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Curriculum Statement for Music
MUSIC
Subject Leader – Mrs S Du Toit
sdt@pewsey-vale.wilts.sch.uk
Music
Music at Pewsey Vale School is a stimulating and vibrant environment where all students are encouraged to perform and compose music irrelevant of their previous musical experience. Different themes are covered throughout the year encompassing three main learning objectives:
At Key Stage Three, Music is taught for a single lesson per week. During these lessons students will be given the opportunity to develop their practical musical ability using the classroom instruments, electronic keyboards, guitars and ukuleles. Throughout the course they will also learn how to read and understand the basic building blocks of music and apply this knowledge to compose and appraise their own and other students’ work.
Year 7
| Autumn Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| September – October | The Elements of Music with specific emphasis on note duration |
Listening: Element identification Notation: Note duration, Time signature, Bars, Bar lines Composing and Performing: Elements composition |
Element Poster |
| November – December | Keyboard Skills |
Performance: Black note March Composition: Own Black note March Performance in C Major Appraise |
Theory Revision worksheets |
| Spring Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| January –February | Graphic Notation | Composing and Performing own Graphic composition as an ensemble | Complete classwork |
| March – April | Stave Notation |
Composing and Performing my own melody Appraise Notation: Treble clef notation |
Theory worksheets |
| Summer Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| April-May |
The Symphony Orchestra Program Music: Peter and the Wolf, William Tell Overture |
Listening: Instrument identification Performance: Theme from studied work |
Research task on chosen instrument |
| June-July | Ukulele: 4 Chord Songs |
Solo Performance Ensemble Performance: Play that Song |
Theory worksheets |
Year 8
| Autumn Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| September – October |
Ukulele: Finger picking TAB notation Treble Clef notation with ledger lines |
Performance: Choose own piece from several options and difficulty levels Appraise Notation: Treble Clef notation with ledger lines |
Complete class work |
| November – December | Exploring Mood in music through “The Planets’ by Gustav Holst |
Listening: Identify and explain how music elements create mood in music Notation: Identifying Tones and Semitones Ensemble Performance: Mars |
Complete class work |
| Spring Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| January –February |
Tonality and Mood in Music Scale Construction: Major, Minor, Chromatic Muse Score |
Composition: The Missing Planet | Complete classwork |
| March – April | World music: Japanese Music | Ensemble Performance: Sakura | Research task: Japanese instruments |
| Summer Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| April - May | World music: Indian music |
Performance: Improvise on Indian Ragas Appraise Composition: Indian piece using traditional Indian instrument timbres, structure and ragas. Appraise |
Listening tasks |
| June - July | Latin American music |
Solo performance: The Tango Ensemble performance of a Latin piece using traditional percussion instruments. Appraise |
Research Task: The Tango |
Year 9
| Autumn Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| September – October |
Ukulele: Finger picking TAB notation Treble Clef notation with ledger lines |
Performance: Choose own piece from several options and difficulty levels Appraise *Notation: Treble Clef notation with ledger lines |
Complete classwork |
| November – December |
Tonality Major, Minor and Chromatic Scales |
Listening: Identifying tonality by ear Solo or Ensemble Performance: Chromatic piece Appraise Notation: Constructing scales |
Complete classwork |
| Spring Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| January –February | Musical Conventions in Film Music |
Listening: Identifying the musical elements in different film genres Performance: Solo or ensemble performance of a chosen film piece Appraise Composition: Creating my own leitmotif Appraise |
Research task: Famous film composer |
| March – April | Film Music continues | Composition: Compose music for a Horror or Sci-Fi film using the appropriate musical elements and a storyboard | Complete classwork |
| Summer Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| April - May | The Blues |
Performance: Improvise using the Blues Scale Appraise |
Listening tasks |
| June-July | Conventions of Popular music | Performance: Ensemble or solo performance of chosen | Research Task: The music Industry |
Assessment
Assessment will take place at the end of each project. Students will be assessed against Key Stage three assessment matrices for Music. During the course of their study, these levels can go up and down depending on the student’s individual ability in each of the three learning areas: Performance, Composition and Listening, Appraise and Notation. Final levels will be based on an aggregate of all three areas. We will always encourage interested students to extend projects beyond the minimum requirement and every lesson will have several worksheets of different difficulty levels available to cater for all abilities.
Click for access to Assessment Matrices
Assessment Matrices
Equipment
Ruler, sharp pencil, rubber and blue or black pen.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Pewsey Vale offers the following peripatetic instrumental lessons: Brass, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Guitar, Drums and Keyboard. These lessons take place during school hours. For more information please contact the Head of Music.
Other extra- curricular activities include a Ukulele Band and School Orchestra. A time table will be made available to all interested students.
GCSE Music
Examination Board: WJEC/ Eduqas
Specification: Music
Specification link
www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/music/gcse/eduqas-gcse-music-spec-from-2016-d.pdf
Overview
The course is divided in three components:
Listening and AppraisingPerformance andComposition
Component 1: Listening and Appraising
Students will explore the music elements through listening and analysing music loosely categorised into 4 areas: 1. Musical Form and Devices 2. Music for ensemble (classical quartets, musical theatre, blues and jazz) 3. Film music and 4. Popular Music
The final assessment will take place by writing an externally marked paper counting 40% towards the overall grade.
Component 2: Composition
Students must submit two compositions of at least 2 minutes each. The first composition is a free choice while the examination board will set a composition brief for the second piece. Both compositions must be completed and submitted in May of the examination year for moderation as both pieces are internally assessed. This component counts 30% towards the overall grade.
Component 3: Performance
Students must submit two recorded performances equivalent to Grade 3 ABRSM standard in May of the examination year. One solo a d one Ensemble performance. These performances are internally assessed and moderated. This component counts 30% of the overall grade.
Year 10
| Autumn Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| September - December |
Theory and Harmony Analysis Performance |
Written paper Performance |
Complete classwork Theory worksheets Practise instrument |
| Spring Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| January - April |
Musical Form, Devices and elements Performance |
Listening Paper Performance |
Complete classwork Listening exercises Practise instrument |
| Summer Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| April - July |
Music terminology Instruments Composition 1 Performance |
Composition Listening Paper Written Paper |
Revision Worksheets |
Year 11
| Autumn Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| September - December |
Music for Ensemble Popular Music Performance |
Written paper Listening Paper |
Complete classwork Listening exercises Practise instrument |
| Spring Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| January - April |
Composition 2 Classical ensemble Film music Performance |
Composition Performance |
Complete classwork *Listening exercises *Practise instrument |
| Summer Term | Topic | Assessment | Home Learning |
| April - July | Fusion *Revision * | External paper: 1 h 15min | Revision worksheets and papers |
Assessment
Students are assessed using the exam board assessment sheets. Assessments are reported to parents/carers at intervals during the academic year.
Home Learning
Apart from homework set to reinforce class learning, it is expected of GCSE Music students to practise for at least 30 minutes each day. Although not compulsory, peripatetic instrumental lessons are highly recommended as it is impossible to monitor every student’s practical progress every week.
Useful resources:
Websites:
Youtube for listening exercises
www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/music/gcse/#qualSearch
Books, Articles and other Resources:
WJEC/Eduqas GCSE Music: Jan Richards
