Music

Curriculum Overview:

BTEC Music is an exciting and modern course, that gives you the opportunity to make music and develop your musical knowledge and skills, in a practical learning environment, concentrating on skills and products in the Music Industry.

Focus is on four areas of equal importance:

• The development of key skills in music, such as instrumental and performance skills; music creation and song writing, and music production skills.
• Exploring professional and commercial skills that underpin effective ways of working in the Music Industry.
• Application of skills and techniques to create musical ideas and products in response to a Music Industry brief.
• Considering attitudes that are most important in the Music Industry, including personal management and communication.

The BTEC course is the equivalent of 1 GCSE.

KS3

Our Music Curriculum at Louth Academy encompasses the main skills of performing, composing, listening and appraising. Through each topic of study, students are given a range of tasks and activities that are designed to build and challenge students’ practical and music theory skills. Students are given the opportunity to learn a variety of musical instruments as well as building singing skills and confidence. This is executed through a range of practical activities where students work, most frequently, in pairs or small groups. Students learn notable, well-known pieces and are taught to create their own music, using stylistic features and devices. Listening skills are applied in every unit of work, with activities designed to build critical listening skills and music analysis. Students are taught to discuss and describe music with increasing coherence, using key words and music vocabulary. As Music Technology is used extensively in KS4, this is introduced in a basic format in KS3 - using industry standard notation and sequencing software. Our curriculum is fast-paced and rigorous to allow for students to learn a wide range of music. It is, however, balanced, to give time for students work at an appropriate pace that is suited to them and allowing them to manage the intrinsic load. Our high expectations and passion drive students to challenge themselves to produce satisfying results that students can be proud of.

Music at Key Stage 3

The Music curriculum at Key Stage 3 is sequenced carefully to allow students to acquire, develop and refine their music skills, for them to be successful at KS4 and beyond. The units of work are structured to allow for progressive understanding and a development in instrumental skills. Each unit builds upon skills and knowledge learnt previously. Throughout the various units of work, students learn about music from different genres and cultures by understanding the individual stylistic features through the study of the elements, performing, composition activities and listening and appraising. Students will cover the following topic areas:

Year 7

• Rhythm & Pulse
• Musical elements and the keyboard
• Scale and melody writing
• West African Djembe drumming
• Ukulele skills – melody and tab
• Performance skills - through practical Performing Arts

Year 8

• Bass clef and riffs
• STOMP! Body Percussion
• The Blues
• Ukulele skills 2 – chords
• Film Music

Year 9

• Theme and Variation
• Ukulele skills 3 – rhythmic strumming patterns and chord progressions
• Reggae
• Popular classics – sequencing and EDM remix