Music

KS3

Music at Park View places an emphasis on practical musicianship for all learners. Students are given opportunities to listen to, compose and perform music from a large range of genres, from different historical periods and from different social and cultural influences. 

Year 7: Musicianship, singing and rhythm notation / Programme Music / Samba

Year 8: Keyboard skills / Music for Adverts / Funk

Year 9: Horror Film Music / Musical Elements / Chords and Melody Writing

 

GCSE Music

Course outline

The GCSE Music course places an emphasis on practical musicianship for all learners. Students are given opportunities to listen to, compose and perform music from a large range of genres, from different historical periods and from different social and cultural influences.  We offer many exciting opportunities for students to share their work both inside and outside school.

An enthusiastic and dedicated team of peripatetic staff offer free instrumental lessons to all of our GCSE students and will support in preparing individual students for the performing coursework.  Students prepare two original compositions using a range of live instruments and specialist music technology and write about the process of composing.  A listening exam takes place in Year 11 where students answer questions on extracts of music to show their knowledge of music.

  • Component 1: Performing music 30% (Internally assessed and externally moderated by WJEC Educas)
  • Component 2: Composing music 30% (Internally assessed and externally moderated by WJEC Educas)
  • Component 3: Set Work Analysis 20% (Externally assessed by WJEC Educas)
  • Component 4: Listening Skills 20% (Externally assessed by WJEC Educas)

Extra-Curricular

We offer many exciting opportunities for students to share their work both inside and outside school. In recent years our pupils have worked with the Monteverdi Choir at Alexandra Palace, taking part in choral workshops with our feeder primary schools, given public and school performances as part of our extra-curricular programme and taking part in the whole school musical, Grease.

All students are encouraged to take part in our broad range of extra-curricular activities which include: Choir, Drum Club, Guitar Ensemble, Rhythm Sticks, Rock School, String Orchestra and Keyboard club.

Instrumental Lessons

An enthusiastic and dedicated team of peripatetic staff offer free instrumental lessons to all of our GCSE students and to pupils who choose to learn an instrument in Key Stage 3. There are a wide variety of instruments available to learn within the department that include, Piano, Keyboard, Violin, Cello, Clarinet, Saxophone, Drum Kit, Classical and Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar and Singing. We also offer all students that are studying at Park View the opportunity to be entered for ABRSM and Trinity music exams over the course of the academic year.

Progression

After studying GCSE Music there are many courses to follow at college, including Music and Music Technology A levels and BTEC Music and Performing Arts courses. At university students can specialise in areas such as performing, composing, music technology, ethnomusicology, contemporary music or follow a more general study of music. There are many career opportunities for music lovers, including work as a performer or composer or working behind the scenes as a producer, sound engineer, promoter, talent scout or manager. Other career paths might include being a music therapist, media lawyer, music librarian or teacher.

Music Curriculum Overview