Mathematics

Music

Aims of the course

During Year 9 pupils further develop their musical skills and understanding, while being exposed to a broad range of musical styles and genres, from throughout history. All learning takes place utilising a balanced mix of performing, composing and listening in preparation for Key Stage 4.

Details of the course

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Computer and Video Game Music

Students will be using digital technology to create music. Skills will be drawn from many previous units of work such as composing to a brief, themes and character music and leitmotif.

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Samba

This unit introduces the polyrhythmic style of Latin-American Samba and identifies its roots in African and Spanish/Portuguese music. Through performing Samba, students will learn the sounds and understand the roles of each instrument used in Samba, learn about rhythmic loops, polyrhythms, call and response and improvisation in Samba and experience the exhilaration and physical impact of percussion ensemble music.

l Fanfares

This unit develops students’ knowledge and understanding of orchestral instruments and sections of orchestral instruments. Students learn about the construction, sound production and timbres of different orchestral instruments, the layout, grouping and the instruments which belong to each section of a modern symphony orchestra.

l Making Arrangements

Students will explore the genre of popular song, learning how different artists and groups have created different musical arrangements of the same song. Students learn about different musical devices used in popular songs including how the different structural elements are sequenced horizontally to produce the classic form of a popular song, as well as how different textural layers combine vertically showing awareness of the different parts used in a popular song. Students revisit hooks and riffs and learn about their function within popular songs.

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Class Concert

Students will arrange, rehearse and put on their own private concert. During the lessons they will research and select material, write programme notes and prepare group and solo performances. Pieces will be recorded under the same conditions as GCSE coursework recordings. This unit will culminate in a class concert during the last weeks of school.

How will the course be assessed?

Just as in year 7 and 8, each lesson has opportunities for all students to perform the pieces they have learned, or practiced, during the lesson. This will sometimes be a short snippet giving an example of new learning or could be a composition, and sometimes there may be a whole class performance. Each of these performances is peer assessed, verbal or written. During year 9 students are expected to evaluate performances using increasingly coherent musical language, giving reasons for their comments and showing practical examples where appropriate.

In addition to this continuous verbal feedback is given throughout practical tasks. Final versions of projects are marked using scaled down GCSE criteria.