Students will learn how to analyse and explore a diverse range of music to help expand their own music-making. This will include practical tasks including but not limited to reading music, analysing audio extracts, writing about music, practically demonstrating features and or specific musical practices, practically exploring music and much more (!) in order to explore different musical styles. Students will demonstrate diversity and breadth in their exploration.
Students select samples of their work for a PORTFOLIO submission (maximum 2,400 words). Students submit:
a. written work demonstrating engagement with, and understanding of, DIVERSE musical material
b. practical exercises:
creating: one creating exercise (score maximum 32 bars AND/OR audio 1 minute as appropriate to style)
performing: one performed adaptation of music from a local or global context for the student’s own instrument (maximum 2 minutes)
c. supporting audio material (not assessed - this would be also included in the student's JOURNAL - click for more info).
Students will connect their study of music to their practical work to gain a deeper understanding of the music they engage with/listen to. They do this through the roles of researcher, creator and performer. Students must learn to experiment with a range of musical material and stimuli from varied sources across local and global contexts.
Students submit an experimentation report with evidence of their musical processes in creating and performing in two areas of inquiry (see below) in a local and/or global context. The report provides a rationale and commentary for each process. Students submit:
a. a written experimentation report that supports the experimentation (maximum 1,500 words)
b. practical musical evidence of the experimentation process
three related excerpts of creating (total maximum 5 minutes)
three related excerpts of performing (total maximum 5 minutes)
Students learn to practise and prepare finished pieces that will be performed or presented to an audience. In working towards completed musical works, students expand their musical identity, demonstrate their level of musicianship, and learn to share and communicate their music as researchers, creators and performers.
Students submit a collection of works demonstrating engagement with diverse musical material from four areas of inquiry (see section below). The submission contains:
a. Presenting as a researcher
programme notes (maximum 600 words)
b. Presenting as a creator
composition and/or improvisation (maximum 6 minutes)
c. Presenting as a performer
solo and/or ensemble (maximum 12 minutes)
excerpts, where applicable (maximum 2 minutes)
For the HL component, students plan and collaboratively create a project that draws on the competencies, skills and processes in all of the music course, and must be inspired by real-life practices of music-making.
Students submit a continuous multimedia presentation documenting their real-life project. Students submit multimedia presentation (maximum 15 minutes), evidencing:
a. the project proposal
b. the process and evaluation
c. the realized project, or curated selections of it.
This area focuses on music that expresses and communicates social and cultural messages, conveys political ideas and/or helps preserve social and cultural traditions.
Examples of relevant musical materials may include the following genres.
Protest songs
Liturgical music (music for worship)
National anthems
This area focuses on music that expresses and communicates intrinsic aesthetic values - aims to simply sound good and appeal to an audience simply for that purpose. Such music is sometimes referred to as “absolute music”.
Examples of relevant music materials may include the following genres.
Chamber music of the Western art tradition
Jazz (Bebop, hardbop, gypsy, swing and big band, modal, free jazz, smooth jazz, afro-cuban jazz and much more)
Experimental music
This area focuses on music used for dramatic effect, music that supports choreographed movement or dance and/or music that is incidental or intended to purposefully serve as entertainment.
Examples of relevant music materials may include the following genres.
Music for film
Music for ballet
Musical theatre
This area focuses on music created, performed and/or produced using electronic or digital technologies. Such technologies are an important aspect of contemporary musical experiences, often transforming some of the ways that we understand and engage with music.
Examples of relevant musical materials may include the following genres.
Electronic dance music
Elektronische Musik (translates to 'Electronic Music'. Similar to above but concerned instead with all electronic styles as opposed to the above EDM which is intended for night clubs, raves and festivals and re-played by a DJ. One example would be Kraftwerk who create and perform their own electronic music)
Technology in popular music production
These areas of inquiry are not intended to categorize all musical genres and styles definitively, but to offer a flexible approach for understanding and working with a variety of musical materials and experiences.
Some genres and styles may lend themselves to being explored through one area; others may be creatively explored through multiple areas.
In each area, students should consider musical intentions and purposes, the methods and techniques used to create the music, the role of musical conventions, and the impact and experience of the audience.
Studying musical materials in this way encourages students to make and appreciate new and rich connections between different works and ideas encountered in the course.
This includes music that has significance to the student, and that they are most familiar with.
Students consider their immediate cultural context and interests that contribute to their emerging musical identity.
This includes music that has local significance, but that may be unfamiliar to the student.
This can be music from within the student’s local, regional or cultural communities, and may include music that the student is not currently engaged with.
This includes unfamiliar music from a variety of places, societies and cultures.
This may include music that the student has not connected or engaged with. The music may be from a distant global region but may also include music in closer proximity that has not been previously accessible to the student.
Discussion and joint decision-making between teachers and students is strongly recommended when selecting diverse musical material to be studied.
Students’ engagement with diverse musical material will be evidenced in the work submitted for assessment.
To be updated - keep checking!
Appraisal Skills (music appraisal, aka 'analysis')
How to write an essay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuOWNNvupik
How to avoid plagiarism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQhVDH9p7aU
How to paraphrase (and how it can lead to plagiarism when done badly)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1qo10dG5Gw&t=344s 'The Art of Paraphrasing: Avoiding Plagiarism' from The University of Maryland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiM0x0ApVL8&t=97s 'How to Paraphrase in 5 Easy Steps | Scribbr.
Paraphrasing – Techniques for Rephrasing, Rewording, and Rewriting. From the website www.ref-n-write.com
How to write a bibliography (references page in US):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prETpsgBU4w (clearer video on how to cite and reference)
Book: Author's name, year book was published, title of book, place book was published, name of the publisher
Example 'Cardwell, M. (2010) A-Z psychology handbook. Deddington: Philip Allan Updates.'
Website: Author's name/ or organisation if no author, year the page was created or updated, title of the webpage or article, the full URL, the date YOU accessed the webpage
Example: 'BBC (2014) Children 'influenced by parents' screen-viewing habits'. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27236297 [Accessed 7 May 2014]
How to paraphrase - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiM0x0ApVL8
How to quote in your writing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhMl3eIcGbI
In-text citations:
Usually put WITHIN your writing in brackets with (Author's surname, year of publication) e.g. (Smith, 2011). Page number is needed if actually quoting. E.g. 'and that conversation is necessary "to protect them from extinction" (Smith, 2011, p.17)'
Primary vs secondary sources - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPQ95B95bWE
Use this document to see an accurate overview of each unit in this course. This document tells you what each unit involves and what must be included.
Use this document to check your work is ready for submission and that you are including everything needed
Use this PowerPoint presentation to help you understand exactly how and what is to be submitted to the eCoursework portal. Useful for teaching staff also.