Music

Studying music gives students an opportunity to experience music that they might not otherwise listen to. It gives them a creative outlet where they will develop team working skills and create their own pieces of music, but it also gives opportunities to develop analysis skills and listen to music from around the world and across many different genres. The curriculum will focus on the three main musical strands of analysis, composition and performance and will work in termly projects each year so students can really immerse themselves in each style of music.

In Year 9 there is the opportunity to develop the composition strand of music more deeply in our unique ‘Composition and Songwriting’ course. This is not required for the study of GCSE and A Level music but is an excellent preparation for these courses.

Music is all around us and no matter what your background in music from primary school we aim to give everyone a broad education in year 7.  From Singing, to drumming to theory and film music, I am sure you’ll find something to catch your interest.

Some of the big questions we explore are:

“Are we more creative on our own, or as a group?”

“In Film, what is more important, The visual elements or the soundtrack?”

“How can we learn to listen to music, rather than just hear music”

Students will also have the opportunity to learn the keyboard and develop their reading and writing music skills in.

Music is constantly developing over time and around the world.  In Year 8 we will be look at how composers have pushed the boundaries of music and allowed different styles to develop at different time.  We will also be looking at how different cultures around the world have shaped the music from those countries and how global events such as the slave trade has impacted the musical landscape. 

Term 1-2: “How has music developed through time?”  In this term we will be looking at how music developed across Europe over a 300-year period and we will be learning to play various famous pieces of music on the keyboard.  You will also be developing your note reading skills in order to successfully play the keyboard.

Term 3-4: “Where does pop music come from?” We will be looking at how the salve trade and its abolition paved the way for all the different style of pop music we have today, from Elvis to Stormzy.  We will learn about ‘the blues’ and how simple chord progressions can be used to structure pieces of music.  We will learn about improvisation and the basics of song writing in order to create Blues inspired pop songs.

Term 5-6: “What is a meant by a musical fusion?”  We will be developing skills we learnt while African drumming in year 7 and learning about the Samba Music of Brazil.  This will also allow us to continue to look at what happened to may freed slaves when they leave the USA and see how different style of music from all over the world can be combined to make create  the biggest spectacle in South America... carnival.

Music is all around us, it is composed and performed in many different setting and different people engage with styles in different ways.  In Core music this year we will look into various style of music from western traditions and around the world, and seek to understand how and why different styles are composed. 

Term 1-2: “How can music and politics be combined?” This unit is a look into Reggae music and how people like Bob Marley have used music as a pathway to affect change in the government.  We will look at the history and context of Reggae music and learn how to write a song with Reggae features.

Term 3-4: “What does it take to be a great performer?”  During these two terms we look at becoming confident and accurate performers, whether this be in a group or as an individual, you will have the opportunity to learn a piece of music and perform it on a real stage for an audience of your peers.

Term 5-6: “How do you run a successful tour for a band/ artist?” In our final term in year 9 we look at the wider music industry in terms of management, promotion, logistics and performance.  Year 9 groups work together to promote a short tour for an upcoming band, and they have to plan, budget and promote the tour successfully. The most confident performers will also have a final opportunity to be part of the band and play their first show.

Although you may think that performers get paid ‘the big bucks’ it is actually far more lucrative to be the ‘mind behind the music’. This course is an exciting opportunity for you to develop your musical curiosity and skills as a composer/ song writer, working in various different styles.

Course Overview

Across the year we will be looking at how to write and arrange music in a classical and popular way. You will learn how to use technology to enable you to be more flexible in your creativity as well as learning the fundamental theory in order to write ‘good’ music.  Believe it or not the principles of writing songs, classical music, film scores and even dance music all come down to some fundamental basics which span all genres. You will be able to have autonomy over your work, and although we will work collaboratively at times, the music you write will be your own. 

Big questions we will be studying include:

• What makes a ‘good’ piece of music?
• Is all music the same?
• How does technology enable us to be more creative?
• How do you write a pop song?
• How did Mozart start composing aged 3?

Edexcel GCSE Music (2016) | Pearson qualifications

We follow the Edexcel GCSE music course which develops composition, performance and analysis skills.  We learn how to compose different style of music, perform as individuals and as part of a group and learn the fundamentals of musical analysis while looking at eight ‘Set Works’:

• Bach: Brandenburg Concerto no 5 movement 3
• Beethoven: Piano Sonata in C minor movement 1
• Purcell: Music for a while
• Queen: Killer Queen
• Schwartz: Defying Gravity
• J WIlliams: Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope Introduction
• E Spaulding: Samba Em Preludio
• Afrocelt Soundsystem: Release

In July of year 10, Students will complete their ‘Free Composition’ with accounts for 15% of the GCSE.

We also hold termly performances classes, where students perform to each other and get feedback in order to progress towards their final performances in year 11.

Edexcel GCSE Music (2016) | Pearson qualifications

We follow the Edexcel GCSE music course which develops composition, performance and analysis skills.  We learn how to compose different style of music, perform as individuals and as part of a group and learn the fundamentals of musical analysis while looking at eight ‘Set Works’:

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto no 5 movement 3

Beethoven: Piano Sonata in C minor movement 1

Purcell: Music for a while

Queen: Killer Queen

Schwartz: Defying Gravity

J WIlliams: Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope Introduction

E Spaulding: Samba Em Preludio

Afrocelt Soundsystem: Release

Performances take place in the February of year 11 and the brief based composition will be completed by December of Year 11.