@The Arts Unit Creative Classes

Introduced Species

Teacher notes

Discover contemporary orchestral composition through 'Introduced Species' by Katy Abbott

Student music resource developed by The Arts Unit

Years 11 and 12 music

What will your students learn?

In Lesson 1, your students will:

  • listen and understand how the stimuli have influenced the role of the composer, conductor and performers/instruments in taking a piece of music from its stimulus to performance

  • analyse the context of 'Introduced Species' through the narrative of sound, exploring concepts of home, place, connection and human nature

  • reflect on their responses.

In Lesson 2, your students will:

  • listen to each of the themes in 'Introduces Species'

  • analyse each of the themes and describe how the composer used the concepts of music to achieve the appropriate effects

  • reflect on 'Introduced Species' and how it represents their chosen topic of study.

In Lesson 3, your students will:

  • reflect on their observations of 'Introduced Species' and responses to Lesson 1 (Interviews) and Lesson 2 (Themes)

  • plan their own composition

  • compose themes and structure a work

  • record and edit their own work where needed.

Syllabus outcomes

Music 1 Stage 6 Syllabus

Preliminary

  • P3: improvises and creates melodies, harmonies and rhythmic accompaniments for familiar sound sources reflecting the cultural and historical contexts studied.

  • P7: observes and discusses in detail the concepts of music in works representative of the mandatory and additional topics.

HSC

  • H3: improvises and composes music using the range of concepts for familiar sound sources reflecting the cultural and historical contexts studied.

  • H6: critically evaluates and discusses the use of the concepts of music in works representative of the topics studied and through wide listening.

  • H7: critically evaluates and discusses in detail the concepts of music in works representative of the mandatory and additional topics.

  • H8: identifies, recognises, experiments with, and discusses the use and effects of technology in music.

Music 2 Stage 6 Syllabus

Preliminary

  • P3: composes, improvises and analyses melodies and accompaniments for familiar sound sources in solo and/or small ensembles.

  • P4: creates, improvises and notates music which is representative of the mandatory and additional topics and demonstrates different social, cultural and historical contexts.

  • P7: observes and discusses in detail the concepts of music in works representative of the mandatory and additional topics.

  • P8: understands the capabilities of performing media, explores and uses current technologies as uses current technologies as studied.

HSC

  • H3: composes works focusing on a range of concepts, for familiar and unfamiliar sound sources, solo, small and large ensembles, or using a variety of musical structures.

  • H4: stylistically creates, improvises, arranges and notates music which is representative of the mandatory and additional topics and demonstrates different social, cultural and historical contexts.

  • H7: critically evaluates and discusses in detail the concepts of music in works representative of the mandatory and additional topics.

Suggestions for how to use this resource with your students

Introduced Species by Katy Abbott.

Composed in 2014, 'Introduced Species' is an excellent example of the HSC mandatory topic, Music of the Last 25 Years (Australian focus).

'Introduced Species' is also relevant to other topics in the Stage 6 Music Syllabi, Course 1 and 2.

"The music of Katy Abbott (1971) leads the listener through a narrative of sound, exploring concepts of home, place, connection and human nature, frequently exhibiting a cheeky humour and cleverly juxtaposing contemporary flavours on traditional settings."

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra's performance of Introduced Species was filmed by The Arts Unit using six 360 cameras to capture the experience of the concert from within the orchestra itself, with another camera positioned above the stage for an all-encompassing view of the musicians.

This configuration of cameras gives the viewer an unprecedented, unique and immersive experience of the orchestra and the concert – interact with the Introduced Species 360 concert.

Collection of student work

  • Google Form: create a Google form with activities and/or questions. Students can also upload any files they create. Email this form to your students with the Creative Class link and all your student responses will be combined in a Google sheet.

  • Google Classroom Assignment: create an assignment or a quiz in your Google Classroom with activities and/or questions. Students can also upload any files they create.

  • MS Teams: create a quiz or assignment in your class team drive where students can submit responses and upload any files they create.

  • Email: ask your students to email you any responses and files they create.

  • Flipgrid: a website that allows teachers to create 'grids' to facilitate video discussions. Each grid is a message board where teachers can pose questions called 'topics'. Students can post video responses that appear in a tiled grid display.

  • Jamboard: an interactive whiteboard which can be used for class feedback.

For further support on how to create these resources

Offline access

Download and print this document to send to students with limited access to online resources.

Introduced Species - The Arts Unit @home Creative Classes.docx

Would you like to promote your school and showcase your students' work as a result of engaging in this creative class?

Help us celebrate the fantastic work of NSW public school students by emailing photos or videos (that you have permission to share) and comments on how your students enjoyed the class to digital.artsunit@det.nsw.edu.au.

Please include the creative class title and your school name in the email so we can share on The Arts Unit social media and our website.

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