Year 9 Music

Unit Content

Unit 1

Shock Horror!

(Moving Image 3)

Students learn the techniques and tropes of music written to accompany horror films. They encounter film music by composers such as Bernard Herrmann, John Williams and Jane Campion, learning how a soundtrack can augment, foreshadow or subvert the meaning of the visual images on screen. Students learn how to use two specific harmonic devices and to deploy these in the context of their own minute-long horror film scores.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding some tropes in horror film music
  • Understanding how musical elements can be used to build, foreshadow or subvert meaning

Key skills developed:

  • How to identify key musical devices when listening to film music
  • How to combine an 'atmospheric build-up' with a 'chordal hit point'
  • How to perform a film score to accompany an excerpt of film

Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their final film scores are assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the unit's key concepts.

Unit 2

West Side Story

(Landmarks in Music 3)

In this project, students build their understanding of the music of Bernstein's West Side Story. They learn about the music and context of the work, and study a number of songs in detail. They use the rhythmic pattern of ‘America’ as the starting point for a chord-based composition and learn to perform their work. The project focuses on musical theatre, composition and ensemble performance skills.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding the story of West Side Story and its relationship with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
  • Understanding how the music of West Side Story fuses elements of different musical traditions

Key skills developed:

  • How to compose a piece of music using given parameters
  • How to perform complex rhythmic material accurately in an ensemble
  • How to recognise key musical features when listening

Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their final compositions are assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of West Side Story's context and key features.

Unit 3

1960s: Rock & Roll 2

In this project, students explore the development of rock and roll music during the 1960s. They explore folk revival, the ‘British invasion’, and counterculture. They learn about the background and context of these developments, and listen to and study a number of songs in detail. They perform a song of their choice in an ensemble, arranging the material for their chosen combination of instruments and in their chosen style.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding elements of the cultural history of the 1960s' rock and roll.
  • Knowing key figures in the 1960s' rock and roll
  • Understanding the shift in popular music from entertainment to art

Key skills developed:

  • How to perform a song in an ensemble context
  • How to alter musical elements to create an arrangement
  • How to recognise characteristic features of 1960s' rock and roll

Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their folk song performances are assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the context and background of 1960’s rock and roll.

Unit 4

Protest Songs

(Music for Change 3)

This unit builds on students' knowledge of music in the 1960s. Students explore the music of artists such as Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye and John Lennon. They analyse the context and meaning of these works and the related social and/or political issues. Students compose their own protest songs using verse-chorus structure.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing the music of artists who have written or performed well-known protest songs
  • Understanding how music can be used to express opinions about political and social issues

Key skills developed:

  • How to compose music using verse-chorus structure
  • How to arrange lyrics to existing melody and chords
  • How to perform with increasing skill on ukulele, guitar or keyboard

Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their final protest song compositions are assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the unit's key concepts.

Unit 5 

Samba

(Musical Cycles 3)

In this unit, students explore the drumming culture of Brazilian samba through listening, performance and composition. They learn basic samba drumming techniques, including call and response patterns, the 3/2 clave rhythm, and improvisation. They listen to and perform a range of music from Brazil.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding the cultural context of Brazilian samba
  • Understanding how complementary rhythms are combined to create complex rhythmic textures
  • Knowing the different drums and instruments of a samba ensemble

Key skills developed:

  • How to perform a call and response pattern
  • How to improvise against a steady pulse
  • How to identify characteristic features of Brazilian drumming
  • How to perform the clave rhythm

Unit 6

Bandlab Composition

In this unit, students learn about musical structure. Students study examples of common types of musical structure in popular music. They create a composition with a specific musical structure using BandLab. Students will their compositions using peer feedback.

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding common types of musical structure
  • Knowing the key features of a digital audio workstation (DAWs) and its capabilities for musical composition

Key skills developed:

  • How compose a piece with a specific musical structure
  • How to layer and manipulate loops to compose a piece of music
  • How to identify compositional strengths and weaknesses

Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their final compositions are assessed formally at the end of the unit.