Lesson Materials
Welcome to the Music Teacher online teaching materials. Every month Music Teacher publishes materials for KS3,4 and 5, offering complete units of work, GCSE and A level set-work info and activities, and practical ideas across all levels. All materials are written by experienced teachers and examiners and provide indispensable content for your classroom teaching.
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Online teaching materials
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April 2013
- Key Stage 3
Author: Jane Werry
Minimalism fits into a KS3 scheme of work very nicely: it’s an art music style that is accessible, with processes that can be understood easily with or without conventional notation as an aid. It will probably be at least a little familiar through its use in film scores and perhaps through its influence on dance music. However, it is probably different enough from your students’ usual listening diet to broaden their musical horizons.
It is also extremely flexible; whatever your working setup in terms of instruments and IT, this project will work perfectly with any combination of resources. In this guide, I aim to show you strategies for introducing minimalist techniques to students in a way that will help them understand the style, and then create their own minimalist compositions to a specific brief. Read less...- Key Stage 4
OCR GCSE Creative Task, Unit B353
Author: Alan Charlton
Appearing as it does in the early part of the summer term, the Creative Task is easy to underprepare for, as lesson time is often squeezed by overrunning coursework and revision and practice for the Listening exam. However, it is important to remember that the Creative Task is worth 20% of the final GCSE mark: in other words, the same as the whole of the Listening Paper, so a good performance in it can gain a student a significantly higher overall mark.
The Creative Task is essentially a composition and/or improvisation task. Students are given a choice of six stimuli: a rhythmic phrase; a note pattern; a melodic phrase; a chord sequence; a set of words; and music to describe a sequence of events. The student may request any of them to be played once, and then chooses one of them, which is played to them twice more. They can also record the teacher playing their chosen stimulus, but they cannot integrate this recording into their submitted work: they need to play or input all the musical material themselves.
The student then has 45 minutes of supervised time to develop the stimulus into a short composition. In the last 5 minutes of their supervised time, the student must submit their composition. This might be in the form of a recording of a live performance, a recording of an ICT-based composition or a notated score (handwritten or otherwise). Read less...- Key Stage 5
Texture in Analysis and Composing
Author: Hugh Benham
This article is for teachers (and students) preparing for any music examination in which consideration of texture is important. It does not focus on any particular examination syllabus. First there is consideration of what texture means in general terms, and then investigation of various types of
texture, with the aid of musical examples. Later some matters connected with textural variety are looked at from the composer’s point of view. Some short tasks are provided in the hope of encouraging students to develop their compositional technique. The scope of music in the 21st Century is so vast that coverage cannot be comprehensive. The focus is chiefly on those ‘classical’ styles from which it is possible to provide musical examples without copyright restrictions. Read less...
March 2013
- Key Stage 5
British Popular Music (OCR A2 Topic 6, AQA AS British Popular Music since 1960)
Author: Jane Werry
Whether you are teaching OCR A2 Topic 6, or AQA AS British Popular Music, questions cover specific topics to do with the works covered, and for both of these courses candidates will be writing short essays in the exam. The aims here are also very similar:
Write concisely and precisely
Demonstrate an understanding of technical language
Support points made with musical examples
Focus on the music rather than biographical detail
What I intend to do here is take two of the OCR set works, Sergeant Pepper and A Night at the Opera, as starting points, as these fit in with the scope of the AQA specification. I will give brief revision notes and key terms for each, and then go on to compare them with related repertoire from the same decade. This will be different from the repertoire covered in the Rhinegold Study Guide, and will also provide useful comparisons for the AQA course. Read less...Edexcel AS Instrumental Set Works 2013 Revision: Debussy, Poulenc and Reich
Author: Alan Charlton
This article is based on the notes provided on the Edexcel website on the set works (Debussy, Prelude de l''apres-midi d''un faune; Poulenc, Sonata for Horn, Trumpet and Trombone: movement I; Reich, New York Counterpoint: movement II). To access these, go to www.edexcel.com - qualifications - GCE from 2008 - Music - Teacher Support Materials - Music Set Works 2013. It will concentrate on helping students to remember the main points about each of these three works using acrostic puzzles, quizzes, mnemonics, tables and summaries of facts. It is intended to enhance private and classroom revision and should be used to support material already given to students in lessons.
As there is a significant amount of information to be learnt on each set work, students need to be able to recall the key features of each work together with supporting examples. They will not have access to a score in the exam, so this all needs to be learnt from memory. Read less...Three scores are prescribed for OCR AS Unit G353: introduction to Historical Study in Music for the examinations in June 2013 and January 2014. Here we consider two:
- Haydn, Symphony No. 103 in E flat (Drum roll): movement IV, the finale
- Beethoven, Concerto in D for violin and orchestra, Op. 61: movement I
Information on both works was given in the online article OCR GCE Music: Prescribed Orchestral Scores (June 2012-January 2014): Haydn and Beethoven (Music Teacher, July 2011): please refer to this as required. The aim here is to consider revision methods and to build on some aspects of work for Unit G353 not dealt with in detail in the previous article. Read less...
February 2013
- Key Stage 5
Author: Alan Charlton
This revision resource has been written to support the Music Teacher articles on the new AQA A2 set works: Elgar Symphony no.1 (May 2012) and Shostakovich Symphony no.5 (July 2012).
Remembering analyses of set works is notoriously difficult – particularly with the current crop, which are both long and complex – so this resource is intended to make the process easier. Specifically, it will hopefuly help students to identify structural, thematic and tonal points of interest in a clean score so that they will be able to find them quickly and confidently in the exam. For reasons of space, information on context, orchestration and other aspects of the set works are not covered here – please refer to the articles from May and July 2012 for help on these areas.
This resource can be used in lessons on set work revision, or given to students to help with private study. Note that as the analyses are based on the labelling system of the May and June 2012 Music Teacher resources, you should check that it will fit in with what your students have been taught. Read less...Author: Owen Leech
Since these prescribed jazz recordings serve as a basis for questions in two distinct sections of the Introduction to Historical Study in Music paper, I shall begin by examining each work in some detail - with a few exercises on the way - and then provide a list of questions of the kind that generally recur for the contextual essays in Section 3 of the paper. These will hopefully be helpful both for group discussion and individual research and essay practice. Read less...
Vocal music for Edexcel AS Music
Author: Jane Werry
Questions 1, 2 and 3 of the Unit 3 exam are all about knowing the set works inside out. With, at most, a skeleton score to prompt candidates and give a reference point for their answers, they need to acquire an extremely thorough knowledge of the features of each of the pieces, and be able to express these succinctly when the pressure is on.
This resource focuses on three of the set vocal works for 2013. For each piece I will give a rundown of key words and stylistic and compositional features, together with ideas for revision lesson activities and practice questions. Read less...
January 2013
- Key Stage 3
Author: Jane Werry
I have a theory that the only people who don''t like Tango music are ones who have never heard it. There is something wonderfully appealing about its melodiousness and heart-on sleeve melodrama. It is also a tremendous vehicle for covering some really meaty musical concepts with your classes, with a dash of cultural context, and opportunities for social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. Read less...
- Key Stage 4
Effective music breakouts at GCSE
Author: Anthony Anderson
Is it possible to follow a GCSE course without any practical music-making? Sadly, the answer is yes. I constantly meet music teachers who have had this experience during their own education. But is this the best way to learn about music? Definitely not. It is like learning about art without drawing or drama without acting. And learning how to manage such musical activity in the classroom can be a significant challenge. This resource aims to set out some working principles, ideas and approaches as well as some practical starting points for maximising breakouts as a model of musical learning. Read less...
- Key Stage 5
Edexcel A2 Applied Music Set Works 2013: Part Two
Author: Simon Rushby
The five Applied Music set works for the A2 Unit 6 (6Mu06) examination in June 2013 include music covering a period of over four hundred years. The first two, by Gabrieli and Bach, were covered in Part One of this article. For the next two works, we enter the world of twentieth century film music, with Bernstein?s Symphonic Suite: On the Waterfront from 1955, and Goldsmith''s The Hunt (opening) from his score for the 1968 film Planet of the Apes. The final work is an extract from the traditional Balinese Baris Melampahan, a very ancient dance recorded here by the modern Gong Kebyar ensemble from Sebatu in Bali, Indonesia. Read less...
December 2012
- Key Stage 3
Author: Alan Charlton
Canons and rounds appear frequently in music education, from the classroom singing of simple rounds such as London’s Burning and Frère Jacques to GCSE and A level set works by composers such as J.S.Bach, Webern, Bernstein and Steve Reich. However, when composing using notation or sequencing software, canons, despite being fairly easy to create using cut and paste techniques, do not always produce a convincing result. So how can you teach students how to write successful canons?
Starting with some performing of canons, which can involve ICT, this resource looks at how simple canons work, focusing on London’s Burning. It then explores how you can go about composing a round on similar lines. A ‘Canon Composing Kit’ is provided which enables students with little knowledge of music notation to write their own four-part canons by following simple step-by-step instructions. Finally, the resource looks at more intricate types of canons, with some optional accompanying activities.
The resource could be used to provide material for 2-4 lessons, depending on how much time is spent on the performing and composing activities. Read less...- Key Stage 4
Indonesian Gamelan for OCR GCSE Music
Author: Jane Werry
This resource follows on from the one written by Sam Gladstone (Spring term 1, 2010/11, available on the Music Teacher website). In it I hope to give you practical strategies for delivering the performance part of Sam''s resource in a student-centred, hands-on, yet entirely musical way. The aim here is to immerse GCSE students into the world of the gamelan using classroom instruments to explore the musical features of the performance piece Ricik Ricik in preparation for a composition task.
The composition itself comes under the heading of ''a composition for a group of two or more players'', and is an opportunity to explore sequencing programs in a way that will appeal to your students. This, I hope, will present a number of benefits: deep understanding of the musical characteristics of gamelan music which will enable your students to handle whatever questions the listening exam may throw at them; a successful composition which can be submitted for the B352 practical portfolio; and an introduction to aspects of music tech that may pave the way for uptake at KS5 in this area. Read less...- Key Stage 5
Edexcel A2 Applied Music Set Works 2013: Part One
Author: Simon Rushby
The five Applied Music set works for the A2 Unit 6 (6Mu06) examination in June 2013 include music covering a period of over four hundred years. Two of the works, Gabrieli''s Sonata Pian''e Forte and Bach''s Cantata 48, Ich Elender Mensch (movements 1-4) come from, respectively, the late Renaissance and late Baroque periods. Then, for the next two works, we jump ungainly into the world of Twentieth Century film music, with Bernstein''''s Symphonic Suite: On the Waterfront from 1955, and Goldsmith''''s The Hunt (opening) from his score for the 1968 film Planet of the Apes. A further huge change of culture is then made to the final work - an extract from the traditional Balinese Baris Melampahan, a very ancient dance recorded here by the modern Gong Kebyar ensemble from Sebatu in Bali.
These five works, which I am covering in two separate articles, the second of which will be published in January, are to be studied in preparation for Section B of the Unit 6 paper, in which students have to answer two questions from a choice of three. Rhinegold''''s Edexcel A2 Music Study Guide provides background and analysis of these works which I will try not to repeat too much of in these two articles. My focus will be specifically on how the music ''''works'''' in the context for which it was intended, as all five of these works were intended for some kind of event, be it church service, movie or dance drama. Read less...
November 2012
- Key Stage 3
A Christmas stocking of one-off (or two-off) lesson ideas
Author: Jane Werry
As you reach the final straight of the marathon that is the autumn term, you may well find yourself with one or two lessons to spare with your KS3 classes. You may have finished a project and be unwilling to start a new one with the holidays looming. What is required at this point is a collection of ideas for filling one or two lessons with something festive, fun and still musically and educationally fulfilling.
Because you will no doubt be concerned with a million other things in the run-up to Christmas - not least of which will be keeping going and hanging on to your sanity - here is our present to you. A selection of ready-made lessons, all with a Christmas theme and practical activities, with which you can fill up what would otherwise be dead time at the end of term. Read less...- Key Stage 4
OCR GCSE: the classical concerto/AQA GCSE: the concerto
Author: Alan Charlton
The concerto appears in both the current OCR and AQA GCSE specifications. In the OCR specification, the topic of the Classical Concerto appears within Area of Study 2, Shared Music, and is used as an example of music that contrasts one solo instrument with orchestra, with knowledge being tested in the Listening Test (Unit B354). Detailed knowledge of specific compositions, composers and dates is not required: questions are based around listening skills, and are likely to focus on how the instrumental forces interact with each in a concerto, terminology associated with concertos and the classical period in general. The Unit B352 composition could draw on musical principles found in concertos (for instance in a virtuoso piece for a solo instrument with keyboard accompaniment).
In the AQA specification, the concerto appears under Strand 1, The Western Classical Tradition. The AQA strands are used as a basis for students to develop an understanding of the five areas of study (Rhythm & Metre, Harmony & Tonality, etc.). This knowledge is tested in the Listening Test taken at the end of the course. Knowledge of specific composers, dates and so on is not required: as with the AQA specification, the exam is focused on the elements of music and listening skills.
This article is primarily geared towards the OCR specification, but could equally be used for the AQA specification. It will introduce the concept and general background of concerto-style compositions, and then explore solo writing and how the soloist and orchestra interact, through a worksheet based on Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no.4 in G major, Movement III and other recordings of cadenzas. Read less...- Key Stage 5
Creative approaches to teaching the Edexcel A level Anthology
Author: Anthony Anderson
For many A level music teachers, covering the set works in the Edexcel anthology can seem like a challenge. Can a set work ever be as inspiring to students as it was to those who heard it when it was first composed? Is it possible to bring some of the passion the composer might have felt for the music into their classroom? If so, how? This resource seeks to set out some creative approaches to teaching set works that should make the experience that little bit more enjoyable for students. Read less...
October 2012
- Key Stage 3
Programme music: a project based on Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre
Author: Jane Werry
Descriptive music is a bit of an old chestnut for KS3, and while its appeal is clear, it is all too easy to fall into a trap of open-ended oversimplification e.g. ‘go away and make something up to describe a haunted house’. Used effectively, it can be a way of bringing ‘meaty’, compositional devices centre stage in a really practical
and immediate way.
This project takes an accessible and well-known tone poem and uses it as a launch pad for students to consolidate
their understanding of how musical elements work together, taking their knowledge of musical techniques
- particularly in the areas of harmony and texture - into new areas. While a wealth of theory is covered, it
is done in a very hands-on way, and encourages students to put their understanding into use with a composition
project that can be adapted for your particular way of working. Read less...- Key Stage 4
BTEC Firsts: The Development Of Music
Author: Benji Vincent
Offered here is an assignment brief that fully covers one of the optional units in the specifications for the Edexcel 2010 Level Two BTEC Firsts in music as part of the Extended Certificate and Diploma qualifications. Read less...
- Key Stage 5
Teaching composition for Edexcel AS music
Author: Simon Rushby
The Edexcel AS Level Music course has two coursework units � 6Mu01, which is a performing unit, and 6Mu02, which is a composing unit. Both units are completed under controlled conditions in the centre during the course of the year, and unusually for coursework, the composing unit is marked externally following submission to Edexcel, the deadline for which is in May.
In many teachers� experiences, the composing unit is the �great unknown� of the Edexcel AS course. The purpose of this resource is to give teachers some guidance, ideas and possible strategies for allowing students the best possible chances for gaining good marks. Read less...
September 2012
- Key Stage 3
Author: Harriet Power
When thinking about the term ‘folk music’ it is easy to conjure up a picture of morris dancers, wheezy accordions, lone fiddlers, and little folk clubs above pubs where the average age is about 60. But this is only one (very stereotypical) side to folk music; since the folk revival in the 1960s, many artists and bands have sprung up that fuse folk with popular music, who often have younger audiences (Laura Marling and Seth Lakeman are just two examples.) Folk music can also be a great springboard for performing and composing projects, and this article incorporates a number of practical activities into a history of English folk music. Read less...
- Key Stage 4
OCR GCSE Baroque and Classical Chamber Music
Author: Alan Charlton
Baroque and Classical chamber music is one of the topics under Area of Study 2, Shared Music, of the OCR Specification. It could be covered under Unit B352 Practical Portfolio through a group performance, a composition or both. Knowledge of the medium may also appear in the Listening Test - Unit B354. Baroque and Classical chamber music is ideal for performing and compositional coursework, and to demonstrate many of the musical concepts tested in the listening exam. Read less...
- Key Stage 5
Music Technology A2 exam: the essay question
Author: Jane Werry
Often when preparing for exams, you find that a disproportionate amount of time is spent on certain parts of the content. So it is with question 4 of the Music Technology A2 exam: 16 marks that you will spend a significant amount of time chasing. This is due, in part, to the rather vague language of the specification, and the vastness of Area of Study 3 (the development of technology-based music).
You may wish to approach this by giving your students as much relevant information as possible within a short space of time, and concentrate your energy on the coursework component of the A2 course, together with the practical part of the exam. However, the examiners’ reports state that candidates who memorise and regurgitate information without understanding it fully do not score highly, so you will need to ensure that your students have more than a superficial understanding of a wide range of topics.
What I aim to do here is present you with the information that you need on some of the topics which might come up in this year’s exam, to save you preparation time. I will also suggest some possible approaches to teaching and revising the material, and maximising marks in the exam itself. Read less...
August 2012
- Key Stage 3
Getting Year 7 off to a flying start
Author: Jane Werry
It’s September. Your Year 7s are sparkling with enthusiasm and untainted by the ennui and lassitude that seems to afflict many secondary students from the middle of Year 8 onwards. You want to capitalise on their shiny zest for school and reel them in so they rapidly become music department natives. How do you go about this in a few short weeks while the sense of wonder at being at a new school is still fresh? What I aim to do here is give you a compendium of ideas to do all of the above, so you can pick and choose the ones you think might work for you. Read less...
- Key Stage 4
BTEC Firsts: professional development in the music industry
Author: Benji Vincent
This is an assignment brief that fully covers one of the core units in the specifications for the Edexcel 2010 Level Two BTEC Firsts in music including the certificate, extended certificate and diploma. This assignment briefs cover: Unit 2 – Professional Development In The Music Industry, a core unit option for all of the current 2010 specification BTEC First courses. The aim and purpose of this unit is to show learners how to explore the vast range of career opportunities that
are available within the sector with a view to their own personal professional development and specific interests within the music industry. Read less...- Key Stage 5
Performing well at GCE (A level) music
Author: Hugh Benham
Performance is the area that many students of GCE (A level) music enjoy most and in which they are most successful. Nevertheless, some still underachieve. This resource will look at how teachers can help students attain the best results possible for them. It is hoped that what follows will be of help and reassurance to all, but particularly to those in the early years of their teaching careers. Read less...
July 2012
- Key Stage 3
Author: Harriet Power
Composers throughout history have been inspired by different aspects of the environment. Of course the word ‘environment’ can be expanded to mean almost anything, in the sense that all music is somehow affected and influenced by the surroundings (or environment) in which it is composed. But to narrow the subject down, in this resource I have chosen to focus on music that has been directly inspired by more tangible qualities of the environment, looking at the divide between urban and rural settings in music. The three main sections of this resource look at:
1. Music inspired by birdsong – a popular link to nature for many composers
2. Music inspired by water – likewise, an aspect of the environment that has weaved its way into much music
3. Music inspired by the city – to illustrate how urban environments can also inspire music. Read less...- Key Stage 4
Author: Jane Werry
Area of Study 3 (Dance Music) covers a wide range of dance styles. The listening exam requires students to understand, and be able to identify, a range of different dance styles. Works can also be used as a stimulus for composition work.
Here you will find resources that will help you explore waltz and club dance through performing, giving students the skills they need to tackle the listening exam, including knowledge of the musical features of each style, its background and the dance steps involved. For club dance, music technology is also explored. Armed with this knowledge, students can then embark on composition projects, and full guidance for these is given here. Chances are, your students will try out several styles for their second composition before they find one that they are comfortable with. Having explored both waltz and club dance, they might choose one to compose in, or you might get them to start compositions in both styles, and see how it goes. Read less...- Key Stage 5
AQA A2 Set Works 2013: Shostakovich Symphony No.5 in D minor
Author: Alan Charlton
Shostakovich’s Symphony no.5 is one of the two set works in Section B of the AQA A2 Unit 4 exam. Students opt to study either this or Elgar Symphony No.1 in Ab Major, which was covered in Music Teacher’s online resources in May 2012.
In the exam, students are given a choice of two essay questions on their chosen set work. Each question is worth 30 marks out of a total of 100 for the exam. Students are allowed to take clean copies of the scores into the exam with them on which they can write bar numbers beforehand. On the basis of the exam questions for the previous set works, typical questions on a set work might include:
1. Discussing its innovative or traditional qualities
2. Discussing how it uses one or more elements of music (melody, harmony, etc.)
3. Writing a commentary on an individual movement, or substantial section of a movement.
4. Discussing its external influences (musical styles, texts, programmes, etc.)
5. Discussing its orchestration
Since the historical and political background to Shostakovich’s Symphony no.5 is particularly significant, questions may centre on the extent to which external factors influenced the symphony. This article will cover the context in which the work was written; structure, including his use of thematic development and tonality; and general musical features, including orchestration, harmony, rhythm and texture. It will also look briefly at the musical subtext to the work, particularly his use of irony and musical meanings that could be interpreted in different ways, and at some of the influences on Shostakovich. Read less...
June 2012
- Key Stage 3
Author: Harriet Power
As the word propaganda can be applied to any form of media that attempts to persuade others to think or act in a certain manner – whether it is given this purpose by the creator of the media itself or merely by its disseminator – the world of musical propaganda is formidably large. But it can be a particularly interesting way of exploring music’s interaction with politics, and how music propagates or acquires certain meanings.
This resource aims to give you some starting points for exploring music and propaganda with your class. It focuses on three examples that might not seem like the most obvious places to begin, but should help to illustrate the diversity of topics you could study and the wide variety of forms that musical propaganda can take. Read less...- Key Stage 4
Author: Anthony Anderson
This resource aims to give you a bank of ideas for starter activities you can use with your classes. While primarily aimed at Key Stage 4, many of these activities can be adapted for older or younger students. While some of the ideas can be lifted directly from this resource, the aim is to provide some open-ended ideas you can try – and adapt if necessary – to suit the needs of your pupils. Read less...
- Key Stage 5
IB 2013-14 set work: Yellow River Piano Concerto
Author: Alan Charlton
Xian Xinghai’s Yellow River Piano Concerto is one of the two prescribed set works for IB HL and SL for examination in 2013–14, the other being Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony. As the Yellow River Piano Concerto is a new set work – and quite unusual in style and structure – this resource builds on Music Teacher’s April 2012 resource, offering more detailed analysis of the work.
Knowledge and understanding of the set works is tested in Section A of paper 1 (the listening paper). In this section, three questions are set, from which students have to answer question 3, comparing the two set works, and then choose from either question 1 or 2, which are on the respective individual works. Students have clean scores of the set works with them in the examination. Each question carries 20 marks, so the set works account for 40 out of 140 total marks for the paper at higher level and 40 out of 120 marks for standard level.
IB set works tend to be selected to highlight links between different musical traditions and Xian’s Yellow River Piano Concerto, with its strong Chinese and European influences and inseparable relationship to Chinese political and social concerns, is no exception. This resource will therefore approach the work from this angle, with the musical elements being explained in this context. Read less...
May 2012
- Key Stage 3
Author: Jane Werry
Above all, bhangra is enormous fun. Even if your students have no real knowledge of Asian culture already, they will recognise it (and probably break out into some spontaneous dance moves). Its immediate, super-catchy appeal is what makes it such a winner as a KS3 project. It creates opportunities to explore melody and rhythm, how the style has changed over time and there is also plenty of cultural content to delve into. This resource gives you everything you will need for performing, listening, composing and research activities. Even if you are complete newcomer to this style, I hope to provide you with enough background information and structured activities to create a successful project for your students. Read less...
- Key Stage 4
Assessment for learning in GCSE music
Author: Anthony Anderson
With the focus on creative work accounting for such a large percentage of all music GCSEs, AfL is an essential ingredient in effective teaching and learning in the music classroom. But it will not happen by chance. Opportunities for reflective assessment must be embedded into daily practice, rather than considered only as a separate entity at the end of a unit of work. Such an approach enables students to understand the importance of assessment for themselves and to be fully involved in its implementation. Assessment should not be for its own sake or merely as evidence that evaluative processes are taking place. It should be focused, useful and relevant. As a natural outcome, students should understand not just that they need to improve, but how to do it. With that in mind, this resource offers some approaches to try. Read less...
- Key Stage 5
AQA A2 Set Works 2013: Elgar Symphony no.1 in A flat major
Author: Alan Charlton
Elgar''s Symphony no.1 in A flat major is one of the two set works in Section B of the AQA A2 Unit 4 exam and students choose whether to study this or the Shostakovich Symphony no.5 (which will be covered in a future resource). This resouce will mostly focus on structure, particularly the ways in which Elgar treats form, thematic development and tonality in the symphony. It will also cover his general approach to orchestration, harmony, rhythm and texture and will provide some context information. Read less...
April 2012
- Key Stage 3
Teaching composition using film and TV music
Author: Simon Rushby
Young composers encounter two main problems – having ideas in the first place, and then working out what to do with them. Yet so much inspiration can be derived from studying the very music they spend most of their time hearing. Here are three activities that can be worked into lessons at any stage of the Key Stage 3 music course, or even into early GCSE lessons to provide ideas for first compositions. Read less...
- Key Stage 5
Author: Alex Tester
Teaching a new work can be bewildering, particularly one with such an international flavour, and mixture of different styles. So for the analysis, a structure-based approach makes it easier to digest, taking each section of the colourful score at a time. Within these sections, it’s useful to take students through the individual topic words that the IB syllabus encourages use of. This resource will present you with a guide to analysing these set works along these lines. Read less...
- General
Dazzling lessons for observations
Author: Jane Werry
You may be thinking – my teaching is perfectly fine, why should I do anything different when someone comes to observe? – but my answer to that would be to remind you that when you take a driving test, your instructor will tell you to make sure the examiner sees you checking your mirrors. Lesson observations are exactly the same – we want to be sure that the observer is aware of the things we are doing. This resource aims to give you an understanding of what an outstanding music lesson should look and sound like, and some practical ideas for bringing this to life. Read less...
March 2012
- Key Stage 5
Author: Alan Charlton
Two set works are prescribed for Section B of the AQA Unit 4 exam: Mahler Symphony no.4 in G major and Vaughan Williams Symphony no.5 in D major. Students will have opted to study one of these set works. In the exam, students are given a choice of two essay questions on their chosen set work. Each question is worth 30 marks out of a total of 100 for the exam. Students take clean copies of the scores into the exam with them and are allowed to write bar numbers on them beforehand. The exam questions that have been set so far seem to fall into a few categories, and this article organises information according to these question types which focus on a set work: discussing its innovative or traditional qualities; discussing how it uses one or more elements of music (melody, harmony, etc.); writing a commentary on an individual movement, or substantial section of a movement; discussing its external influences (musical styles, texts, programmes, etc.); discussing its orchestration. Read less...
AQA A2: Four decades of Jazz and Blues (1910 to 1950)
Author: Owen Leech
Since this is a dauntingly vast subject, I think that it is important to provide students with a clear, if necessarily simplified, overview of the period. To this end, I provide a compact, but hopefully fairly comprehensive summary of the origins of jazz, which I hope will help in the answering of various types of question. Then I focus on three specific types of question that have typically been set for this area of study, with guidelines on how to answer them and recommended musicians and repertoire. In the third of these, which deals with the careers of Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker, I look into two historically significant recordings (Louis Armstrong''s Alligator Crawl (1927) and Charlie Parker''s Ko-Ko (1945) in greater depth. These would also prove excellent examples in the answering of various general questions. Read less...
Music and the Stage (OCR A2 and AQA AS)
Author: Jane Werry
Success in the exam depends on two areas: knowing the right stuff and being able to write about it in a way that gains you marks. What I hope to do here is to tease out, through close inspection of past papers, what information needs to be learned, and then give you strategies and materials for consolidating this knowledge and practising essay technique. I also aim to give you ideas which will be easy for you to prepare and deliver while keeping students very busy. After all, these are their exams and they should be working harder than you are. Read less...
February 2012
- Key Stage 5
Edexcel revision materials - AS instrumental set works (2012)
Author: Alan Charlton
This resource is designed to support the understanding and memorising of terminology, background information and musical features associated with three of the Edexcel 2012 AS set works: NAM 3 (Berlioz), NAM 15 (Corelli) and NAM 23 (Schumann). Read less...
Revision materials - OCR A2: music and belief (2012)
Author: Jane Werry
Many students find this part of the historical and analytical paper the hardest part of the course. What I aim to do here is give you strategies and materials for tackling all four areas. While they are specific to the music and belief unit, many could be adapted easily for use with any topic. Read less...
Author: Hugh Benham
The main part of this resource deals with set works by Vivaldi (OCR) and Beethoven (AQA). Numbered questions on each work and other short tasks are provided for students to use on their own and/or in groups sessions. These are not intended as specimen exam questions, but will help confirm prior learning, or perhaps suggest areas where additional work is needed. Answers are provided. Read less...
January 2012
- Key Stage 3
Author: Jane Werry
Most people, especially our students, have a whole bundle of preconceptions about opera: opera is boring, opera is old, opera is posh and I don''''''''t know anything about it. Bashing these preconceptions is what makes covering opera at Key Stage 3 so much fun. The activities in this resource aim to give students a thorough understanding of what opera actually is, its cultural context, and enough terminology to be able to talk about opera knowledgeably. There is plenty of listening involving a wide range of repertoire, a chance to sing and play opera tunes, and compose an operatic death scene. Read less...
- Key Stage 5
Listening: harmony and tonality, and notating melodies
Author: Hugh Benham
The majority of students find it challenging when asked in listening exams to comment on harmony and tonality or identify chords, cadences and modulations, even though these features are vital in conveying a composer''''''''s message. How can teachers help students gain confidence and achieve success in these areas? The final section of this article has some suggestions for how students might get better at writing down melodies played to them (melodic dictation). Read less...
- General
How to start and run a successful choir
Author: Benji Vincent
Singing is fun, and proven to be physically and psychologically good for you. But how do you go from singing your favourite songs in the car to becoming a successful choirmaster or director? Starting a choir can seem daunting and overwhelming, but it can be a pleasurable process. Choirs have come back into fashion; just look at the huge hype and buzz that surrounds television shows such as Glee, The Last Choir Standing and (whether we love them or hate them) Gareth Malone''''''''s numerous
programmes on various school, community, and now forces, choirs. Singing appeals to all age groups and generations in so many ways; you just need to be able to tap into this and prove that singing is not ''''''''old school''''''''. Read less...
