Term 1: Building blocks - The Elements of Music
The unit of work introduces students to the foundations of Music - The Musical Elements. Students will develop an understanding of Tempo, Dynamics, Texture, Instrumentation and Sonority throughout this module and will be able to use subject-specific vocabulary to describe these elements aurally. Students will work in groups to perform pieces of music using body and classroom percussion, and will compose to a brief, exploring programmatic music as a stimulus.
Students will be assessed through listening exercises on 'Focus On Sound' as part of ongoing homework. They will be assessed through their practical work in performance and composition against a series of success criteria. Their ability to meet a composition brief as well as using the musical elements creatively and to their full potential will be considered.
Gamelan
Music from Indonesian culture based on 2 different scales and ostinatos
Indonesia
Area of the world from which Gamelan music originates in particular the islands of Bali and Java
Pelog
5 note scale of Gamelan music.
Slendro
7 note scale of Gamelan music
texture
layers of music
ostinato
repeated rhythmic or melodic pattern
rhythm
group of notes put together with the same and differing values
xylophone
percussion instrument with wooden bars of differing length to create different pitches
metallophone
percussion instrument with metal bars of differing length to create different pitches
gong
a cylindrical metal dish like instrument struck with a mallet to make a ringing, vibrating sound on one pitch
Develop the individual:
Social - Students will work in groups to develop, rehearse and master musical ideas collectively. They will use and develop extrinsic skills such as teamwork, communication, creativity, imagination and critical thinking.
Create a supportive community:
Term 2: Ensemble Skills - Rhythm and Pulse
The unit will explore what makes a successful ensemble. Students will learn to work together to compose and perform music for untuned percussion whilst gaining knowledge of rhythm notation and metre.
Students will be assessed on their ability to work and perform with each other in time with the beat. They will perform their own pieces accurately and fluently whilst also considering other musical elements to enhance the sound.
Renaissance
Renaissance – A historical period from approximately 1400 – 1600
sacred
music or subject of a religious nature
melody
a group of different pitches put together using stepwise movements or greater intervals
drone
a continuous beat or pitch played throughout a piece of music
accompaniment
or other texture which supports the main melody
mode
a system of notes which were the forerunner of scales each having their own name and organisation of pitches
Byrd
a famous vocal English composer of the renaissance period
sackbut
a brass instrument of the Renaissance which was the forerunner of the trombone.
viol
a stringed instrument of the Renaissance period very similar to the violin but uses 6 strings
voice
sound of different pitches produced by humans
Develop the individual:
Social - extrinsic skills - teamwork, communication, listening and creativity
Create a supportive community:
Social - extrinsic skills - teamwork, communication, listening and creativity
Term 3: Keyboard Skills and the Treble Clef
Students will be introduced to the keyboard and will begin to learn how to read staff notation. They will learn the keyboard layout and the placement of white and black keys. Students will learn how to read the notes of the Treble Clef and perform simple pieces and melodies on the keyboard. Students' prior knowledge of rhythm will also be embedded into their performance through detailed reading of more complex melodies written in the treble clef.
Pianoforte
instrument developed by the time of Mozart enabling for the first time a difference in dynamics hence the name
keyboard
series of keys arranged in a pattern of black and white notes
harpsichord
a keyboard instrument of the baroque period where the internal mechanism had a plucking strings action giving it its' distinctive sound
virginal
keyboard instrument used in the Renaissance period consisting of one manual and much smaller keyboard than the piano
Bach
a prominent composer of the Baroque period. He was instrumental in developing the major/minor key system via the 48 preludes and fugues
major
Major – a scale of set intervals giving a distinctive sound. (“happy”)
minor
a scale of set intervals giving a distinctive sound. (“sad”)Chord – a set of 2 or notes played together at the same time
chord
higher or lower notes.Harmony – blending of sounds
pitch
how high or low a sound is.
harmony
Different layers or lines which work together creating layers of sound.
Develop the individual:
Create a supportive community:
Term 4: Indonesian Gamelan - Exploring Texture and Pentatonic Melodies
Students will explore Melody and Texture through the cyclic music of Indonesia. They will gain an understanding of layering and polyphony, whilst composing a melody using the pentatonic scale.
Verbal feedback of class and group performances of a Gamelan Cycle. Formative assessment of students' own composition of a Gamelan cycle demonstrating their own understanding of Pentatonics and layering along with other musical elements.
Mozart
Mozart – a prominent composer of the Classical period. Also claimed to be a childhood genius
variation
a varying of the theme which could include melody, rhythm, harmony etc
ground bass
a melody in the bass which is repeated throughout with layers of melody added on top
timbre
different qualities of sound eg brass woodwind, string etc
treble clef
symbol used at the beginning of a piece of music for higher register instruments
bass clef
symbol used at the beginning of a piece of music for lower register instruments
violin
highest instrument of the sting family, succeeded the viol
clarinet
woodwind instrument developed in the classical period, uses a single reed
violoncello
lower instrument of the string family, played between the legs and succeeded the viol
Classical
a historical period of time from 1750 - 1830
Develop the individual:
Deeper understanding of the cultures of Indonesia, and the social contexts of Gamelan performances in both Bali and Java.
Create a supportive community:
Extrinisic musical skills include listening, teamwork, communication and sharing of ideas.
Term 5: Pop Song Harmony: 3 and 4 Chord Tricks (Acoustic Guitar)
Students will be introduced to functional Harmony through the study of Major and Minor Chords on the Acoustic Guitar. They will study a number of 3 and 4 Chord Tricks through the study of chords in A, D and G Majors.
Students will work as an ensemble to perform a pop song that employs a 3 and 4 chord trick. Students will demonstrate their new skills on Guitar as well as their ability to work as a group. Further assessments on Focus On Sound.
Tonality
Tonality – a key in which a piece is played.Atonality – .Neoclassicism – . Serialism – .Angular – Retrograde – .Inversion - , .Schoenberg – .
Atonality
absence of any key
Neoclassicism
new ways of composing with classical structures
Serialism
a new system to replace the major/minor key system consisting of note rows
angular
usually referring to melodies with unusual intervals (extreme or small)
retrograde
refers to a note row presented backwards.Original – original set of12 notes randomly chosen
inversion
where the original note row is inverted
original
original set of 12 notes randomly chosen
dissonance
2 or more notes which clash when played together
Schoenberg
a prominent composer of atonal music
Develop the individual:
Awareness of popular genres in western music and the harmonic systems employed in pop and classical music.
Create a supportive community:
Perseverance and resilience in group work and whilst learning a new instrument.
Term 6: Pop Song Writing - Music Technology (1)
The unit explores the use of Harmony, Instrumentation, Structure and Melody in Pop Music. They will learn how to record, loop, layer and edit their recorded sound in Logic Pro.
Students will be assessed through ongoing listening exercises on Focus On Sound. They will be assessed through Composition, creating their own Pop song instrumental on Logic Pro, showing their knowledge of Harmony, Instruments, Rhythm and Texture.
Stomp
Stomp – a group of percussion musicians specialising in music made from recycled materials
percussion
to instruments which are struck
snare
a drum which has 2 sounds due to the metal strings across one of its diameters
timpani
known as kettle drums. They are bowl like in shape with a series of tuning taps around the skin to tighten to produce different pitches
timbale
a Cuban and latin American percussion instrument
rhythmic
set of notes played in a certain time
pulse
the main beat of a piece
invention
to create or design
recycling
to reuse rubbish in an alternative way (put to good use)
environment
place in which we live
Develop the individual:
Opportunities to think about recycling so-called rubbish to create something musical and useful.
Create a supportive community:
Protecting the environment in a positive way. Thinking about looking after their community and environment for the future.