Miss Mc Bride- Head of Faculty

Mr Riches- Advanced Skills Teacher

Department Philosophy

Music is a practical subject in which students work as musicians, engaging in musical thinking.  Three kinds of activity require musical thinking: listening, composing and performing.  These elements provide the foundation for the music curriculum.

Music is a universal language which can be enjoyed by all and accessible to all.  Students should have the experience of music which encompasses a wide range of styles and cultural traditions.

 Aims

      All students shall be given equal access and opportunity to the activities of the department and so provide stimulation and enjoyment of the subject.

      Students will develop an understanding of the expressive qualities of music and its ability to communicate feeling and ideas.

      Students will be encouraged to develop personal skills of self discipline, self motivation and co-operation in practical activities.

      Students will develop an awareness and appreciation for our diverse musical heritage and the music of other cultures.

      Teaching strategies will recognise the individuality of each student and will encourage them to develop their full potential.

Music GCSE AQA

 Specification at a Glance

 Unit 1: Listening to and Appraising Music

            Written Paper – 1 hour – 80 marks – 20%

 Unit 2: Composing and Appraising Music

            Externally assessed – 40 marks – 20%

 Unit 3: Performing Music

            Controlled Assessment – 60 marks – 40%

 Unit 4: Composing Music

            Controlled Assessment – 30 marks – 20%          

The five areas of study for all the units in this specification are:

AOS1 Rhythm & Metre

AOS2 Harmony &Tonality

AOS3 Texture & Melody

AOS4 Timbre & Dynamics

AOS5 Structure & Form

These will be explored through three Strands

The Western Classical Tradition- Baroque orchestral music, the concerto, Music for voices, Chamber music and the Sonata.

Popular Music of the 20^th & 21^st Centuries- Blues, Popular music of the 1960s, Rock Music, R ‘n’ B, hip-hop, Music Theatre and Film Music

World Music- Music of the Caribbean, Music of Africa and Music of India

Edexcel AS Music consists of three units:

Unit 1: Performing Music 30%

            You will have to give a 5 to 6 minute performance, consisting of one or more pieces of your choice.

Unit 2: Composing 30%

You will have to create a 3 minute piece, based on a brief that youwill be able to choose from those set by Edexcel at the start ofyour course.   You will have a total of 15 hours supervised time in which to complete the composition.

Unit 3: Developing Musical Understanding 40%

            Section A- Listening

            Section B- Investigating musical styles

            Section C- Understanding Chords and lines

Edexcel A2

Unit 4: Extended Performance 30%

            This unit gives students with opportunities to extend their performance skills as soloists and/or part of an ensemble.  You will have to perform a 12-15 minute programme of

Unit 5: Composition and Technical Study 30%

            This unit has two sections: composition and technical study.Students must complete two tasks in this unit choosing from either one composition and one technical study or two compositions or two technical studies.

Unit 6: Further Musical Understanding 40%

            There are three sections:

            Section A- Aural analysis

            Section B- Music in Context

            Section C- Continuity and change in instrumental music.