Students will look at chordophones, and – in particular – the ukulele, exploring its history and common uses. They will learn to play chords, develop strumming and picking techniques, and build rehearsal and performance skills. Composition: For their performances, students will arrange and adapt popular songs for the ukulele
Performance: Students will perform in small groups playing chords to accompany sung performances.
App: Students will learn the history of chordophones and the ukulele, and analyse their use in a wide range of musical extracts
Group performance using ukulele and vocals
Develop performance skills, encourages self expression, builds team working skills through group performance.
Encourages students to work co-operatively with peers and to develop group enterprise.
Students will explore approaches to pop and rock song writing, looking in particular at composing music for occasions. Covers melody, chord sequences, structure and lyric writing.
Composition: Students will build compositional skills including lyric writing and a study of melody and harmony. They will compose an original piece collaboratively.
Performance: Whole class performances and group deconstructions of popular songs.
App: Students will deconstruct and examine popular songs, and apply lessons learned in their own compositions.
Original song composition
Develop composition skills, encourages self expression, builds team working skills through group performance.
An original piece is composed collaboratively encouraging teamwork and co-operation.
Students will study the evolution of 20th century art music and atonality, and it's impact on music history.
Composition: Students will compose and perform minimalist pieces, and use sequencing and audio manipulation software to produce original soundscapes
Performance: Small group and whole class performances of minimalist pieces.
App: Students will compare and evaluate various forms of experimental music,and analyse it's influence.
ICT: Audio recording and manipulation skills in Logic Pro
Experimental soundscape composition
Develop performance and composition skills, encourages self expression, builds team working skills through group performance.
Students will need to perform in groups and as a class developing skills that enable working together.
A study of jazz and the blues, looking at its development, cultural context, and influence. Focus on the 12 bar blues structure and improvising in the blues scale.
Composition: 12 bar blues composition, including improvisation.
Performance: Students will develop keyboard and improvisational skills, and demonstrate these in paired performances.
App: Students will look into the cultural history of the Blues, and analyse how this is reflected in the music.
Keyboard performance including improvisation
Develop performance and composition skills, encourages self expression, builds team working skills through group performance.
Students will look at the history of music composed for dance, focusing particularly on modern dance music.
Composition: Modern dance composition using keyboards and sequencing software, focusing on suitability for purpose.
App: Students will compare music composed for dance from throughout the history, examining it's fitness for purpose and cultural context.
ICT: Synthesis and drum/ostinato programming in Logic Pro.
Dance music composition using music technology
Develop performance and composition skills, encourages self expression, builds team working skills through group performance.
Students will think about how people have worked together to create pieces.
A look at the history of music from the West Indies, and how it has affected popular music of today. Focus on reggae and learning to play a popular song, including vocals, tune and chords.
Performance: In small groups students will perform arrangements of popular reggae songs using instruments of their choice.
App: Students will analyse reggae's influence on other musical styles, and be able to explain the construction of a song using
musical terminology.
Reggae performances in bands
Develop performance and composition skills, encourages self expression, builds team working skills through group performance.
Students will develop an understanding of how the work of one culture can influence the work of another.