Music
Key Stage 3
Subject Introduction
‘’Playing music is supposed to be fun. It's about heart, it's about feelings, moving people, and something beautiful.’’
(Glenn Holland, Music Teacher in the 1995 film, ‘Mr Holland’s Opus’)
Underpinning our ethos is the belief that, ‘playing music is supposed to be fun!’ Yes, Music is about dots on a page, but ultimately it has the transformative power to elevate the human spirit and soul above the mundanities of daily life.
At St Wilfrid’s we aim to offer a high-quality music education that engages and inspires pupils to develop a love of music. This will enable them to increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.
In Year 7 pupils will perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. Students will learn to sing, compose music, and have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, and use music technology appropriately. In Year 7 they will begin to understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related musical elements: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
(*Adapted from ‘Music programmes of study: key stage 3 National curriculum in England,’ DfE)
Modules
The Elements of Music (Introduction)
Overview of the history of Music
The Basics 1: Melody
The Basics 2: Tempo, metre, rhythm
Keyboard Skills
Film Music
Orchestra
Assessment
All modules conclude with an audio-visual and theory Firefly test.
A Baseline Assessment is conducted at the beginning of the year.
Homework
20 Minutes per week based on retrieval activities.
Enrichment activities
Year 7 Choir, Ceilidh Band, Brass Group, Orchestra, String Ensemble, Keyboard Club. Year 7 students are encouraged to participate in informal and formal concerts, such Music in the Library.
Subject Introduction
“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”
(Albert Einstein)
Year 8 is a time for decisions, selecting GCSE courses for the future. What a surprise to discover that Albert Einstein nearly choose to become a professional musician!
In Year 8 pupils will continue to perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. Students will develop their compositional skills, and explore music technology in greater depth. In Year 8 they will explore the full range of musical elements, thereby laying a secure foundation for GCSE and beyond. Aural perception skills are introduced on a regular basis.
(*Adapted from ‘Music programmes of study: key stage 3 National curriculum in England,’ (DfE)
Modules
Melody: Ostinato and Riff
Harmony: Exploration of Chords
Rhythm: Compound Time
Melody: Variations
Structure: Exploration of Popular Songs
Assessment
All modules conclude with an audio-visual and theory Firefly test.
Homework
20 Minutes per week based on retrieval activities.
Enrichment activities
Academy Choir, Ceilidh Band, Brass Group, Orchestra, String Ensemble, Keyboard Club. Year 8 students are encouraged to participate in informal and formal concerts.
Subject Introduction
“Music can change the world because it can change people.”
(Bono, lead vocalist of rock band U2)
Year 9 is the start of the GCSE Music course. Hopefully, in the words of Bono, this 3-years journey of musical discovery for our students will profoundly change them and in turn ‘change the world’!
At St Wilfrid’s, we have designed a relevant, practical and exciting course for our students to explore a wide range of musical genres. There will be lots of opportunities for practical learning. Our GCSE course combines theory, listening, composition and performing in an engaging and challenging way. All of our students have different learning styles and musical tastes, and this is celebrated and reflected in the different units of work in Year 9. At St Wilfrid’s we want to;
‘’broaden our students’ minds and foster a love of all music with a qualification that students of all abilities and backgrounds will enjoy.’’*
(*AQA GCSE Music Specification)
In Year 9 pupils will continue to perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. Students will develop their compositional skills using Sibelius notation software. In Year 9, they will be given a secure grounding in the theory of music, studying ABRSM theory Grade 1-5, as appropriate. Aural perception skills are developed on a regular basis.
Modules
Students will understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, through these inter-related musical elements, each of which is a discreet module:
Tonality
Harmony
Rhythm and Metre
Melody
Sonority
Texture
Structure
Dynamics and Articulation
Students will play and perform confidently in a range of solo and ensemble contexts using their voice, playing instruments musically, fluently and with accuracy and expression. They will also improvise and compose drawing on a range of musical structures, styles, genres and traditions including the use of DAW’s.
Assessment
All modules conclude with an audio-visual and theory Firefly test.
Homework
60 Minutes per week based on retrieval activities, performing and composing tasks, research-based assignments.
Enrichment activities
Academy Choir, Ceilidh Band, Brass Group, Orchestra, String Ensemble, Keyboard Club. GCSE musicians are encouraged to perform at regular informal and formal concerts held throughout the year.
Key Stage 4
Subject Introduction
“I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally as industrious will succeed equally well.”
(J. S. Bach)
Wise words from one of the greatest composers of all time! Year 10 is the next stage of the GCSE Music course. Students will need to be ‘industrious’, to quote J. S. Bach, as they start their free composition and put in the hours of practice in preparation for their practical assessments. Work begins in earnest on the prescribed ‘Areas of Study’ (AoS) which explore a wide range of musical genres from the Baroque to the present day.
In Year 10, pupils will continue to perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. Students will continue to develop their compositional skills using Sibelius notation software, with the aim of completing their ‘free’ composition. The focus of Year 10 will be focussing on developing musical analysis skills. Aural perception skills become more advanced and demanding in Year 10.
Modules
Areas of Study (AoS): Western Classical Tradition, Popular Music, Traditional and Folk Music.
Performing: Developing Solo and Ensemble Skills
Composition: Completing ‘Free’ composition.
Aural Perception: Descending and ascending intervallic recognition, Rhythmic dictation, Cadence Identification
Assessment
Regular listening and aural tests, increasingly using exam board material.
Mock recitals.
Homework
60 Minutes per week based on retrieval activities, performing and composing tasks, research-based assignments.
Enrichment activities
Academy Choir, Ceilidh Band, Brass Group, Orchestra, String Ensemble, Keyboard Club. GCSE musicians are encouraged to perform at regular informal and formal concerts held throughout the year.
Subject Introduction
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: “Wow! What a Ride!”.”
(Hunter S. Thompson)
“Wow! What a Ride!” are the words we want our Year 11 musicians to say when they finish their GCSE Music course! Having discovered new music, performed challenging pieces and created original compositions, we hope our talented young musicians will feel exhilarated and enthused to begin the next stage of their musical journey.
In Year 11, students will continue to develop their compositional skills with the aim of completing their ‘brief’ composition set by the exam board, AQA. Students will continue focussing on developing their musical analysis skills as they study the prescribed set works. Aural perception skills consolidate the work undertaken Year 10.
Modules
Areas of Study (AoS): Western Classical Tradition, Popular Music, Traditional and Folk Music. (Retrieval)
Set works: Mozart Clarinet Concerto / Little Shop of Horrors.
Performing: Recording Solo and Ensemble Performances
Composition: Completing ‘Brief’ composition.
Aural Perception: Consolidating work from Year 10, including melodic dictation.
Assessment
All work marked using exam criteria.
Past papers.
Mock recitals.
PPE 1 and PPE (Mocks).
Homework
60 Minutes per week based on retrieval activities, performing and composing tasks, research-based assignments.
Enrichment activities
Academy Choir, Ceilidh Band, Brass Group, Orchestra, String Ensemble, Keyboard Club. GCSE musicians are encouraged to perform at regular informal and formal concerts held throughout the year.