Grade Descriptors
TERM 1.1
Content
Weeks 1-3 – Jeff Buckley – Grace
Learning the conventions of rock/pop music and how they apply to the set work. Analysing the set work and how it is constructed.
Weeks 4-6 – Schoenberg – Peripetie
Learning the conventions of expressionist music and how they apply to the set work. Analysing the set work in detail and how it is constructed. Placing the set work in a philosophical and historical context.
Weeks 6-8 – Reich – Electric Counterpoint
Learning the conventions of minimalist music and how they apply to the set work. Analysing the set work in detail and how it is constructed. Placing the set work in a philosophical and historical context.
Skills
Performance and Composition – individual targets and feedback set for improvements depending on skill level of students work and genres chosen.
Listening and Appraising – students will learn how to identify common features of music in familiar and unfamiliar music. Learning how to analyse a score and evaluate effectiveness of each composer using own analysis.
TERM 1.2
Content
GCSE Composition (Free Composition)
Students will compose a piece of music of their choice as part of controlled assessment. This will be 15% of their overall GCSE.
Skills
Performance and Composition – individual targets and feedback set for improvements depending on skill level of students work and genres chosen.
TERM 2.1
Content
Weeks 1-3 – Chopin – Raindrop Prelude
Learning the conventions of Romantic era classical music and how they apply to the set work. Analysing the set work in detail and how it is constructed. Placing the set work in a philosophical and historical context.
Weeks 4-6 – Bernstein – Something’s Coming
Learning the conventions of a musical song and how they apply to the set work. Analysing the set work in detail and how it is constructed. Placing the set work in a philosophical and historical context.
Skills
Performance and Composition – individual targets and feedback set for improvements depending on skill level of students work and genres chosen.
Listening and Appraising – students will learn how to identify common features of music in familiar and unfamiliar music. Learning how to analyse a score and evaluate effectiveness of each composer using own analysis.
TERM 2.2
Content
Weeks 1-2 – Capercaillie – Skye Waulking Song
Learning the conventions of a folk fusion song and how they apply to the set work. Analysing the set work in detail and how it is constructed. Placing the set work in a philosophical and historical context.
Weeks 3-6 – Performance – Students will prepare their final solo and ensemble performance through acting on personalised feedback from the teacher. An hour a week has already been devoted to this but there is extra time scheduled as the deadline approaches.
Skills
Performance and Composition – individual targets and feedback set for improvements depending on skill level of students work and genres chosen.
Listening and Appraising – students will learn how to identify common features of music in familiar and unfamiliar music. Learning how to analyse a score and evaluate effectiveness of each composer using own analysis.
TERM 3
Content
Revision and exam skills
Students will revise content covered over the two years in preparation for the final exam. There will be a revision lesson on each of the 12 set works.
Skills
Exam skills – students will complete practice listening papers to ensemble them to develop exam skills and understand fully what the exam board require from them during the exam.
