Key Stage 4 Music at Robert Smyth Academy Students currently in Year 11 study one of two GCSEs, offered by the examination boards AQA and Edexcel. AQA GCSE Music (subject code 4272) Content indicated by a green sidebar. Edexcel GCSE Music (subject code 2MU01) Content indicated by a blue sidebar. This is the last year of this specification so students currently in Year 10 should refer to a separate parent guide as they are studying a different specification than this one. Students have three lessons per week, usually with 2 lessons with one teacher and 1 one lesson with another teacher. Your son/daughter s teachers are: Mr Hughes and Mrs Petersen They can be contacted using email: nhughes@rsacademy.co.uk and hpetersen@rsacademy.co.uk The following pages outline the major elements of the two GCSE courses and when you can expect each to be covered. Other content will supplement the major elements. AQA GCSE Music Students will sit one examination at the end of year 11. The examination is worth 20% of the final grade and consists of 12 questions on unknown extracts of music. Students will produce four controlled assessments during year 10 and 11. The controlled assessments are worth 80% of the final grade. Examination Listening and appraising 20% Summer 2017 Controlled Assessments Solo performance 20% December 2016 Composition 1 20% November 2016 Ensemble performance 20% February 2017 Composition 2 and 20% March 2017 appraisal 100% Edexcel GCSE Music Students will sit one examination at the end of year 11. The examination is worth 40% of the final grade and consists of 9 questions on set-works which are studied throughout year 10 and 11. Students will produce four controlled assessments during year 10 and 11. The controlled assessments are worth 60% of the final grade. Examination Listening and appraising 40% Summer 2017 Controlled Assessments Solo performance 15% December 2016 Composition 1 15% November 2016 Ensemble performance 15% February 2017 Composition 2 15% March 2017 100% Supporting students at home Performing is a vital part of the development of skilful musicians and composers. We implement and use the Performing Arts practice diaries to record and monitor practice in school, at rehearsals outside of school and at home. Students need to be practising on their instruments for at least 30 minutes per day; this should include a mixture of technical exercises and practising of pieces.
We highly recommend students attend live classical concerts as much as possible, as well as jazz and popular music concerts, as all these styles feature on the exam paper. The department organises trips to orchestral concerts with Leicester Symphony Orchestra at De Montfort Hall three times a year for just 5 per ticket for students and their families; students should aim to come on these trips where possible as well as attend a range of classical concerts themselves in their own time. The professional Philharmonia Orchestra give seven concerts a year at De Montfort Hall and students can purchase tickets for just 5 for any seat. Hard copies of the departmental homework policy have been given out in class and are also available from our website: www.rsacademy.co.uk Additional homework will be set every four or so weeks, usually the writing of set essays on the set works for Edexcel GCSE Music students. Study guides and revision books are available to buy online. We will distribute letters to students in class and also via school comms to parents to inform you which books we recommend purchasing. Keep an eye out for these letters as they contain vital details about the correct books to buy.
Year 10 Autumn Term 1 Students study the theory of the blues as well as rehearsing and practicing in small groups a Blues piece. Blues performances are recorded and then evaluated. Songs analysed and compared include: With a little help from my friends (Beatles and Joe Cocker versions). Musical terminologies covered in the analysis of the pieces. Basic music theory introduced. Treble and Bass clef, triads, major and minor chords, creating a chord sequence. Rehearse and record a solo performance by December break. Theory tasks taught through exercises and continued for homework, to include: major and minor chords, circle of 5ths for use in keys and chord sequences/modulations, cadences, 7 th chords. Sibelius software introduced and used as the basis for exercises on the above theory. Reason software introduced and basic sequencing techniques taught in conjunction with song analysis and small compositional exercises. Solo performance mark scheme. Rehearse and record a solo performance by December break. Year 10 Autumn Term 2 Song analysis. Musical terminologies covered in the analysis of the pieces such as syncopation and other ideas linked to Blues topic. Reason software introduced and basic sequencing techniques taught in conjunction with song analysis and small compositional exercises. Solo performance mark scheme Rehearse and record a solo performance by December break. Begin studying and analysing 2 set works. Normally Chopin s Raindrop Piano prelude and All Blues by Miles Davis. Detailed knowledge of the Romantic and Jazz styles will be included in the analysis. This is to be followed by listening questions to test students knowledge and an
essay question will be set for each work for homework in preparation for the GCSE listening exam. Rehearse and record a solo performance by December break. Year 10 Spring Term 1 Class performance project of Oasis songs: Wonderwall and Don t look back in anger. Piece to be performed at the GCSE concert, recorded in class and assessed as ensemble performance pieces. Rehearsals normally start before Christmas. Look at 4 chord songs and how to create a chord sequence(s) and how to contrast them. Creating a Reason based composition. How to write a bass line. Writing for and playing a drum kit. Exploring synthesis and use of FX Begin first GCSE composition. This is 20% of the overall GCSE grade which students must complete in the academy and on their own. Begin studying and analysing a new set work. Normally Grace by Jeff Buckley. Analysis will focus on pop/rock song structure and techniques associated with the style. The analysis is to be followed by listening questions to test students knowledge and an essay question will be set for each work for homework in Look at 4 chord songs and how to create a chord sequence(s) and how to contrast them. How to write a bass line. Writing for and playing a drum kit. Begin first GCSE composition. Choice of either writing a popular song, a blues piece, or a piece using a classical form such as ternary, rondo or arch form. This is 15% of the overall GCSE grade which students must complete in the academy and on their own. Year 10 Spring Term 2 Circle of fifths for chord sequences and keys, Pedal notes, names of degrees of the scale, cadences, texture terminologies, dotted rhythms, straight rhythms, swung rhythms, cross rhythms, tempo terminologies, dynamic terminologies, intervals, instruments of the orchestra. Lots of listening question practice and guidance in class in preparation for year 10 exam. Continue working on first composition (20% of GCSE) with hand in coming after Easter break.
Exploring synthesis and use of FX within Reason Listening through and evaluating Reason based composition task. Begin 2 new set works: Yiri and Capercaillie from the World music area of study and explore all associated traditions and musical features of African and Celtic music. The analysis is to be followed by listening questions to test students knowledge and an essay question will be set for each work for homework in Various Blues composition techniques such as syncopation, blue notes, contrasting sections and melodic development and textural contrast. Continue working on the Blues composition for a hand in at the end of term. Year 10 Summer Term 1 Mark scheme for Ensemble performance and help deciding a suitable piece to perform for each student. Create a glossary in back of exercise books of the most important musical terminologies needed for the listening exam and the upcoming Unit 2 composition. Complete and hand in first composition draft for written feedback. Begin working on a short composition exercise using some Minimalism composition techniques. Students can use Sibelius or Reason. Hand in to be before the half term. Mark scheme for composition and receive written feedback on Blues composition. Begin new set work: Moby from the Popular music area of study and explore all associated technologies and musical features. The analysis is to be followed by listening questions to test students knowledge and an essay question will be set for each work for homework in Mark scheme for Ensemble performance and help deciding a suitable piece to perform for each student. Practice and rehearse for Ensemble performance. Year 10 Summer Term 2 Continue with Glossary and definitions of terms. More practice on cadences, intervals and melodic dictation. Year 10 exam, which will be a past GCSE paper, takes place in the first week. Go through mark scheme for year 10 exam and calculate grades. Practice and rehearse for Ensemble performance. Submit composition 1 at the end of July for feedback
Year 10 exam, which will be made up of past questions on set works already covered, takes place in the first week back. Go through year 10 exam paper. Composition. Practice and rehearse for Ensemble performance Submit composition 1 at the end of July for feedback Year 11 Autumn Term 1 Review of year 10 and targets for year coming term. Film music and associated terms. Followed by listening practice in forms of past papers and using Auralia ear training software. Short film composition task. World Music topic to feature the musical instruments and features of Indian, African and Caribbean music. Vocal performance of Akanamandla. Composition mark scheme and individual feedback. How to complete annotations for compositions. Continued work on composition 1 and annotation for this, deadline for 1 minute draft will be October half term with final deadline end of November. Record any new solos and ensembles in order to improve the mark. Deadline for solo will be December and February for the ensemble. Begin new set work, normally Electric Counterpoint movement three by Steve Reich and explore the minimalist style. The analysis is to be followed by listening questions to test students knowledge and an essay question will be set for each work for homework in preparation for the GCSE listening exam. Begin Mozart s Symphony No.40, 1 st movement set work and learn associated terminologies associated with the Classical period. The analysis is to be followed by listening questions to test students knowledge and an essay question will be set for each work for homework in Composition mark scheme and individual feedback. Whole class teaching on modulation in compositions and scoring in Sibelius. Linking compositions to areas of study. How to complete annotations for compositions completed in Cubase, Reason or recorded live.
Continued work on composition 1 and annotation for this, deadline for 1 minute draft will be October half term with final deadline end of November. Record any new solos and ensembles in order to improve the mark. Deadline for solo will be December and February for the ensemble. Year 11 Autumn Term 2 Look at unit 2 composition task and review what musical features students could look to use in their compositions. Development of the Orchestra and musical periods Review of what makes a successful composition and listen to previous years examples. Practice listening tasks in preparation for mock exams at the end of term. Begin work on unit 2 composition. Record any new solos and ensembles in order to improve the mark. Review of what makes a successful composition and listen to previous years examples. Begin Schoenberg and Rag Desh set works and learn associated terminologies of Expressionism and Serialism and Indian music. The analysis is to be followed by listening questions to test students knowledge and an essay question will be set for each work for homework in Practice listening tasks in preparation for mock exams at the end of term. Begin work on composition 2. Record any new solos and ensembles in order to improve the mark. Year 11 Spring Term 1 Review of GCSE mock results and go through the paper. One on one tutorials and a lot of one on one help on practical components of the course. Composition 2 focus and ensemble and solo re-recordings.
Review of GCSE mock results and go through the paper. One on one tutorials and a lot of one on one help on practical components of the course. Begin new set work: Something s Coming by Bernstein. Explore all associated traditions and musical features of musical theatre. The analysis is to be followed by listening questions to test students knowledge and an essay question will be set for each work for homework in Composition 2 focus and ensemble and solo re-recordings. Year 11 Spring Term 2 How to answer the appraisal questions for the unit 2 composition and appraisal unit. How to complete annotations for composition 2. Lunchtime revision sessions now run every week. Students below a B grade in the December mock are expected to attend. Complete solos, ensembles and composition 2. Have a rough draft of the appraisal completed by Easter. Begin new set work: And the glory of the lord by Handel. Explore all associated traditions and musical features of the baroque period. The analysis is to be followed by listening questions to test students knowledge and an essay question will be set for each work for homework in Lunchtime revision sessions now run every week. Students below a B grade in the December mock are expected to attend. How to complete annotations for composition 2. Complete solos, ensembles and composition 2. Year 11 Summer Term 1 A series of revision sessions leading up to the listening exam. Lunchime revision sessions still run.