MUSIC Courses offered: Music (HL) Music (SL)
1.
What is the nature of Music at IB level?
In this course, students and teachers engage in a journey of imagination and discovery through partnership and collaboration. Students develop and affirm their unique musical identities while expanding and refining their musicianship. They are encouraged to explore music in varied and sometimes unfamiliar contexts. Additionally, by experimenting with music, students gain hands-on experience while honing musical skills. Through realizing and presenting samples of their musical work with others, students also learn to communicate critical and artistic intentions and purpose. The course challenges them to engage practically with music as researchers, performers and creators, and to be driven by their unique passions and interests while broadening their musical and artistic perspectives.
2.
What will be the approach to learning?
Students are asked to embody the roles of researcher, creator and performer when engaging with the material in the course. While in these roles, they investigate and reflect on the aims of the main 3 units (described in the course content). To help focus their learning, a range of diverse musical material is presented to them through four Areas of Inquiry: 1. Music for sociocultural and political expression ○
(e.g. protest songs, liturgical music, national anthems)
2. Music for listening and performance ○
(e.g. cool jazz, chamber music of the Western art tradition, experimental music)
3. Music for dramatic impact, movement and entertainment ○
(e.g. music for film, ballet or musical theatre)
4. Music technology in the electronic and digital age ○
(e.g. electronic dance music, technology in popular music production)
Engagement with these Areas of Inquiry takes place across three contexts: ● ● ●
Personal context – music that has significance to the student, and that they are most familiar with. Students consider their immediate cultural context and interests. Local context – music that has local significance, but that may be unfamiliar to the student. This can be music from within the student’s local, regional or cultural communities. Global context – unfamiliar music from a variety of places, societies and cultures. This will include music that the student has not yet connected or engaged with.
Music HL students are additionally required to plan and create a long term project that combines skills from all the musical roles studied throughout the course. 55
