Kentucky Visual & Performing Arts
College & Career Pathways

The Visual and Performing Arts College and Career Readiness Pathway is designed to prepare creative individuals to join the workforce in the arts, but also in fields outside of the arts.  This is a new KDE endeavor and counts toward a school’s accountability score.  We want to help students get credit for the terrific work they are already doing as well as help them reflect on their progress and plan for the future. 

Capstone Portfolio

In order for a student to complete a Visual and Performing Arts College and Career Pathway, he or she must submit a digital portfolio displaying quality performances. School ensemble directors and students are responsible for many components of the submission, but we are asking private teachers to assist in the collection of video/audio evidence and evaluations of performances.  Primarily students in their junior year of high school will be submitting portfolios.

Portfolio Contents

The following is a summary and all students should refer to the most recent documents from the Kentucky Department of Education.

Performance Selections:Introduction:
1)  Letter of Assurance
2)  Student Resume
3)  Personal Reflection Essay (250 Words or less)

Performance Selections:
1) Solo Performance (with or without accompaniment)
2) Performance with others (with or without accompaniment with one on a part) (A live pianist will satisfy the ‘with others’ requirement.)
3) Student Choice, choose one from the following:
  • Original Composition or Arrangement.
  • Additional Solo or Ensemble Performance (with or without accompaniment with one on a part)
  • Performance on secondary instrument
  • Solo excerpt from a Large Ensemble Performance
  • Performance of an Improvised Solo
  • Performance as a student conductor

Written Assessment:​
Students (in consultation with your teacher) will select which exam to take.
  • College-level music theory entrance exam
  • Music listening test (KMEA Listening Exam) 

Recorded Performances: 

The portfolio must include three (3) recorded contrasting entries with a brief description of the piece, the student’s role in it and an evaluation sheet for each submission from the list below. The expectation is for the recorded performances to be the student’s best work. Each excerpt should be a minimum of two (2) minutes to a maximum of three (3) minutes. (Items 1 and 2 below are set requirements with freedom of choice for the student on item 3.)

Related Links

LHS Think and Plan Tool
Think and Plan Tool.pdf
File Size: 51 kb
File Type: pdf
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Music Portfolio Requirements
Music Portfolio Requirements.pdf
File Size: 295 kb
File Type: pdf
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Capstone Portfolio Q&A
Capstone Q&A.pdf
File Size: 285 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Student Resume Template
Student Resume Template.pdf
File Size: 56 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Electronic Portfolio Instructions
Electronic Portfolio Instructions.pdf
File Size: 191 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
The Letter of Assurance is the FINAL step in creating a portfolio.
Pathway Letter of Assurance.pdf
File Size: 153 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File