Music is the language of sound, it exists in time and space. Perhaps the broadest definition of music is that it is organised sound (and silence!) Understanding music requires both the understanding of conventions and the challenging of them; ‘Works of Art make rules; rules do not make works of art’ Claude Debussy.
All activities in music lessons are designed to create or experience sound. This is achieved through almost exclusively practical tasks, being as true in year 7 as it is in year 13.
The journey between these two points is one of exploring how sound has been and can be organised in order to create an intended effect. Students demonstrate their understanding of this through integrated activities of listening performing and composing.
Key stage 3
Year 7
- Using the musical elements to create mood, contrast and structure in music (Singing project)
- American Folk Song (Singing project)
- Pop Song conventions including drum kit patterns (Singing and Cubase project)
- Rehearsing Year song and Pop song for concert (Singing project)
- The Musical Clichés of action film music (Instrumental project)
Year 8
- Baroque Minuet (Sibelius project)
- Northern India Classical Music (Instrumental project)
- Chicago Blues (Instrumental project)
Year 9
- Hip Hop (Cubase Project)
- Reggae (Instrumental project)
- Self-Directed Terminal Task (instrumental research of technology project)
Key stage 4
Year 10
- Film music
- Conventions of pop
- Rhythms of the world
- Continual work on solo performance and composition for integrated portfolio
Year 11
- The Concerto through time
- Finalising integrated portfolio
- Finalising practical portfolio
- Continual work on group performance and composition for practical portfolio
Key stage 5
Year 12
- Popular Song: Blues, Jazz, Swing and Big Band
- Instrumental Music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven
- Optional Area of Study A
- Optional Area of Study B
- Continual work on performance and composition
Year 13
- Optional Area of Study A
- Optional Area of Study B
- Preparation for Recital
- Realisation of composition Work
- Performance or Recital
- Realisation of composition Work
- Revision of course
- Continual work on performance and composition