Music

Music

Head of Department: Miss A Fox

Aims of the course

This course should inspire students to gain a lifelong love of music, whether they choose to study music at University, Music College or go onto work in the music industry. Music is a practical and challenging subject that allows pupils to gain confidence, take risks and develop as a performer, creator, researcher and collaborator. This course enables students to learn about music from around the world and the importance music can have on the world. It enables students to discover and engage with different forms of music across time, place and culture, promoting international-mindedness and an appreciation of the diversity of music. It develops a range of cross curricular skills, including;

  • deep listening skills

  • performance proficiency

  • compositional craft

  • the ability to discuss music critically

  • the ability to justify creative choices

  • the capacity for entrepreneurship in the musical world

Course outline

As students develop as young musicians, the course challenges them to engage practically with music as researchers, performers and creators, and to be driven by their unique passions and interests while also broadening their musical and artistic perspectives.

In addition, students will learn about four areas of inquiry; music for sociocultural and political expression, music for listening and performance, music for dramatic impact, movement and entertainment and finally music technology in the digital age.

  • In the role of performer, students develop their skills in practical music-making and delivery, including interpretation, expression and technical proficiency. Students present their work, and the work of others, through recordings and videos of live performances.

  • In the role of creator, students make music by composing, improvising and arranging. Students learn about different ways of turning musical thoughts and ideas into musical pieces. Students learn to present their created work through recorded performances, digitally created tracks and appropriate forms of notation.

  • In the role of researcher, students learn to investigate music in authentic ways, including aural, kinaesthetic and scholarly research.

Assessment outline

100% coursework over two years as follows:

  • Exploring music in context (SL: 30%, HL: 20%)

    • Written Expectation: Samples of Work (2,400 words)

    • Creating Expectation: One creating exercise (32 bars/one minute)

    • Performing Expectation: Local or global - one adapted performance (max. 2 mins)

  • Experimenting with music (SL: 30%, HL: 20%)

    • Written Expectation: Experimentation (report 1,500 words)

    • Creating Expectation: Three related excerpts of creating (max 5 mins)

    • Performing Expectation: Three related excerpts of performing (5 mins)

  • Presenting music (SL: 40%, HL: 30%)

    • Written Expectation: Programme notes (600 words)

    • Creating Expectation: Composition(s) (total 6 minutes)

    • Performing Expectation: Solo and/or ensemble (12 minutes)

  • Contemporary music maker (CMM) (HL only: 30%)
    15 minute presentation video file with integrated written, audio and video evidence
    Final product (max 7 minutes of final presentation)
    Project plan, list of sources, scores

Careers links

Studying music at IB allows students to develop their researching, collaborating, creating and performing skills, equipping them with the skills to confidently pursue careers in many different fields. These skills complement careers in fields such as composing, film and TV, writing music for advertising, electronic and computer music, live music entertainment, music education, music production, music journalism, sound engineering, musical theatre, sound technology and engineering, music for the moving image, and community music.

Music 2021_.pdf

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