Music

Rhythm - stave notation

Students perform using percussion instruments and boomwhackers reading from rhythmic stave notation. They will compose and perform short percussive pieces in small groups.

Pitch – stave notation 2

Students will perform keyboard pieces demonstrating the ability to read treble clef notation, and developing motor dexterity skills, culminating in a Christmas Rap composition task.

Elements

Students will learn the elements of music and use them to complete listening and appraising activities.

Elements - learning to use music technology

Students will learn to use the software package Cubase to create an effective composition to a given pictoral stimulus, incorporating the elements of music studied in the previous unit.

Folk Music of the British Isles

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of British Folk Music. They will analyse and perform traditional folk songs as part of small groups & on their own on a range of instruments.

Gamelan

Students will develop their knowledge and understating of the Javanese and Balinese Gamelan tradition. They will perform, improvise and compose using the Slendro and Pelog scales.

Chinese Music

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of Chinese Music. They will perform, improvise and compose using the Pentatonic Scale.

Indian Music

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the traditional North Indian Raga tradition. They will perform, improvise and compose using different raga scales and talas

Bass Clef

Students will learn Bass clef notation and recap treble clef notation. They will perform keyboard pieces individually and in groups, developing their skills in being able to play and read using two different clefs at the same time.

Jazz Improvising

Students will learn about the origins of jazz and blues through listening activities. They will learn about different styles of jazz through improvising activities and work individually and in groups to create call and response improvising performances in a range of jazz styles.

African Drumming

Students will explore the rhythmic features and devices used in West African Drumming. Student will learn the different drumming techniques and will perform and improvise pieces on the Djembe.

Theme and Variations

Students will look at ways of varying a melody through listening and appraising and composing activities. Students will develop their use of Cubase.

    Popular Music

Students look at chords (major / minor, inversions) on both the keyboard and the guitar. Students learn to read TAB. Students analyse and perform Hooks and Riffs in a range of Pop songs. They create and perform arrangements of a number of songs in small groups. Students create and record their own Pop song either acoustically or using Cubase.

                        

Music in the 20th century

Students study the developments and conventions of different C20th compositional styles including Serialism, Electronic music, Impressionism, Expressionism, Aleatoric, and Experimental music. Students create pastiche compositions in the above styles and explore the whole tone scale, 12 tone serialism, and atonality.

Minimalism

Students will perform a range of Minimalist pieces in small groups and then use Cubase or Sibelius to create a Minimalist composition.

Film

Students explore the compositional techniques used in film composing. They will perform a range of theme tunes & create their own for a character of their choice. Students learn about leitmotifs, storyboards, mickey mousing and foley effects. Students use Sibelius or Cubase to compose their own soundtrack recording in time with the video