Music

Why is Music important?

Music is a part of everyday life for everybody, and not simply as background noise on the radio: forming the backbone of advert campaigns, accompanying on-screen action at the cinema or on television, informing and focusing worship, and even having an impact on healthcare. Students studying Music will develop many vital skills including independence, leadership, teamworking, empathy, resilience, listening, attention to detail, and above all else, their creativity.

What is the aim of the Music curriculum at Oaklands?

The Music curriculum is divided equally into three skills: Appraisal, Performance, and Composition. In Appraisal, students learn to listen to Music in great detail, identifying by ear the parts of a piece that make it great and learning to describe them using academic language. In Performance, students learn to play Music effectively, working both solo and in groups to develop their ability with a number of instruments, as well as their stage presence and public delivery skills which are transferable to any public speaking context. In Composition, students learn to write their own Music, using techniques they have learned to develop a style that is unique to them, and using this to communicate ideas and messages.

How is the curriculum in Music structured?

The Music curriculum is designed to introduce students to the three core skills listed above in a progressive and intuitive way, while also encouraging students to develop a passion for music in their personal lives. These skills are used from their very first lesson in Y7 to their very last in Y9, with a view to equipping them with the ability they would need to succeed at GCSE level. Each term, a famous piece of music is used as a focus for performance and composition targets, while listening skills are taught through a much broader range of music which includes more obscure pieces. In Y9, students learn Bach’s Badinerie and Africa by Toto, both of which are set works on the Eduqas GCSE syllabus.

Topics covered in Year 7

Term 1: Three Skills Challenge - introduction to Appraisal, Composition and Performance
Term 2: I’ve Got Rhythm - introduction to written music and larger group work
Term 3: Three Little Birds - introduction to multitasking, string instruments and writing lyrics

Topics covered in Year 8

Term 1: Instruments of the Orchestra - longer-form Composition to a brief
Term 2: Next-Door Neighbours - longer-form Performance in a solo setting
Term 3: Jazz and The Blues - improvisation and introduction to exam-style questions

Topics covered in Year 9

Term 1: Baroque and MuseScore - introduction to MuseScore software, building on exam-style questions, and ensemble performances
Term 2: Pop and Bandlab - introduction to Bandlab software, exam-style essay questions, and solo performances
Term 3: Showcase - writing a piece of music for public exhibition, public solo / ensemble performances, industry tips and tricks

Oaklands School