Unit Plan 22 (Grade 8 Vocal Music): Evaluating Performances

Focus: Evaluate vocal performances using established criteria (intonation, blend, balance, diction, expression, style) and justify judgments with specific musical evidence.

Grade Level: 8

Subject Area: Vocal Music (Choir • Listening & Evaluation • Musicianship)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students learn to listen like musicians and adjudicators, not just audience members. They explore what makes a strong vocal performance by unpacking criteria such as intonation, blend, balance, diction, expression, and style. Using rubrics and guided listening, they evaluate recordings and live performances, learning to support their judgments with specific musical evidence (“at measure 12 the altos are flat,” “the diction on ‘love’ is unclear,” etc.). By the end of the week, students will be able to score, describe, and justify evaluations of both professional and classroom performances—and use that information to set growth goals.

Essential Questions

• What makes a vocal performance sound accurate, expressive, and stylistically appropriate?
• How can we use clear criteria (intonation, blend, balance, diction, expression, style) to evaluate performances fairly?
• Why is it important to justify our performance judgments with specific musical evidence, not just “I liked it” or “it was bad”?
• How can evaluating performances help us improve our own singing and ensemble work?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Define and describe key evaluation criteria: intonation, blend, balance, diction, expression, and style.
2. Use a performance rubric to evaluate recorded and live vocal performances, assigning scores and writing comments.
3. Cite specific musical evidence (measures, moments, text lines, musical elements) to support evaluation decisions.
4. Compare their own and peers’ evaluations to calibrate judgments and refine understanding of performance quality.
5. Apply evaluation skills to a class rehearsal recording, identifying strengths and next steps for the ensemble.
6. Set at least one individual and one ensemble improvement goal based on evaluation data.

Standards Alignment — Grade 8 Vocal Music (custom, NAfME-style)

• VM:Re9.8a — Evaluate vocal performances using established criteria (intonation, blend, balance, diction, expression, style), and justify judgments with specific musical evidence.
  • Example: Students use a rubric to evaluate a rehearsal run and cite exact moments as evidence.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can explain what intonation, blend, balance, diction, expression, and style mean in a choir performance.
• I can use a rubric to score a performance and write specific comments, not just “good” or “bad.”
• I can point to exact spots in a performance (measures or lyrics) to explain why I gave a certain score.
• I can use evaluations to suggest concrete next steps for myself and the ensemble (e.g., “Let’s fix the vowel on ‘bright’ in measure 14”).
• I can reflect on how my evaluation skills make me a more thoughtful performer and listener.