Music
Departmental Staff
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Head of Department: Mr C Murphy
- Ms B McAvoy
- Mr P Slane
Curriculum
Key Stage 3(Years 8,9 & 10)
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The main aim of the music curriculum is to encourage and develop pupils’ musical ability. Our philosophy is that all pupils are potentially musical. At Key Stage 3, pupils are encouraged to develop their musicianship and self-confidence through a wide range of individual and group music-making activities. Through their weekly Music class, they are enabled to develop their composing, performing and listening skills and have opportunities to express themselves through the music they compose and perform; their ideas and feelings about themselves and the world around them. All pupils are encouraged to listen to unfamiliar music with open and enquiring minds.
Practical work
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All Year 8-10 pupils study Music based on the Northern Ireland curriculum for Music at KS3. All KS3 students develop performance skills using recorder and electronic keyboards. On completion of Year 10, all students will have experienced the use of music technology using Apple Mackintosh Computers with Sibelius 5, Garageband and Logic Express software.
GCSE ( Years 11 & 12)
Areas of Study:
Component 1 – Composing and appraising
Candidates must create two contrasting compositions and keep a compositional log for each. One of these must be related to the core or an optional area of study. The composition portfolio’s length should be 3-6 minutes in total. This controlled assessment task is internally assessed and externally moderated.
Component 2 – Performing and appraising
Candidates must present one solo and one ensemble performance. These must include at least one piece related to the core or optional areas of study. Candidates’ solo and ensemble should each last up to 5 minutes (except for turntable performances, each of which should not exceed 10 minutes). Candidate’s discussion of their performance is worth 5% of the total marks. A visiting assessor carries out an external assessment.
Component 3 – Listening and appraising
There is one examination of aural perception, which comprises two parts. Part 1 is based on the core area of study. One of the questions in this part relates to the impact of music on work and leisure, part 2 is based on optional areas of study. Both parts 1 and 2 include questions on familiar and unfamiliar music. The total listening time for each part of the assessment unit is approximately 45 minutes. There is an interval of approximately 30 minutes between part 1 and part 2.
There is one compulsory core area of study. There are three optional areas of study. Students study only two optional areas of study. This totals three areas of study for each student.
The core area of study, which is compulsory for all students, is Repeated Patterns in Music. The optional areas of study from which the students choose two options are Musical Traditions in Ireland, Incidental Music and Vocal Music.
A Level ( Years 13 & 14)
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AS 1: Making and Appraising Music 1
Students should select one of the following options:
- Opt. A: core solo or ensemble performance and compositional task
- Opt. A: core solo or ensemble performance and multi-tracking task
- Opt. C: core solo or ensemble performance and sequenced arrangement task.
- Opt. D: core composition task and solo ensemble performance.
*Note: Performances also include a viva voce. Composition and music technology tasks also include a commentary.
The content is defined in relation to the three interactive and mutually supportive areas of musical activity: composing, performing, and listening and appraising. All musical activity should develop knowledge, understanding, skills and sensitivity to music. Learning within any particular context should support and inform students’ knowledge and understanding across all areas of musical activity. The development of aural perception skills should permeate all areas of musical activity.
AS 2: Responding to Music 1
- Test of aural perception lasting 1 hour
- Written examination lasting 75 minutes
In AS 2, all students must undertake two areas of study: one compulsory and the second one chosen from three options. In addressing these areas of study, students should gain an awareness of the relationship between music and its context, including the influences that maintain continuity and cause change.
Through the composing and performing activities, and the breadth and depth of study, students should develop knowledge, understanding and appreciation of music. They should have opportunities to respond to both familiar and unfamiliar music, make connections between areas of study ad place all their musical activities within a broader musical perspective.
A2 1: Making and Appraising Music 2
Students should select one of the following options:
- Opt. A: core solo or ensemble performance and compositional task
- Opt. A: core solo or ensemble performance and multi-tracking task
- Opt. C: core solo or ensemble performance and sequenced arrangement task.
- Opt. D: core composition task and solo ensemble performance.
*Note: Performances also include a viva voce. Composition and music technology tasks also include a commentary.
Students should increase their knowledge and understanding of the organization of musical materials and continue to develop their ability to express and communicate ideas through music. They should extend their technical and expressive skills in making music through performing and composing, and they should develop their ability to understand and employ a great range of tonal harmony. They should continue to develop their listening and appraising skills through refining compositions and performances.
Throughout their course of study, students should be encouraged to develop their capacity for critical and creative thinking, to see relationships between the different musical activities and to perceive their field of in a broad perspective.
A2 2: Responding to Music 2
- Test of aural perception lasting 1 hour
- Written examination lasting 90 minutes
In units A2 2, all students must undertake two areas of study: one compulsory and one chose from three options. In addressing these areas of study, students should gain an awareness of the relationship between music and its context, including the influences that maintain continuity and cause change.
Students should develop more discriminating aural perception skills through their involvement in a wide range of activities relating to composing, performing and listening and appraising. They should continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of the impact of ICT on the way music is heard, created and preformed. They should also develop the ability to make more extensive connections within and between different aspects of their musical experience, particularly in relation to the synoptic assessment requirements.
Students should continue to have opportunities t undertake written assignments requiring extended prose in order to increase their skill in structuring and presenting thoughts, ideas and arguments in written format with appropriate musical vocabulary and attention to quality of written communication.
