English for Music
Writing
Text type 1: Reflective Report
When you are writing a reflective report, you may be required to reflect on your own performance in singing or playing a piece of work with an instrument. There are mainly three components in this report.
1. Introduction
In the section, you should briefly provide some background information of your performance, such as the song performed and the instrument used. Then, you may evaluate your overall performance, whether it was excellence, satisfactory or below average. This overall comment is to serve as a thesis statement of your report as well as the main idea of the contents that you are going to put in the following paragraphs.
2. Body
In the body section, the major components will be the unsatisfactory areas and possible ways for improvement. You should address only one issue in each paragraph and provide possible solutions immediately after expressing the problem.
3. Conclusion
After the evaluation, you should provide an expected outcome, that is how your performance will be improved.
In this type of essay, citations are usually not required. However, you should adopt APA (7th edition) citation style when necessary.
Text type 2: Concert Review
A concert review describes a concert’s overall structure -including its music, musicians, venue, time, and location -and attempts to place the concert in a larger context by comparing it to other concerts. For your readers to grasp the atmosphere and quality of the concert, you should try to capture the entire scene in your review and also include your own evaluation.
1. Introduction
Your introduction should include the title, venue, and date of the concert, and names of musicians/ensembles/conductors. You may also include details, such as the specific locale, to give readers unfamiliar with the area a better idea of where the concert took place. Also, if the concert was held earlier in the day, or extremely late at night, be sure to mention that.
2. Description
The main body of the concert review should include brief discussions of each piece played during the concert you attended. Do not quote the program notes: you should write your own observations on the performance. The format of your description may be varied according to the genres of music, but it should include: the title of each piece and the name of the composer and/or musician; basic and brief information about the composer and/or piece; and your reaction to the piece.
3. Evaluation
Based on your notes, be sure to mention what made attending the concert worthwhile. What about the experience was new or different for you? Expand on your writing by augmenting it with relevant facts such as the history of the band or the effect the venue had on the performance. Be honest about whether you individually enjoyed the concert and how, in your opinion, the audience as a whole responded. Also, include in your review the acoustic quality of the music -if the live music deviated from studio versions of music as well as the effect of the music on the crowd.
4. Conclusion
Your conclusion should summarize your overall impression of the concert. Do not include any new information (for example, upcoming events) in the conclusion.
Citation style: APA (7th edition)