Main School
Music
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." - Plato
Intent statement
- to inspire students so that they will have a passion for music and music making
- to educate students so they have the knowledge to critically engage in musical conversation
Summary of objectives
We want every student to fully understand how powerful positive musical experiences can be, by experiencing music ‘from the inside’ as performers and creators, and to understand how music fits into the world at large. We aim to give students the knowledge and skills they need for music to play a positive part in the rest of their lives, whether this involves performing, creating, or appreciating. Some of our students have gone on to be professional performers and composers; however, we want all BHF students gain an appreciation of how music works, its power, its place in everyday life, and how music fits into the world.
Key themes underpinning your curriculum
- instrumental, vocal and ICT skills
- performance and creative skills
- the elements of music and how music fits together
- audience awareness
- social and Historical Context
Extracurricular and enrichment opportunities
- students have the opportunity to have tuition on vocals and a range of instruments with our peripatetic teachers. There is a key stage 3 choir and rock school that all are welcome to join. There is a school band for more experienced instrumentalists and a senior choir for students that have reached a higher level. There are two keyboard ensembles for students having lessons (year 7 and a year 8/9)
- there are opportunities for musicians in the school to perform in frequent school concert or participate in the liturgical events such as the advent service or the leavers mass. There are also opportunities for KS3 students to participate in composition workshops if they choose to do GCSE music and there are trips where students can perform in venues such as the Hexagon and Douai Abbey.
We want all of our students to have an appreciation and knowledge of music that they can enjoy beyond the classroom. We want our pupils to be aware of the emotional impact music can have on them and others and have an understanding of the breadth and range of the music that exists, and its place within different cultures and over history. We want to give them some basic musical skills that will enable them to play the most common chords on the ukulele and keyboard effectively and have enough understanding to pursue further musical skills, either at GCSE, A level and beyond, or under their own guidance using resources available to them via the internet or books.
By the end of Year 9 students will be able to perform a wide range of chords fluently on both keyboard and ukulele with increasing awareness of how vamping and spacing can affect the stylistic make up of a genre. They will be able to sing accurately in large and small groups and be able to hold their part effectively whilst singing with other parts. Students will be able to improvise and perform fluently in a range of styles and show an understanding of different notations. They will have developed an ability to work out melodies from ear and will have been exposed to a wide range of genres. Students will have developed a good understanding of the musical elements and be able to use some musical vocabulary effectively. Students will confident enough to use their knowledge and experience to embrace and unfamiliar musical styles and be open minded enough to appreciate high quality music from all cultures and genres.
AQA GCSE Music
By the end of year 11 music students should be competent and confident performers. They should have a strong grasp of the musical elements and have embedded a wide range of musical vocabulary. They will have been exposed to a wide range of musical styles and have the ability to analyse and critique unfamiliar music. Students will have a strong grasp of the composition process and have developed their own approach to this. They will have been given a range of ICT tools to use in this process which will have developed tools for them to be able to create and produce their own material.
In year 10 students revisit and deepen their understanding of the musical elements via the MADTSHIRT concept. They look in depth at a range of genres from the specification integrating listening, analysis, performance and composition. Skills and vocabulary are significantly developed including a range of compositional approaches both, individually in group and using ICT. Students undertake a variety of performances and will be becoming confident performers and with the support of the peripatetic teachers will increasingly develop their technique. Students will be ready to begin composition for their free brief by the end of year 10 having refined and developed their composition skills.
