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Topic
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Overview
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Autumn Term 1 Extended Skills (keyboards) |
Students develop the skills learned in Year 7 by exploring triad and extended chords and how to follow and create chord sequences. |
Autumn Term 2 The Blues |
Students apply the skills they have developed on keyboard and guitar to explore and create a Blues song. Students will also explore improvisation. |
Exploring different cultures
Topic
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Overview
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Spring Term 1 African Music |
This unit explores the rhythms of Africa as students learn to perform cross-rhythms and Ghanaian song. |
Spring Term 2 Extended Skills (Guitar) |
Students develop the skills learned in Year 7 by exploring triad and extended chords and how to follow and create chord sequences. |
Topic
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Overview
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Summer Term 1
Sequencing Project - Minimalism
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Students explore compositional techniques found in minimalism and apply them to current techniques used in Dance music, creating a piece of their own using Logic. |
Summer Term 2 Mozart | Students learn to perform a piece by Mozart before exploring use of Leitmotif in his operas, moving on to compose their own leitmotif for characters from The Magic Flute. |
Discussion on the roles in a recording studio
Research project on Mozart and the Classical era
The emphasis in Music at The Cedars Academy is on practical music making for all students. Students participate in a range of whole class activities, with singing and group performance an integral part of the musical experience. All students in Year 7 and 8 have a lesson of music per week, focussing on group performance work, as well as developing keyboard skills and exploring a range of musical instruments and genres. In Year 9 students who opt for Music as part of the Expressive Arts curriculum have two hours of music per week.
At KS3 we operate a 'have a go' policy. All students are expected to participate in all performance, composition, listening and written tasks that are set, regardless of their level of musical experience. They can expect tasks to be differentiated to cater for the most able performers to those who have had little musical experience.
At KS3 the music curriculum focuses on the key areas of study of Performing, Composing and Listening/Appraising. Across all topics covered the range of activities will include: whole class singing; composing and performing music using keyboards/tuned percussion; whole class ensemble playing; performing and composing music in small groups using keyboards, percussion, guitars and voice; listening work and song writing. Students are taught in mixed-ability classes but are often grouped according to ability and prior musical experience in pair work and small group activities.
Work this year aims to increase students skill level on a range of instruments, learning to read chord boxes and tab (guitar), learning to play a range of different chords on keyboard and using these skills in a variety of performing and composing tasks.
All students have the opportunity to use the musical skills they have developed and take part in a variety of performances throughout the year- as part of assemblies and showcase events. We also run a number of ensembles including Brass and Wind Ensembles, Jazz Band, various Rock Projects, Singing Club. We are also proud to host the Charnwood Area Music Centre which runs Junior and Senior Strings and the Area Centre Windband, as well as housing the Leicester-Shire Music Hub Percussion Ensembles.