The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has announced significant revisions to the HSC music and drama syllabuses, a move that comes after extensive public consultation and criticism. The new syllabus, released on October 26, 2023, mandates that music students compose an original piece, while drama students will face changes in their theory examinations. This overhaul aims to modernize the curriculum, which has faced scrutiny for being overly theoretical.
Key Changes to the Syllabus
Under the updated guidelines, all students enrolled in Music 1, the most popular music subject in the HSC, will now be required to create an original composition. This shift has been characterized as a substantial change in music education. Dr. Thomas Fienberg from the Australian Society for Music Education described it as a “big, big, big paradigm shift,” emphasizing that this requirement will transform music instruction not just in years 11 and 12, but throughout the educational system.
Dr. Fienberg stated, “What teachers will now need to do is prepare their students to be able to record original music. It’s a huge step forward. It means that we’re going to be preparing a future generation of creators, not just a future generation of replicators.”
The revised drama syllabus retains group performances, which were initially proposed to be removed. The theory examination for drama has also been adjusted, now consisting of three extended response questions instead of two. The previous format required students to analyze four texts and write two essays, while the new approach reduces this to two texts in one essay, alongside two short answers and a question regarding ensemble performances.
Response to Initial Criticism
The changes come in response to widespread backlash against the original draft syllabus, which was released in November 2022. The initial proposal was criticized for being too focused on theoretical aspects, with educators and prominent figures in the arts expressing their concerns. NESA CEO Paul Martin acknowledged the intense feedback, stating he was “astonished” by the reactions but expressed confidence that the curriculum authority had taken the input seriously.
Martin noted, “We heard all the complaints and the issues and we have done targeted consultation for 12 months. We have made some significant amendments to ensure performance is valued while maintaining essential content.” The final syllabus retains a 70-minute written exam for Music 1, which accounts for 40 percent of the final mark, despite earlier proposals to increase examination time.
President of Drama NSW, Kelly Young, remarked that the updated syllabus represents a “reasonable improvement,” indicating that the adjustments have been well received within the educational community.
The release of the new syllabuses marks a critical step in reshaping the HSC curriculum, reflecting a commitment to more practical and creative approaches to arts education. As schools prepare to implement these changes, the impact on students’ learning experiences in music and drama is anticipated to be profound.
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