What are they learning?
Year 7
Students will develop their musical sklls and knowledge through performing, composing and listening to music.
Topic 1: The Elements of Music
Students are introduced to the different musical elements developing their knowledge of musical vocabulary. They learn how to listen to music and apply the musical vocabulary.
Topic 2: Rhythm notation
Students start to learn to read music, starting with rhythm notation and dynamic symbols.They perform a piece of music reading from notation and work in groups to collaborate on a performance.
Topic 3: African Drumming
Students learn about the role of music in African culture, and the features of the music, including instruments. The students perform an African Drumming piece as a class and work in groups to compose their own African Drumming pieces on the Djembe.
Topic 4: Pitch Notation and Keyboard Skills
Students learn to read stave notation. They learn to play the keyboard and perform a piece on the keyboard reading from the music.
Topic 5: Music Technology
Students learn how to use Bandlab. They use it to create their own layered compositions.
Topic 6: Atmospheric Music
Students learn how composers create different moods in their music and how music can be used descriptively. They learn to apply a variety of composing skills in their own compositions and learn to use the associated vocabulary to appraise different types of programmatic music.
Year 9
The curriculum is designed to lead students towards GCSE music and rather than teaching in topics, as in Years 7 and 8, is taught through the three AOS performing , composing, listening and appraising.
Where possible concepts are taught through all three areas, so that connections are formed between them.
Performing: Students develop their performing skills through the preparation of solo and ensemble performances. Students perform to each other in lessons and are encouraged to develop not just their technical ability on their instrument/voice, but their ability to be expressive, as well as developing the confidence to perform in front of an audience.
Composing: Students develop their composing skills creating smaller scale pieces which focus on specific composing skills, such as: composing melodies, composing within a given musical structure, how to harmonise a melody, and how to develop a musical idea.
Students are encouraged to become more independent composers and encouraged to use different mediums, such as instruments, or music technology, to create their pieces.
Listening and Appraising: Students develop their theoretical knowledge, and fine-tune their listening skills, in preparation for analysis and unfamiliar listening questions at GCSE.
Potential Careers relating to your subject
Performer/Artist / Orchestral Musician / Session Musician / Composer / Composer for Television and Film / Recording Engineer / Instrument Maker/Repairer / Acoustic Engineer / Music Journalism / Music Education / Music Therapy / Music Management / Music Librarian
Year 8
Students continue to develop their musical skills and knowledge through performing, composing and listening to music.
Topic 1: Blues
Students learn about the features of Blues music through performing, listening and improvising. They further develop their keyboard skills by learning to play a piece with two hands.
Topic 2: Music Technology
Students recap and further develop their skills in using Bandlab, using it to create a piece of Electronic Dance Music. They learn about the musical features, history and development of EDM through listening and research activities.
Topic 3: Film Music
In this topic, students study the techniques that film composers use in creating their film scores, through listening and practical activities. They compose their own piece of film music to fit with a given film clip.
Topic 4: Dorian Music
Students develop their improvising and composing skills and learn to create riffs to fit with a given chord sequence. They revise the theory behind constructing chords.
Topic 5: Performance project
Students look at 'what makes a successful performer?', and independently learn to play a piece on either their own instrument, or keyboard.
GCSE
Students study music through the three areas of performing, composing, listening and appraising. Students continue to create connections between the three areas of study, through the study of 8 Set Works.
Performing: Students continue to develop their personal performing skills with half termly performances in class. Students are also encouraged to perform in student recitals and concerts, to further build their confidence through this experience.
Composing: In Year 10, students work on their first piece of composition coursework. This is a free composition and can be created in any style of their choice, for any combination of instruments, and or voices.
Students continually develop and refine their work, producing their final recording and score at the end of Year 10.
In Year 11, students compose their second piece in response to a brief set by the exam board. Final recordings and scores are submitted by Easter of Year 11.
Listening and Appraising: Students develop their listening and appraising skills through the study of music across different styles and genres. They analyse 8 set works: Star Wars theme from A New Hope, Defying Gravity from Wicked, Purcell's 'Music for a While', Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No 5 Movement 3, 'Release', by Afro-Celt sound system, Beethoven's Pathetique Piano sonata movement 1, Samba Em Preludio by Esperanza Spalding and Killer Queen by Queen.
Through the study of these pieces students develop their knowledge and understanding of musical elements, musical contexts and musical language. They make critical judgements about the repertoire and context of musical through the different areas of study.
