Music
Music has a great and very meaningful educational value. Countless studies have charted the positive effect music lessons can have on student’s personal, social and academic progress. The music department aims to deliver on these findings through a fun, practical and immersive musical experience. Music is a subject that should be enjoyed regardless of personal taste and preference; through the curriculum at KS3 we cover a diverse range of genres, styles and cultures with a view to expanding the musical horizons of our students. At both GCSE and A-Level, exam courses are designed to hone more academic skills whilst helping students develop their musical prowess through performance and composition projects.
Integral to this approach is a busy timetable of instrumental and voice lessons, various extra- curricular activities, performance opportunities, work-shops with experienced performing musicians and composers, trips to see concerts and a tour abroad performing in a European country. We also collaborate with the Drama Department to produce a bi-annual Musical. KEY STAGE 3 CURRICULUM
Students study topics such as; The Elements of Music, Film/Video Music, Reggae/African Music, Folk Music, The Blues and Pop Music via the main components of the National Curriculum: Performing, Composing and Listening and responding to music. All students get the opportunity in class to sing and perform on instruments such as; Keyboards, Ukelele, Guitar, Djembe and percussion as well as being introduced to music technology via Bandlab, Beepbox, Ableton and Musescore software. KEY STAGE 4/5 CURRICULUM Students follow an exam syllabus to study music in more depth on topics such as; The History of the Western Classical Tradition, Popular Song since 1960, Film Music, Rhythms from around the World and Music for Ensembles. Students also have to compose music of their own choice and to a set exam brief set by the exam board. In performance, students present a solo performance on an instrument of their choice which includes voice and music technology. There is a heavy practical bias at this level to build on the individual strengths of the student. EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Always remember, ‘Where words fail....music speaks’ ( Hans Anderson) |
