Curriculum Plan – Music

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Year / Term

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Year 7

 

Freddie’s Voices &

Find Your Voice

A baseline assessment
to establish basic skills through practical activities. Students will work in small groups to arrange and perform their own a cappella version of a popular song.

Just Play

A Classroom ensemble
module to build foundation skills in reading notation, playing a variety of
instruments and singing. Students will perform chords and rhythmic features
of a wide range of popular songs as a classroom ensemble.

Just Play

A Classroom ensemble
module to build foundation skills in reading notation, playing a variety of
instruments and singing. Students will perform chords and rhythmic features of a wide range of popular songs as a classroom ensemble

Film Music

The module focuses on the student choosing a film clip and composing and creating the soundtrack to it on Garage band. Students learn
musical devices that are appropriate to use in different genres of film
music.

Band Skills 1

Students form their own Rock Band comprising of drums, keys, bass guitar, guitar and vocals. This leads to a performance on stage in front
of the class in a ‘Battle of the Bands’ context.

Year 8

 

The Blues

Students compose and
perform a Blues song as part of a small ensemble using a selection of instruments of their choice. Students will gain an understanding of the
origins of Blues music and will learn all of the features of the genre and then use these features to then create their own Blues song composition.

Band Skills 2

Students form their
own Rock Band comprising of drums, keys, bass guitar, guitar and vocals. This
leads to a performance on stage in front of the class in a ‘Battle of the Bands’ context. This is now a more advanced scheme and builds on the skills learnt in Year 7. The chord structure is now different for the verse and the
chorus and there is more scope for developing and adapting the parts.

Song Writing

Students learn how to
compose a song and then perform their song in their chosen genre in strophic
form to the class.

Production

The module uses Logic
Pro and music technology to produce a piece of dance music using samples and
original material through the use of a midi keyboard. This topic develops the IT work completed in Year 7 on Garage band by now moving onto Logic Pro.

Year 9

 

 GCSE Music

  • Basic musical vocabulary and terminology
  • Periods of Music
  • Instruments of the Orchestra
  • Cadences, Chords, Scales, Key Signatures, Time Signatures,
  • Group performance practice on given pieces
  • Performance skills and techniques

NCFE Music Tech

Introduction to Music Technology

Students take part in micro-projects to explore the
different aspects of Music Technology.

Unit 1: Using A Digital Audio Workstation

Students create an idiots guide to Logic Pro and create a music track

 

RSL Music Practitioners

Introduction to Music Performance

Students perform a solo piece of music and work as a band to perform an ensemble piece.  Following this activity we go on to set personalised targets for improvement on their instruments.

GCSE Music

  • Continuation of learning from Autumn Term
  • Composition skills
  • Musical terminology
  • Performance skills – Solo focus
  • Listening paper practice
  • Work on unfamiliar music

NCFE Music Tech

Unit 1: Using A Digital Audio Workstation

Students create an idiots guide to Logic Pro and create a music track

 

RSL Music  Practitioners

Unit 229: Music Rehearsal Skills

Students explore what it takes to rehearse effectively.
We will work in bands to prepare for a gig where all students will perform 15
minutes of music.

GCSE Music

  • Set Work: Haydn
  • Practice composition
  • Performance skills – Ensemble focus
  • Musical terminology
  • Listening paper practice
  • Work on unfamiliar music

NCFE Music Tech

Unit 2: Creating Music

Students research a genre of music and create a piece within Logic Pro that uses audio and MIDI

 

RSL Music Practitioners

Unit 229: Music Rehearsal Skills

Students explore what it takes to rehearse effectively.
We will work in bands to prepare for a gig where all students will perform 15
minutes of music.

Year 10

GCSE Music

  • Musical terminology revised
  • Composition practice
  • Listening paper practice
  • Performance practice and technique

Set Work: The Beatles

NCFE Music Tech

Unit 3: Studio Recording

Using professional equipment, students learn how to set up microphones and relevant equipment to record a band.  Following the
recording, we explore how to create a final mix using Logic Pro.

 

RSL Music Practitioners

Unit 231: Recorded Music Performance

We will visit a professional recording studio to develop
our understanding of the recording process.  Following this, students prepare a range of tracks for recording onto the CD and  work with our school technician to record a class album.

GCSE Music

  • Solo performance piece chosen
  • Haydn revised
  • Composition 1 to be started under controlled assessment
    guidelines

NCFE Music Tech

Unit 4: Sound Creation

Students create a sound installation using a mixture of
audio and MIDI sources.

Written Examination

Students sit an examination that checks their understanding of the
key terms and concepts

 

RSL Music Practitioners

Unit 230: External Assessment

Responding to an externally set brief, students plan and
put on a concert/gig.  They take responsibility for organising the event and
for preparing their performances for the event.

GCSE Music

  • Ensemble performance piece chosen
  • Haydn revised
  • The Beatles revised
  • Completion of Composition 1

NCFE Music Tech

Unit 4: Sound Creation

Students create a sound installation using a mixture of
audio and MIDI sources.

Practical Examination

Students respond to a brief in order to show their competence in using Logic Pro to create a piece of music

 

RSL Music Practitioners

Unit 230: External Assessment

Responding to an externally set brief, students plan and put on a concert/gig.  They take responsibility for organising the event and for
preparing their performances for the event.

 

Year 11

GCSE Music

  • All terminology revised
  • Revision of Set Works:
  • Haydn and Beatles
  • Work on unfamiliar works
  • Recording of Solo performance and Ensemble performance
  • Start Composition 2 under controlled assessment guidelines
  • Listening paper practice

NCFE Music Tech

Year 11 allows the opportunity for students to explore personal interests and to develop projects that allow them to develop their
understanding of music technology applications.

 

RSL Music Practitioners

Year 11 allows the opportunity for students to explore personal interests and to develop projects that allow them to develop their
technical and performance abilities.

GCSE Music

  • Completion of Composition 2
  • Revision of Set Works: Haydn and Beatles
  • Listening paper practice
  • Revision
  • Listening exam 

NCFE Music Tech

Year 11 allows the opportunity for students to explore personal interests and to develop projects that allow them to develop their
understanding of music technology applications.

 

RSL Music Practitioners

Year 11 allows the opportunity for students to explore personal interests and to develop projects that allow them to develop their technical and performance abilities.

CSE Music

  • Revision of Set Works: Haydn and Beatles
  • Listening paper practice

NCFE Music Tech

Year 11 allows the opportunity for students to explore personal interests
and to develop projects that allow them to develop their understanding of music technology applications.

 

RSL Music Practitioners

Year 11 allows the opportunity for students to explore personal interests and to develop projects that allow them to develop their technical and performance abilities.