Music

Aims:

The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians

• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence

• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

Implementation:

At Pencoys, pupils are taught music on a weekly basis to meet the expectations of the National Curriculum and with reference to the National Plan for Music Education and the new Model Music Curriculum. Whole class lessons provide the opportunity to listen to, create and perform music inspired by a broad range of cultures and genres and are linked with other areas of learning. Practical music making incorporates both instrumental and vocal activities and includes use of music notation. Delivery by class teachers is supplemented by specialist weekly input from visiting peripatetic specialists from Cornwall Music Service Trust (CMST) which includes whole class topic lessons, samba, ukulele and a broad variety of optional group/individual instrumental tuition. Music making also includes after school clubs and participation in various events in the wider community and county supported by CMST and CMEH. At Pencoys we take advantage of currently funded programmes such as First Access, Charanga and subsidised instrumental tuition. All of these additional programmes are embedded in the music curriculum.

Broken down into half termly topics:

Every unit includes:

• Exploration of specific key musical elements such as pulse, rhythm, pitch, timbre, dynamics etc.

• Exploration of key musical skills e.g. playing in time with a pulse, keeping a steady beat

• Listening and analysing pieces of music linked to topic

• Singing songs linked to topic

• Performing music on percussion instruments (beginning with unpitched and progressing to use of both)

• (Children taking additional instrumental tuition are encouraged to use them in the performing/ composing process)

• Additional activities depending on topics include:

• Composing music either as a whole class or in groups linked to topic

• Exploring notation – graphic, staff, lyrical

• Use of technology

• Experiencing live performance (watching or participating)