Music

Music provides a continuation of the skills developed in the Primary School and helps prepare students for Music in High School.

The key concepts and skills in the following three areas provide the foundation of the Music K12 Curriculum.

• Exploring Music: Students explore how music reflects the identities, experiences, and environments of its creators while serving as a means of communication and expression. They will develop an understanding of how musical elements convey emotion and artistic intent, shaped by cultural and historical contexts. Through the study of musical systems, students will examine how sound is organized, described, and interpreted, deepening their ability to analyze and create music with intention and awareness.

• Creating Music: Students will learn how to intentionally select and manipulate musical elements to convey artistic intentions and styles. They will develop an understanding of compositional techniques and how they are applied in different contexts to create coherent and balanced music. Through reflection, feedback, and refinement, students will engage in the creative process, using critical evaluation to enhance their musical works and inform future compositions.

• Performing Music: Students will make intentional choices in performances by considering interpretation, expression, and the audience connection to effectively communicate their artistic message. They are encouraged to explore how music develops a sense of belonging, shapes identities, and reflects shared human experiences. Additionally, students are empowered to analyze and engage with music as a tool for unity, collective action, and social change, amplifying diverse voices and perspectives.

Music Ensembles

Middle School students have many opportunities to be part of music ensembles. Six string groups are available for all abilities along with Woodwind, Brass and Percussion ensembles, Arioso (Middle School choir) and the Intermediate Jazz Band. Concerts and performance concerts take place each term on and off campus. There are also opportunities for solo performances in a chamber music concert setting. Sign up and auditions where necessary are done through the College’s ECA sign up windows.

Each unit involves structured exploring and listening with a focus on developing music terminology and understanding the micro-concepts of the ‘elements’ of music and how these function in composing and performing. The units below cover a wide variety of genres including traditional Maori, West African and Gamelan music along with music ‘fusions.’ Performance can include voice, keyboards, percussion, ukulele, guitar and mallet percussion along with opportunities for the students to perform on any instrument they play. Composing involves both group work in developing essential skills, and individual composition using GarageBand.

Topics include:

• Does Tradition Matter?

• Can Music Portray Character?

The music curriculum in Grade 7 offers students a wide range of experiences in the key skills of exploring music in context, composing and performing. Conceptual understanding in how music evolves and develops is further explored. Students get involved with group and individual compositional work, use a range of instruments and experience more in-depth approaches (loops, effects, mixing, composing to video) using music technology. The Grade 7 curriculum presents students with extensive listening, appreciation and performance including West African, Western Art Music, EDM, Blues and Steel Pans (Trinidad and Tobago). Those who learn a musical instrument are encouraged to utilise it in music class to experience performing in a wide range of styles.

Topics include:

• Looping and Layered: The Power of Reptition in Music

• Blues 

• Rock ‘n’ Roll

• Steel Pans