Construction Studies

SUBJECT: Music

What is this subject all about at Senior Cycle?

Music at Senior Cycle is broken into the three main areas of listening (25%), composing (25%) and performing (50%). In the listening section we study works of music from composers and song writers such as Mozart, The Beatles, Berlioz, Queen and Tchaikovsky. In the composing section we expand our composing skills in melody writing and in harmony work. In the performing section we work on our performance pieces and build our repertoire. At Senior Cycle the practical (performance) element is worth 50% of your grade and we incorporate a music technology element into this section which is very easy for today’s tech savvy students.

Do I have to have studied this subject at Junior Cycle in order to do it at Senior Cycle?

Very often students are deterred from choosing music as a Senior Cycle subject as they have been given misinformation about it. You do not need to have studied music at Junior Cycle to take it as a Senior Cycle subject, however you should be a good performer and have a basic grasp of music theory and be able to read music.

Will learning this subject at Senior Cycle be different to what I studied at Junior Cycle?

Music at Senior Cycle is based around the same threads as Junior Cycle Music – listening, composing and performing. We will build on most of the skills learned at Junior Cycle.

I will enjoy this subject if…

» You have a passion for music, performing and problem solving. » You enjoy listening to and perhaps composing your own music. » You enjoy analysing pieces of music to find out what makes them so special.

I will succeed at this subject if…

» You are a good performer and are actively engaged in practicing music inside and outside of school. » You love listening to music of all kinds. » You are good at following guidelines.

This subject will be useful for a career in…

Performing, Composing, Conducting, Music Technology, Broadcasting, Music Therapy, Teaching, Theatre…etc.

Assessment?

At Senior Cycle music is assessed in two ways in 6th Year. The first assessment is your performance exam which takes place in the Spring. It is assessed by an external examiner and it is worth 50% of your grade. The second assessment is the written exam which takes place in the summer. The written assessment is broken into two papers, a composing paper and a listening paper, each worth 25%. Statistically music is a subject where students achieve good grades.