- 500 word Log
- 4000 word Central Material
- 500 word Conclusion
- Annotated Bibliography
- Appendix (Optional)

Documentation:

None was formally required, other than the teacher periodically checking your progress. I did create a Logbook for myself to retain all my research, which helped later on when I needed to do the dreaded annotated bibliography (I'll get to that later).

My Major Work

For my PIP, I investigated how accepting multicultural societies are of heterosexual, interracial relationships  :) I originally intended to look at relationships overall and do a cross comparison with homosexual relationships in a case study but it went significantly over the word count so I narrowed it to this particular scope. My cross cultural investigation looked how different cultural pairings are received in contemporary, multicultural societies and I did a case study on agenda setting interracial relationships, more specifically white American-Asian pairings. I observed how there are still continued prejudices towards interracial couples but due to multiculturalism as a common agenda in these societies, changes in attitudes and thoughts can be perceived over time  ;D

Research:

Conducting research is what made the whole PIP experience a fun one! I loved putting what I had learnt in SAC into practice to really see and understand how the concepts in the subject applied to research in the real world. It simulates research processes well and grants the opportunity for students to engage in a project that they design for themselves  8)

What primary research methodologies you choose can make the difference in how you enjoy the PIP experience. I did surveys, interviews and a focus group which gave me a diverse range of responses from both objective and subjective scopes. My favourite methodology was definitely the focus group because I had the fortune to facilitate a group discussion on my case study. I found that the participants were more willing to engage in conversation because it wasn't so confrontational as a one-on-one interview and would highly recommend the focus group methodology if it's appropriate to your topic.

I really enjoyed doing secondary research for my topic because there was a great range of resources available, from feature articles on popular culture websites to PhD theses written by people in the field of research that I had chosen. I was exposed to a variety of resources and learnt how to discern bias, reliability, credibility and validity across them. I think these skills are so important in research and can assist in reaffirming your observations or even challenge them, encouraging you to create a more well-rounded discussion. I started the PIP with a focus on exposing the prejudices of interracial dating but came out of the course realising that there is a positive future ahead for them.

Construction:

Writing up the PIP itself was no walk in the park. I started writing my PIP the minute I finished my survey and watched it develop all the way until the day before the draft was due. My focus changed slightly in the middle of the year which threw me off course but I was able to get back into it with the help of my teacher.

I'm not someone who complains about footnoting (as weird as this may sound, I actually like seeing them pop up because it makes the doc look so fancy and professional) but an annotated bibliography is something I'm glad I won't have to do again for a while. I absolutely hated the annotated bibliography because I had a ridiculous amount of resources to categorise, put into alphabetical order and then individual evaluations on the resources' impacts in my work. I spent a solid four hours on this (not exaggerating) and it sucked the life out of me  >:( >:( If I could have it my way, I'd prefer just putting the evaluation in dot points (I could've saved maybe two hours) since the PIP isn't as formally expressed/written as an essay (I found it super weird using first person at times) but that's not what was required and it made the last few days before the draft submission laborious  :'(

Other than that particular section, I found writing the PIP itself not as difficult. I liked writing certain chapters more than others, I will have to admit, but I was satisfied with the overall result and finished it entirely the day before it was due  ;D

Advice based on experience:

- I can not stress this enough but check the requirements from NESA for submission as soon as you start writing. I forgot about the margin, size and font requirements until two nights before my draft was due which freaked me out. If I had remembered earlier, I definitely would not have overreacted. I had to reformat my whole PIP and find all the pages numbers again for my contents page. This was not an enjoyable experience. When it comes to submitting the draft for marking, you would not want this to be something last minute to do.

- Continuously footnote when you are writing the PIP. Leaving the footnoting until the end will be a tedious process. Whenever you designate time to do your PIP, either footnote as you are referencing your primary and secondary research OR allocate a few minutes (remind yourself) to add the footnotes for that day in. It will make everything easier in the long run.

- Check if you are adhering to the ethical research practices and social/cultural literacy guidelines throughout the PIP. These aspects of SAC are crucial to your success as you are applying research methodologies with them in mind. Always make sure you are following by their expectations and your PIP will be a reflection of them.

- Try to get as many people to read your PIP as possible. This doesn't have to be the whole thing in one go. Send sections out to different people who might know more about specific areas (research, writing, grammar/punctuation etc.) and can target them in smaller chunks. Different people will see different things so it is important that you maximise proofreading as a priority.

angewina_naguen:
30/11/2018

Major Work Subject Reviews

Subject: Music 2

Major Works: Core Performance, Core Composition, Elective (Musicology)

Form: Practical/Composition/Written

Weighting in External Assessment: 20% each

Major Work Contents:

- 4 minute performance

- 2 minute composition

-1500 word essay

Documentation:

There was no documentation required for Performance. All I did that was close to it was record throughout the week when I had rehearsed my piece. I aimed to at least have four hours a week (due to busy assessment schedules, commitment to extra curricular activities and so forth). For composition, a portfolio is to be kept, documenting all research and experimentation during the process. The musicology essay also had a portfolio to document all research and drafting for the major work.

My Major Works

For performance, I sung 'So Much More Than Me' from the Australian musical 'The Hatpin.' Musical theatre is my one true love and even though it deviates from the more classical boundaries of Music 2, I had immense fun with this number. It signals one of the most climatic moments in the musical and explores ideas of determination, strength and empowerment. My partner Alex accompanied me on piano for this assessment.

My composition evolved entirely throughout my major work journey but I ended up titling it 'Traffic Jam', using different stylistic techniques for the instruments to imitate honking horns, sirens and the ticking sound from the traffic lights for crossing. I was really satisfied with how it turned out, considering composition has always been my weakest area.

The musicology essay I wrote was on Schubert's instrumentation in his lieder (German art songs) allow audiences to realise tragedy in his musical narratives. I chose Music of the Nineteenth Century for my Additional Topic and investigated his works because I have had the pleasure of studying many of his in my AMEB Singing course. He had a very interesting life and his music is amongst some of the greatest in the Romantic period.

Research:

I did research for the composition and musicology essay to build my portfolios and create my major works. Having background research and understanding for each topic (Australian music of the last 25 years and Music of the Nineteenth Century respectively) was essential for my major works, especially the composition which had the more obscure topic of the two. I was able to find new ways to create music and to understand music in my research stages. For my musicology essay in particular, I had been opened to a whole new academic world of resources and critical readings which I had never had the right reason to explore before. I read more Schubert critical readings than I had read critical readings for my English subjects (and I did a LOT of them). This is largely why I am hoping to major in Musicology at university; I fell in love with research and independent investigation. My portfolios also had checkpoints where I marked any changes in my research scope, evaluated my progress and made intended plans until the next designated checkpoint. They helped me keep on track.

Construction:

I'll talk about my composition first because it was the most difficult for me. Online notation is both the most convenient and yet tedious function we have invented. I used Noteflight for my notation software because it was the only one I knew how to use prolifically. It helped that I knew the software quite well, especially towards the last few days before submission when I was making frantic, last minute edits to my composition. I worked really well under pressure and found it easy but the overall process was very time consuming  :'( I was proud of my final submission but also unsure of how it would be received by the markers. It could perform exceptionally well or quite the opposite depending on how they view it  :-\

Not much construction was needed for my performance, other than to rehearse and fine tune (haha music puns yay) my interpretation of the piece. The real challenge was putting it altogether with my partner who accompanied me on the piano. There were many clashing notes that I sung with his accompaniment part which presented a lot of grief for us in trying to ensure I was pitching the notes correctly. There are also a ridiculous amount of time signature changes throughout the piece and we initially found it difficult to adjust to. Overall though, the piece was one of my best in my performance repertoire. I delivered the most powerful performance I could have and I hope the markers liked it  :)

The musicology essay's construction consisted of many drafts, revisions and stressful breakdowns. I conducted extensive research but for some reason, I initially found it a challenge to actually write. Essay writing in music is not touched on until Year 11, at least to this extent, so I was not used to the style and was constantly changing my structure to try and ensure I wasn't approaching it like every other subject. I struggled with finding an identity for my essay but after stepping back from it, I found myself being able to really power through it. Integrating the score and audio excerpts throughout my essay gave it an appearance of professionalism which made me very proud at the end of writing it. It was visually pleasing to see finished and ranks the highest of the academic essays I have written throughout my HSC. I hope it performs well in marking because I have the highest hopes for it  ;D

Advice based on experience:

- Start drafting the composition as soon as possible. Even if it is just a bunch of chords, at least there is substance to work with and prove that you have been engaging in the composition early on. I kept changing my ideas wished I had started drafting earlier to really show that timeline of change. I had little records and evidence of these changes in my portfolio which affected my internal performance. I would strongly recommend documenting anything remotely related to the composition and drafting immediately, even if it means that you don't follow through with it long term.

- Perform what gives you confidence and motivation. Music 2 is really a course tailored towards classical musicians and I found this hard to reconcile with because my performance experiences had largely been in musical theatre. I was reluctant to pursue this at a HSC level but I was able to choose a piece that reflected the topic, whilst still showing who I was as a musician. This was so important in the long run because I grew to be more confident and comfortable with who I was as a musician and was motivated to rehearse more frequently. If I had followed convention and chosen a classical piece to sing, I don't think I would have produced such a performance worth treasuring for the rest of my musical career. Finding a piece that resonates with you is crucial to success.

- Keep a balance between primary and secondary research during the musicological research stage. Primary research in musicology is key and I did not realise this until it was midway through my research process. I crammed a lot of listening logs for my piece and mass annotations over two weeks to ensure this balance but it definitely should be something to consider doing from the start. Secondary research is easy to find; it's searching for the motivation to analyse and interpret the piece yourself that is the challenge.

angewina_naguen:
10/12/2018

Major Work Subject Reviews

Subject: Visual Arts

Major Work: Body of Work

Form: Practical

Weighting in External Assessment: 50%

Major Work Contents:

The contents and requirements for BOWs differ depending on what medium you choose. I submitted mine under Collection of Works so I followed those guidelines.

- 11 Mixed Media pieces

Documentation:

A VAPD is required for this Major Work to document the BOW progress. This ranges from research, experimentation with the medium and photographs of the process in creating the BOW. In my VAPD, I also assigned monthly checkpoints to keep myself updated and to make checklists on what to complete in the following month.

My Major Work:

My Artist Statement details the major premise of my BOW;

"There is a science in art and an art in science. Prometheus’ gift of fire to humanity instigated innovation and my Body of Work investigates the inherent blaze that exists within the mortal spirit, the ignition of a chasm. A series of experiments, The Promethean Gift conveys the excessive, intrinsic struggle to find answers, reducing matter to pigmentation and disarray in layers piled upon one another.

However, my Body of Work advocates for a therapeutic treatment of the self through the removal of material insufficiency and the insertion of a conflagration. The motivic interaction with fire, expressed in the interspersed placement of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, presents the thematic commonality of science uniting my Body of Work and interweaves this intellectual search for meaning throughout. The Promethean Gift captures an incomplete state of burning, cleansing and reforming, suggesting that audiences should aim to be charging towards an ongoing enquiry into what truly lies beyond the layers of existence. "

For my BOW, I completed a Collection of Works comprising of ten rectangular box frames, each containing five layers of Stonehenge paper stacked and elevated with foam cubes for a three dimensional effect. I also had a 2m piece of wood which had two long layers of Stonehenge paper. Materials used to create this BOW include coloured inks, spray paint, baking soda, salt, bitumen, watercolours, printer ink, citrus solvent, a soldering iron and an assortment of found objects (beads, computer chips, screws). I wanted to make my BOW Postmodern and to play with an unconventional style of artmaking in my practice  ;D

Research:

I conducted research into different ink techniques for abstract art and discovered chemical reactions which I incorporated in my BOW. I also researched into different transferring techniques to transfer my poem's text onto the layers of paper. My VAPD contains all evidence of my research, both on my conceptual intentions, such as the cultural associations with fire as a symbol, and practical investigation. Other than that, most of my research and findings came from actually doing my BOW; the Major Work was a series of experiments after all and I learnt more of the different artistic properties available for me to create with as I played around with the materials.

I also researched into two artists for my Artist Influences: Lindy Lee and Lou Jordan. I was inspired by Lee's gorgeous artworks, notably the ones where she used the soldering iron to create intricate, dot patterns on paper. That was where I got my idea from to layer the pieces and burn holes to almost let it look as if the pages are slowly deteriorating away  8) Jordan's ink art gave me the idea to experiment with different substances in my BOW; he used alcohol in his so I took a step further and tried baking soda, salt and bitumen. The research I conducted gave my BOW a unique style and appearance which is one of the greatest parts of it!

Construction:

Imagine staying back at school for 3-4 days a week until 6pm from commencement of the Major Work to finish it. That was basically my BOW journey in a nutshell  :( I started my BOW a lot later than I intended to but powered through it from staying back as many afternoons as I could. I was also involved in numerous extra-curricular activities and missed out on every Friday double period lesson (which we used for prac) for a whole term. Staying back was my only way to compensating for that. My teachers also held holiday workshops so I came in during the holidays for full school day lengths of time to finish my BOW. With my beloved Westlife playlist and occasional outbursts into musical numbers, I ended up finding a way to be productive and have fun at the same time  ;D

Little note here on the text transferring technique I used. I printed my poem onto plastic sheets and rubbed citrus solvent on them to transfer them over with a blender pen. I then had to use a spoon to transfer all the remaining parts that weren't directly transferred over with the solvent. It was the most painful thing I had to experience during my BOW process. I had burnt myself here and there but nothing compared to that constant hand action I had to have to get the text printed on my papers  >:( It was well worth the effort but I wouldn't know what I would have done without hand cream during those times  ::)

After all the pieces were made and layered, I was having difficulty hiding the foam cubes and needed to find a way to display my artwork. One of my teachers suggested wooden frames and I loved the idea. I was very lucky that they were able to source some wood for me, as well as me scavenging myself in the old VA store room and we made 11 beautiful frames from scratch. We also found a long 2m piece that gave me the idea to make a spectrum piece that followed all the colours of the other boxes. It ended up being my favourite one  :D

Creating the BOW was no easy task, especially with all my other commitments for study, extra-curricular and three other Major Works-based subjects. That being said, I would not have changed anything during my journey. It was all one important learning experience for me and all I can hope for now is a good mark from NESA  :) :)

Advice based on experience:

- Find your strengths and play with it. I was a rare case in that I much preferred theory over prac in Visual Arts and struggled to find something that I could excel in. I wasn't a good painter, drawer, sculptor, or a good anything really. It took me weeks to find out what I was able to be successful in and I am glad I searched for my strengths, instead of going with what everyone else was doing. This is the best advice I can give anyone doing VA. Doing what you love and what will maximise your performance for the course will help sustain motivation and keep you looking forward to that final submission, rather than dreading it.

- Working on the BOW consistently is optimal. It is preferable to start on it as soon as possible but I personally wasn't able to properly start mine until the end of the second term of HSC (Term 1, 2018). What is important to achieving success is productivity and working on the BOW with discipline. Even during stressful periods of assessments, I would highly suggesting designating at least two or three hours to continue doing it. A lot of people I knew would neglect the BOW and their majors during assessment periods which is not ideal because it takes constant work and effort to really produce a quality work. It also helps you finish it faster so you have plenty of time to refine and organise any last priorities such as how it will be displayed for marking and packaging.

- Regularly touch base with your teacher. I was lucky to have a shared class with two teachers to compare and contrast advice and feedback from. The benefits were evident in my BOW which was a product of my own creativity and their combined guidance. Art teachers can give great insight and constructive criticism to assist you in achieving the best you can for your assessment. Making sure they are on the same page as you with your intentions for the BOW is important.

- This links from the previous but learn to realise that feedback on your BOW is never personal. I remember being slightly upset once because I thought that my BOW wasn't reaching the standards that my teachers had set for me and that I had failed them. I learnt to understand that their constructive criticism was highly valuable, indicating that they were willing to help me succeed and achieve the best possible outcome, as opposed to demotivating me and my hopes for the course. The feedback that teachers may give you, whether it be for the BOW or any subject, may be harsh but it will ultimately assist you in reaching your goals. Accepting feedback is a highly beneficial skill and it will be most evident in your final presentation.

angewina_naguen:
12/12/2018

Major Work Subject Reviews

Subject: Extension 2 English

Major Work: Suite of Poems

Form: Written

Weighting in External Assessment: 50%

Major Work Contents:

The contents and requirements for Major Works in Extension 2 differ depending on what form you choose. I submitted mine under Poetry so I followed those guidelines.

- 3500 word Major Work (Suite of Poems)

- 1500 word Reflection Statement

Documentation:

A Journal is utilised in Extension 2 to document the Major Work progress over the duration of its completion. I used my Journal as a place to compile my research, collect stimuli for my creative writing and to keep my annotated drafts. Like I did with my other majors, I assigned monthly checkpoints to update my Major Work process and to make checklists on what I had to do in the following month.

My Major Work:

For my Major Work, I composed a suite of jazz poems titled 'Vivace' that recontextualised Western classical music forms. I wanted to combine confessional poetry with a style that I was particularly versed in (hehe poetry puns) and that would allow me to gain some kind of closure in completing it. Each musical form I chose, whether it was a symphony, gigue or a nocturne, applied the conventions of the form with stylistic interpretations to be recreated into a literary work. I drew from my varied experiences as a musician and explored the emotional extremities familiar to those who invest in the arts. It was a liberating Major Work to complete and although was largely autobiographical, the poems were a reflection of the pressures, hardships and yet magic that comes with loving music  ;D

Similar to my VA Major Work, I interweaved my fascination with fire as an artistic symbol in my Major Work. I knew I wanted a common thread to connect my poems together and this did just that for me  ;D I initially presented fire from my persona's perspective as a menace and an agitated entity, before transitioning throughout the suite towards viewing it as a sign of passion and ambition. I found myself being highly empowered by this and was able to make great connections with something so foreign to music with ease  8)

Research:

My research endeavours ranged from Youtube videos on poetry to academic essays. I wanted to create a Major Work that was comprehensive and flavoured which was accomplished from my research. I started off deconstructing some poems that I had studied throughout high school and locating key compositional techniques that I wanted to apply for my own writing. I also did readings on psychology in music and found myself discovering a new way to understand myself. My concept grew from being just a suite of poems on musical nihilism to a personal narrative. Researching allowed me to realise that.

It wasn't until the Viva Voce task that I came to the conclusion that I needed more form-based research  ::) I ended up purchasing two books that significantly impacted my poetic practice by Alfred Corn and Robert Hass. I investigated into the poetry form in more depth than I thought was possible and learnt to appreciate every minor detail in every poem I read from then, to the greater picture that the poets wanted me to see. I definitely think form research is overlooked sometimes in the course and I was guilty of that myself but it does serve an important role in how the Major Work will turn out  :)

Construction:

Writing the Major Work itself was an interesting process. I was heavily invested in my Major Work and almost lost myself in it many times when the HSC was difficult. I used my Major Work as an avenue for personal release and to help me feel more than who I was. I once envied poets because they were able to do one of the things I loved most for a living and I felt like I would never have that kind of power. 'Vivace' proved to me that I had the ability to do just that and all I needed to do was commit to it. And commit I definitely did  :)

This might be a strange point to raise but it was one that was pivotal to my Major Work. I actually didn't end up using my journal for drafting my Major Work much; I used it more to keeping annotated copies but not physically writing any of my poems. I found something far more convenient for me in the Major Work construction process to utilise technology (i.e Google Docs). It was more efficient for me to correct mistakes, revise previous drafts and to write my poems online. I had to compensate this with more extensive journal entries and detailed evaluations on each poem to still fill it up with content. When it was finished, I was very pleased with how professional it looked and I printed myself a copy of it to keep for myself as evidence of a year's worth of writing done by my own will  :D

During my writing process, I was really fortunate to have a lot of support which I had not realised I had before. I had always kept my creative writing a secret because I was made fun of a lot during my junior years for being too nerdy and didn't want to share any of my poems. However, after becoming more comfortable with my writing in the HSC, I began to want more opinions and perspectives on my poetry. I showed many people I trusted and it reaffirmed the importance of having a supportive network in my life because during periods of writer's block or stress, they were there to assist me. Writing the poems was invigorating and nothing mattered more to me than being able to share that with others. It was something I was new to but more than willing to experience. It made the construction that much more engaging. I'm hoping to do well for Extension 2 because I poured a big part of myself into it and would like to see my hard work, as well as the beliefs others had in me, pay off  ;D

Advice based on experience:

- Embrace the possibilities of writing spontaneously. In a course which many would perceive as requiring organisation and discipline, me suggesting to be spontaneous may come off as invalid. I was also under the assumption that the whole process would be linear and needed to be cohesive but it was quite the opposite; I ended up writing poems based on impulse, as opposed to following their chronology in the suite. I wrote my last poem earlier than most of my poems because I knew exactly how I wanted 'Rhapsody' to play out. It was my big finish and I maximised my time to perfect it because of this. I also wrote one of my climatic poems in the centre of the Major Work first because its placement in the poem was crucial. I would highly suggest the writer to write what they feel would be best to do first and build from that momentum to fill in the gaps. It allows you to fully experience the intensity of the course and to love it  :)

- Be experimental with form. In reference to my earlier point on the benefits of technology for writing, exploit the many possibilities you can consider with formatting and typesetting for your Major Work. I loved playing around with structure and layout for my Major Work which made it both a visual and written experience for the reader. For example, I had letters scattered all around the pages, changed some words into bold or italics and incorporating images of jazz musicians throughout my Major Work. Doing this granted me the opportunity to expand on the limitations placed on the assessment and to create an original atmosphere to my writing  8) 8) Although there is the font prescription restriction, feel free to be creative with the way your Major Work looks and how you can convey more with the form itself to enhance the content.

- Personal reflection and evaluation throughout the Major Work journey is strongly encouraged. I completed a series of evaluations after I made any significant changes in my Major Work. This helped me reflect deeply on my choices and assess if they were appropriate for my form and concept. Evaluating your own work can enable you to identify strengths and areas of improvement and should be an ongoing process, as opposed to being wedged all at the end in the Reflection Statement. In fact, my regular evaluations were bookmarked so that I was able to return to them and see the most influential points of my journey and easily write the chronology for my Reflection Statement in the long run. I think this is the most effective way to experience Extension 2 holistically and take away many important skills from the course  ;D

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page