Music

Unit 1: Stomp and Sing (Body Percussion and Voice Unit)

In this unit, students encounter building blocks of music by beginning the year focusing on Rhythm and Voice. Students develop a strong sense of shared pulse and learn about how rhythm can build texture and structure by performing, creating and notating simple patterns. They develop vocal confidence as they sing music in unison and harmony.

Unit 2: Power of the Pentatonic (Keyboard unit)

In this unit, students will explore the keyboard by using the pentatonic scale. Students will be developing skills in melody writing, improve their vocal technique, and acquire a solid keyboard playing technique. This will provide them with a strong foundation in keyboard technique which will be required in most future units.

Unit 3: Band Musicianship Skills 1 (Four Chord Songs)

In this unit pupils will be introduced to the foundations of harmony and learn about different styles of accompaniment as they develop keyboard and guitar/ukulele skills as part of an ensemble. Students will learn what a chord is, how to play them and how to create a chord sequence. Working as an ensemble, students create a chord sequence of their own and perform it as a band.

Bridging unit: Music Theory

Students begin GCSE Music with a bridging unit, designed to ‘level the playing field’ and upskill our students as they move from KS3 to GCSE Music. Within the bridging unit, students build on their knowledge of music theory, looking at Time Signatures, Key Signatures, Chords and Scales. Students will begin foundational work towards their first piece of coursework: Free Composition. This includes creating ground bass, ostinatos and chord sequences. In peripatetic lessons, students will be working towards their Solo and Ensemble performances.

Set work: Africa by Toto

Students learn to perform and analyse a piece of Popular Music, drawing upon their own knowledge as a basis of their analysis. Students will look in depth at the melody, structure, rhythm and harmony of the piece and compare this to songs of similar and contrasting genres. Students will continue work towards their first piece of coursework: Free Composition. In peripatetic lessons, students will be working towards their Solo and Ensemble performances.

AOS 4: Popular Music

Students develop an understanding of popular music: pop, rock and pop, bhangra and fusions (of different styles). Through listening to and/or performing examples of popular music learners will study how instrumental and synthesised sound is used and how original music may be modified, as well as how vocals are used alongside audio production software. Students will continue work towards their first piece of coursework: Free Composition. In peripatetic lessons, students will be working towards their Solo and Ensemble performances.

AOS 3: Film Music

In this area of study, learners will develop an understanding of film music including the use of timbre, tone colour and dynamics for effect. Through listening to and/or performing examples of film music learners will study how composers use musical elements appropriately to respond to a specific commission, and how they composers use devices such as leitmotifs and thematic transformation to develop thematic material. Students will continue work towards their first piece of coursework: Free Composition. In peripatetic lessons, students will be working towards their Solo and Ensemble performances

AOS 2: Music for Ensemble

In this area of study, learners develop understanding of sonority and texture, including instrumental and vocal groupings as appropriate to their context. Through listening to and performing examples from chamber music, musical theatre, jazz and blues, learners will study how composers combine musical lines in varying textures. Students will continue work towards their first piece of coursework: Free Composition. In peripatetic lessons, students will be working towards their Solo and Ensemble performances.

AOS 1: Musical Forms and Devices

In this area of study, learners place music within a broad historical context. However, it is not expected that they develop a detailed chronology of music aside from an awareness of the principal features of Baroque, Classical and Romantic music. The area of study focuses on understanding structural forms and devices across a variety of genres and styles from the Western Classical Tradition 1650-1910. Students will look in detail at Badinerie by Bach and analyse the piece through various tasks such as score reading and interpretation. Students will continue  to work towards completing their first piece of coursework: Free Composition. In peripatetic lessons, students will be working towards their Solo and Ensemble performances.