Upper Shirley High School
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Key Stage 3
This is a foundation course for those who wish to take their musical studies further, an opportunity for those already playing musical instruments or singing to broaden their understanding of the subject, and a general education for all. Throughout the course, students will study music from different cultures around the world, music from the western classical tradition and the development of popular music in the twentieth century. This will be done by listening to, discussing, analysing and, in some cases, performing pieces of music in these styles. Students will also be taught how to use Apple Mac notation software and will have the opportunity to compose their own pieces using it.
Every pupil entering the school in Year 7 has one hour of class music per week until he/she reaches the end of Year 9, when those wishing to opt for GCSE music may do so. The theme of the three compulsory years music is as follows:
Year 7 – The Elements of Music
The Year 7 Music course is entitled "The Elements of Music". Through a mixture of singing, playing, composing and listening activities, the pupils are introduced to a variety of musical styles. They develop listening skills, techniques of playing classroom instruments such as keyboards, xylophones and percussion, and they learn to sing. The pupils build up a portfolio of performing experience. Pupils work in a variety of modes: in groups, individually and as a year group. Underlying the whole year is the developing understanding of the building blocks of music: the elements of pitch, duration, timbre, texture, dynamics, tempo and structure.
Year 8 – Music of Different Cultures
The Year 8 Music Course is entitled "Music of Different Cultures". Through a mixture of singing, playing, composing and listening activities, the pupils are introduced to a variety of musical styles. Each unit focuses on the music of a particular culture, and these cultures are both from different periods of time and from different parts of the world. These include African Music, Medieval and Tudor Music, South American Music, Caribbean Music and the music of the British Isles . During the course of the year the students also build up their skills and knowledge base.
Their vocabulary expands, the scope of their group work develops in complexity, their ability to recognize both styles and techniques/musical devices increases and their listening skills are refined.
Year 9 – The Roots of Modern Popular Music
The Year 9 course introduces the pupils to the idea of musical development and evolution – how music changes over a long period of time, and how styles evolve over time and how a variety of influences are brought to bear on musical genres. The course focuses on the role played by African-American musicians and styles on the evolution of modern popular music styles. A study of Blues and Ragtime leads to a focus on Jazz and later Rock'n'Roll; there is a short unit on the Beatles; the year finishes with a study of music technology: how technology has influenced the world of music, what music technology is, a study of different musical media, etc. At the end of the year students get a chance to make a study of a modern musician, group or style of their choice, and to relate this to what they have learned over the year; this is linked to the educational initiative "Musical Futures"
