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Author Topic: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!  (Read 21984 times)

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angewina_naguen

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HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« on: February 02, 2018, 09:13:41 pm »
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02/02/2018

Hey, guys!

This is my first entry for a HSC journey journal that I was suggested by user beatroot to start. I figured with my first week of the year over, I would like to look back on my journey with fondness and sharing my experiences with you all! My subjects are Extension 2 English, Modern History, Society and Culture, Visual Arts and Music 2. I will be documenting my journey with, in total, THREE major works (although it isn't technically regarded as major works, the core performance and composition for Music 2 might as well be xD I'll get to that towards to the end).

I had been advised by many teachers to avoid having two major works by the time I came into year 12 and I'm sure any of you who also have to balance two or more have had the same experience. I heard all the different arguments;

"It's too much work."

"You're not going to be able to balance two!"

"You're going to destroy yourself and burn out!"

"Better you only have one major work, and get top marks for that, than half-hardheartedly complete two."

Funnily, I ended up doing so well in SAC and VA, and pretty much everything else, that I ended up dropping Mathematics to pursue three creative-purging subjects. I find a thrill in projects and investigations, something of which many people are still reprimanding me for. In fact, it has only increased with me picking up Extension 2 English. All of these subjects are notoriously harsh- they're as subjective as subjects can get. Already at the beginning of year 12, I have had my doubts and concerns.

"What if they don't get my poem?"

"What if my drawings aren't band 6 standard?"

"What if my PIP topic has been overdone and I don't offer anything knew?"

However, I have found myself compelled to the challenge and have been inclined to testify for anyone else who also knows the struggles, but more importantly, the rewards, of having major works. I want to prove to not only others, but myself that this was the best decision for someone like me, who is an artist of a hundred kinds, could have made.

That'll be the aim of this journal and I will be updating as frequently as a pivotal moment comes at me. At this stage, I have completed my introduction for the PIP, started my draft for the first poem in my suite and will be commencing my BOW in two weeks when my materials arrive. I will also post bits and pieces on Music 2 which has been a turbulent ride on its own and share my thoughts and feelings about HSC performance, composition and musicology.

Thanks for reading this super long introduction but I look forward to getting to know all of you and sharing more of who I am. I love what these subjects have to offer and I believe that this will be an incredibly fun adventure ahead!

Toodles!
Angelina  ;D

UPDATE- I actually did four :) I was unsure about Music 2 being counted but it is. There were three areas for the Major Works essentially BUT I will count the whole subject as one :D
« Last Edit: October 17, 2018, 01:51:29 pm by angewina_naguen »
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jamonwindeyer

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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2018, 09:21:51 pm »
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More journals to read! Keeeeeen ;D

The Music major works totally count - You're in for a busy year! But I bet you'll smash it, keen to read all about everything ;D

beatroot

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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2018, 09:54:01 pm »
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Welcome Angelina to the HSC journey journal board!!! Words cannot describe how excited I am to read your updates on your majors, especially for VA and SAC. My BOW and my PIP were my little babies during my HSC year ahah. Anyways, hope to see some fabulous progress on your major works in the future ;D
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fantasticbeasts3

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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2018, 10:15:32 pm »
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woooo welcome, welcome!!! so excited to read another journal and your journey throughout year 12. it's always interesting reading journals of people who did/are doing majors, because i didn't do one!

best of luck for the rest of year 12. :-)
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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2018, 11:15:12 pm »
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Welcome! Keen to read your major work updates! I did major works for music 1 and extension history and (like Bea) my majors were my babies!
What instrument do you play and piece are you doing (how many pieces do you do in music 2)?
Good luck for the rest of year 12  :D
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Caitlynk_22

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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2018, 04:35:56 pm »
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Oh wow! Three majors that's so many! I'm only doing one and I'm already stressed. Good luck!
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angewina_naguen

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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2018, 06:02:47 pm »
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03/02/2018

Lots of warm welcomes already!

I'm super excited to work on my majors for all my subjects and have been progressing quite well so far. Before I introduce my precious babies in the making, I'll answer Katie's question first  :D

I study classical singing and have been doing AMEB since year 8. I'm currently in 4th grade! I'm also in 4th grade for theory and will be taking my exam at the end of the next term (unless HSC gets very busy and I don't complete the course in time hehehe). In saying that, I'm a vocalist! I will be doing the core performance, the core composition and for my elective, I believe I will be choosing musicology (which means another essay to write)! I thought long and hard about whether I should have chosen to do another performance but when I looked up the elective requirements, they actually want us to do another TWO. My brain just went "nope" so I'll more than likely be settling on musicology  ;D For the core performance, I am singing "So Much More Than Me" from The Hatpin Musical and my partner, Alex, will be my accompanist! He's currently a student at the Conservatorium so he's more than qualified and willing to help me with my HSC major!

On to introducing my major works!

My PIP- My PIP is on interracial relationships and how accepting multicultural societies, such as Australia, are of these relationships. I chose this topic because I am in one myself! My partner's Australian-Chilean and I'm Vietnamese. It's been quite interesting learning about other people's experiences with interracial dating and I'm looking forward to compiling it altogether into one beautiful research paper  :D


My suite of poems- My Extension 2 English major work will be a suite of jazz poems! I'm amalgamating two of my favourite arts areas, music and English, to create poetry that is inspired from the 1920's genre. I will be using the rhythmic and structural features of jazz music to compose poems that reflect the Harlem Renaissance's innovative hub of culture. There's more to my concept and I could go on for hours about what I intend to do but that's the basic premise of it!

My BOW- And finally, my BOW! I had a hell of an experience at the end of last year when my BOW concept was actually rejected by my teacher! She wasn't a fan of what I originally planned to do, which was sculpture, because she believed that I could achieve so much better if I did drawing. Although I was apprehensive, I took her advice on board and here I am with my new concept.

I'm doing two large, mural-style drawings with the top being a waste dump and the bottom an abstract recreation of the Milky Way. My work juxtaposes consumerism with space and all its vastness. I wanted to make my drawing unconventional so I will actually be stippling but then using a soldering iron to burn bits and pieces of my work! My teacher wanted to add this touch to have a more symbolic layer to it; fire represents both creation and destruction so in destructing consumerism and waste, the audience can choose to create a more meaningful life and look at the bigger picture. I think it'll make a lot more sense when I write my statement of intention xD

So those are my different major works in process and I'm quite surprised that I haven't already been stressed. I think that when you have so much to work with, you just manage to find time for them all! My schedule has been moulded around the times I've designated to specifically working on these subjects.

Thanks for all the lovely welcomes and I hope my journal will be an interesting read for you all!  ;D
Toodles,

Angelina  :)


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beatroot

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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2018, 09:02:30 pm »
0
On to introducing my major works!

My PIP- My PIP is on interracial relationships and how accepting multicultural societies, such as Australia, are of these relationships. I chose this topic because I am in one myself! My partner's Australian-Chilean and I'm Vietnamese. It's been quite interesting learning about other people's experiences with interracial dating and I'm looking forward to compiling it altogether into one beautiful research paper  :D


Excited to see your PIP progress! I'm curious to see what other people's opinions are on this matter.
My BOW- And finally, my BOW! I had a hell of an experience at the end of last year when my BOW concept was actually rejected by my teacher! She wasn't a fan of what I originally planned to do, which was sculpture, because she believed that I could achieve so much better if I did drawing. Although I was apprehensive, I took her advice on board and here I am with my new concept.

I'm doing two large, mural-style drawings with the top being a waste dump and the bottom an abstract recreation of the Milky Way. My work juxtaposes consumerism with space and all its vastness. I wanted to make my drawing unconventional so I will actually be stippling but then using a soldering iron to burn bits and pieces of my work! My teacher wanted to add this touch to have a more symbolic layer to it; fire represents both creation and destruction so in destructing consumerism and waste, the audience can choose to create a more meaningful life and look at the bigger picture. I think it'll make a lot more sense when I write my statement of intention xD


I am excited to see your BOW progress too! I really like your concept ;D It's an interesting take on the nature of consumerism I believe. Who is/are your artist/s of influence?

Good luck with your majors!!


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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2018, 09:45:11 pm »
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Holy crap, I can't even begin to imagine how difficult 3 major works would be to manage - I'm struggling to stay on top of one haha! Good on you, you have a good mindset which I'm sure will fuel your success in the long run! :)) Welcome, am keen to read about your challenges/ideas/whatever!! xx
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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2018, 09:51:56 pm »
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OMG 3 Majors!!  :o :o
Wait isn't it 4
1: Society and culture-PIP
2: Visual Arts-BOW
3:Ext 2 English
4: Doesn't music 2 have one??
Regardless, you really are in for a full on year, i can't wait to hear more about it!
I wish you all the best!  ;D
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angewina_naguen

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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2018, 03:05:14 pm »
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04/02/2018

And I'm back again  :D Makes me excited when everyone else is excited with me  :D I love answering questions so I'm going to kick start all my entries with them!

Excited to see your PIP progress! I'm curious to see what other people's opinions are on this matter.
I am excited to see your BOW progress too! I really like your concept ;D It's an interesting take on the nature of consumerism I believe. Who is/are your artist/s of influence?

Good luck with your majors!!


My artistic influences are all Asian artists! I was really drawn to my most recent case study which was on Social and Political Commentary in Art. We had an entire focus study on Chinese Contemporary Art and after visiting the White Rabbit Gallery, I was mesmerised! I went and had a search for some artists that would help me develop my concept and I found;

Lindy Lee- She's a Chinese-Australian artist who inspired my soldering iron technique! Her artwork "Tenderness of the Rain" is my primary inspiration and my art teacher actually adores her work so it was a win win!

Cai-Guo Qiang- He's another Chinese artist who does some amazing "gunpowder drawings." His work inspired my idea of having fire as a symbolic choice for my material practice and I just love the crazy things he does in his artworks!

Midori Furze- She's a Japanese artist I studied in year 7 and I remember being enraptured by her work. I have always been quite drawn to abstract art and hers have been a recent favourite. I revisited her artworks and her depth in concepts really helped me think more about my own work.

Along with these artists, I was inspired by a few other works that interlink with my other studies. I'm doing Robert Gray in Advanced and one of my favourite poems is 'Flame and Dangling Wire.' This was how I got the idea of the waste dump! I loved his imagery and I incorporated lots of his descriptions in my planning to recreate the feeling I first had when I read his poem. I read a lot of Jean Paul Sartre's works on existentialism in year 11 when I was going through a creative block and it broadened my horizons towards the bigger picture in life. I realised so much about my own materialistic desires and how I never stopped to observe or wonder about why or how things are. I chose the Milky Way as my second drawing because I have been fascinated by space but never have really been much of a science person (hence all the Humanities calamities xD). I merely loved the aesthetics of it so I wanted to focus my audience to the universe and away from little things we worry and strive towards to just appreciate where and how we are   :)

OMG 3 Majors!!  :o :o
Wait isn't it 4
1: Society and culture-PIP
2: Visual Arts-BOW
3:Ext 2 English
4: Doesn't music 2 have one??
Regardless, you really are in for a full on year, i can't wait to hear more about it!
I wish you all the best!  ;D

I believe music 2 isn't generally referred to as one, at least my teachers don't say they are! I do think the core composition might as well be, considering it's done over a few months. I'll say it is but for the sake of this journal, I'll refer to my other three main ones more  ;D When the composition starts to become more of a big deal I will regularly update on that too  :)

Short one for today but I finished my PIP introduction!  ;D ;D I had excellent feedback and help from users beatroot and Mada438 on the PIP Thread earlier this week. I showed my SAC teacher who said it was perfect structure-wise and that there wasn't anything to fix  :)

Cutting down from the original 650 words I had to that 500 mark was one of the most excruciatingly painful experiences I have encountered my whole life. I found it ridiculously hard to do for my proposal to keep it at 500 so adapting it was a challenge. I ended up having to take out a whole section where I introduced what each chapter in my central material would be about  :'( It was the saddest backspace I have ever done  :( :( Regardless, the introduction is all done  :D I am still conducting interviews but I will more than likely be finished by the time my half yearlies come around so I can spend the last two weeks of school compiling all my research together  :D Knocking out that introduction has really propelled me forward!

That's it for today's update and I'll be back once my next milestone comes around!

Toodles,

Angelina  :D
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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2018, 08:47:39 pm »
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Reading these journal entries makes me very unaccomplished. I see all of these hard working students busting their ass day in day out, while I'm just lying in bed binge watching the All Stars Hell's Kitchen.

Keep up your hard working ethic throughout the year! 😃

angewina_naguen

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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2018, 09:59:02 am »
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09/02/2018

Yesterday was the first day I decided to halt all my work and just take a break. It was the best decision I've made to date. I think with the vigorous work that comes with having the majors, as well as balancing content across those and all my other subjects, was starting to surface to the point where I just needed a break. I had a day off, watched 'Lucifer' with my partner and my sister on Netflix and listened to some new songs that I want to perform with my partner over the year. It gave me the rest I needed and today, as I sit during my free period, I have regained a far greater degree of energy than I EVER have regardless of how much sleep or rest I had before.

The draft sketch of the waste dump is coming together nicely. I'm halfway through and hopefully, it'll be finished by mid next week. It's looking great! Time-consuming, yes, but rewarding nevertheless. It is incredibly satisfying to look at stippling drawings from afar and to realise that I somehow did it was an amazing feeling. My teacher returns next week so I can actually start the BOW on Monday.

Extension 2 has been good too. I've made progress and am planning to start drafting in a fortnight's time. I just want a bit more research completed on my context to make sure I can produce poems that are authentic as possible. I also made a decision to have two journals; one for my research on form and context, and one solely for drafting, experiments and evaluations. It keeps my work ordered and organised which I think is key for a subject that is very self-driven.

PIP has been a bit eh this week. I read another article on Interracial Relationships in the U.S for my case study but my work for SAC this week was more for the Belief Systems topic. I'll probably get back on track next week.

Having that break was a nice way to reflect on my progress across these subjects and step back from studying. I think this was what helped me get through year 11; having my partner and sister there to just relax and wind down with. I don't feel any regret for taking it off and I'm super excited to continue pushing on. That'll be all for today and I hope you guys have a great day!

Toodles,

Angelina  ;D
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angewina_naguen

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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #13 on: February 17, 2018, 04:39:10 pm »
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17/02/2018

Hey, all! It's been a long week but everything is coming together quite well. I have some unfortunate news about VA- I won't be able to start my major work for another two weeks possibly because my paper is taking its time getting here... In saying that, I am continuing to develop my technical skills by doing a draft of what my drawings will look like. I will continue to work on it until my paper arrives and I can start on the real thing!  ;D

Unrelated interjection but Weimar Germany is basically learning a whole new language and politics simultaneously and it's both interesting and confusing.

I also finished another few interviews this week for the PIP but am looking for more participants. I've created a new topic on the SAC child board so if anyone is interested in being interviewed and has experience with interracial dating, I'd be really grateful for volunteers! I edited over PIP introduction again just to fine tune a few grammatical errors so I will have a look at it at the end of every week from now on to keep it developing.

Extension 2 research has also finally finished! I have begun doing some creative stimulating activities over the last few days and discovered how great it is as a relaxation exercise before bed. I have a lot of ideas for how I want to structure the suite and will need to sort that out once I am more focused.

This week will be smooth sailing with three days off at camp with the little year 7's so I will do my best to take it easy and work consistently over the next few days before I head off for a break. It'll be a busy but productive next few days and I'm looking forward to getting more work completed! That's all for today's entry and have a lovely day!

Toodles,

Angelina  :D



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Re: HSC Major Works, The HSC- Major Work!
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2018, 06:42:10 pm »
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05/03/2018

Hey, everyone!

I'm finally back with an update on where things are. It's been a busy last few weeks, lots of tears were shed and stress hit me all in one single go but I'm all good now and pumped once more to work.

My BOW idea has been almost entirely scrapped. My teacher had suggestions for my BOW which were much stronger than the ones I had so I decided to keep my soldering iron idea but will be revising my presentation and practice. I am currently undertaking a crazy week of experimentation to catch up to scratch but I'm sure my new idea will be worthy of a greater mark.

Drafting for Extension 2 has begun and I'm excited to share some preliminary work with you from my major work journal that has been dispersed with creativity.

I finished my first chapter of the PIP last week and will be revisiting it in a few days just to edit it a final time before I submit it for review by my teacher. It was the most hectic one because it was primarily secondary research-based information I had to write up so referencing it all was really time-consuming. Nevertheless, the hardest part has been done and just needs to be fine tuned closer to the date!

I hope to write a longer update some time soon when I have more time but for now, that'll be all from me  ;D ;D ;D Have a great day!

Toodles,

Angelina  :D
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