Music

The Orchestra (music) module is a year long module containing a very detailed course, when choosing your transition year subjects your can choose Music or chinese or CAD, Self Defence, Legal studies and Music Appreciation.

Aims:

• To develop in the student a love of music – performing, composing and listening constructively

• To enhance the student’s awareness of instrumentation/structure/ texture/ musical style etc. when listening to / performing music

• To give the student and opportunity to perform as part of a musical ensemble

• To facilitate group composition and musical arrangements of existing music

The student will be able to:

• Identify his/ her vocal range. Identify his or her vocal range played by his or her instrument,

• Perform several pieces/ songs as part of a musical ensemble at school events

• Compose and perform a song/ piece as a member of a small group

Teaching and Learning Strategies

• Performance as part of a group

• Vocal warm-up exercices

• Listening to recordings on CDs, www.youtube.com etc.

• Studying the basic rules of harmony

• Group arranging/ composition

• Audio recording of compositions

• Writing a report on what has been learned

Content

Ensemble arrangements of various secular pieces e.g. Hey Diddle Diddle, Jamaican Rumba

• Church music e.g. Lord, Listen to Your Children, Slane Sanctus

• Christmas carols

• Songs/ pieces on a wish list compiled by the students

• Students’ arrangements of newly composed/ existing pieces of music

• Backing chords in major (and possibly minor) keys

Assessment

• Musical performance in key school events