Music
The Music Department is here to make music. All students have musical ability and we will help your child to have confidence in their ability and to develop it to a higher level.
Key Stage 3
Year 7
Keyboard and Notation: Basic keyboard technique, treble and bass clef notation, keyboard pieces performed.
Fanfares: Listen to range of fanfares, Identify elements used, compose piece in a fanfare style.
Improvisation: Listen to a range of improvised performances, Identify techniques used, perform a chord pattern, improvise a melody over the pattern.
Electronic Music: Listen to range of electronic music, identify elements used, create music using electronic sounds, perform a popular electronic piece.
Listening and Appraising I: Listen to selected musical examples, answer questions on the pieces. Listening Test
Year 8
Overtures: Listen to selected overtures, identify structures, create a mini-William Tell overture, perform theme.
Silent Movies: Watch silent movie extracts, identify how music reflects action, create a soundtrack for a movie clip.
Blues: Listen to examples of Blues, identify techniques, perform 12-bar blues, create/improvise blues melody.
Group Performances: Listen to popular music examples, identify components of performances, perform a popular song from notation.
Variations: Listen to examples of variations, identify techniques used in variations, compose variations on given or chosen melody
Listening and Appraising II: Listen to selected musical examples, answer questions on the pieces. Listening Test
Year 9
Musical Clichés Listen to film extracts, identify elements in scary, heroic & fantasy genres: create music for genres.
Movie Scene: Listen to a range of film music extracts, identify elements used in response to a range of genres, create a soundtrack for a given film clip
Mini bands: Listen to popular music, identify components of performances, perform song from notation & lyrics.
Dance e-Jay: Listen to range of electronic dance music, identify elements used, use software to create piece of EDM.
Listening and Appraising III: Listen to selected musical examples, answer questions on the pieces. Listening Test
Summer Music: Listen to a range of popular summer music, identify elements used, perform example of popular summer music
Key Stage 4
Year 10
Performance preparation: Practice regularly, attend regular specialist tuition, develop repertoire
Solo Performance: Perform and record a piece of music. Solo Performance(Internally marked)
Ensemble Performance: Perform and record a piece of music in a group of at least three people. Ensemble Performance (Internally marked)
Develop Composition Techniques including structure, harmonic progression, melody, accompaniment, resources, cadences, modulation, rhythm and metre
Free Composition - in response to own brief using appropriate elements, techniques & resources.
Brief Composition - in response to AQA-style brief using appropriate elements, techniques & resources. Key Assessment: Solo Composition (Internally marked)
Listen to and appraise music: from four areas of study. Example questions in class (Internally marked). Key Assessment: Year 10 Exam (Internally marked)
Year 11
Performance preparation: Practice regularly, attend regular specialist tuition, develop repertoire
Solo Performance: Perform and record a piece of music. Key Assessment: Solo Performance (Internally marked, externally moderated)
Ensemble Performance: Perform and record a piece of music in a group of at least three people. Key Assessment: Ensemble Performance (Internally marked, externally moderated)
Free Composition - in response to own brief using appropriate elements, techniques & resources. Key Assessment: Solo Composition (Internally marked, externally moderated)
Brief Composition - in response to AQA-style brief using appropriate elements, techniques & resources. Key Assessment: Solo Composition (Internally marked, externally moderated)
Listen to and appraise music: from four areas of study. Example questions in class (Internally marked). Key Assessments: Mock Exam (Internally marked), Listening Exam (Externally marked)
Key Stage 5
Year 12
Grade 5 or Grade 8 Theory – rudiments and theory of music, external Associated Board (ABRSM) examination.
The following units may be offered depending on the skills of the group; the first two units are compulsory
Planning for a career in music | Plan effectively to develop knowledge and skills to support future engagement with music profession Submit e-portfolio with Individual Learning Plan and Career Action Plan |
Rehearsal skills & live music performance | 50 hours including 10 hours preparation time, 40 hours Controlled Assessment 1 Planning rehearsal process (submit a detailed plan) 10h; 2 Rehearsal (submit video log of rehearsals and diary of progress) 15h; 3 Performance and evaluation of performance (submit video and report) 15h |
Improve instrumental performance | Critique own instrument/ voice, develop appropriate techniques Demonstrate progression in technique and control; review progress |
Leading Music-Making Activity | Plan and lead at least 45 minutes of Music-Making activity Evaluate the success of the activity; assess own strengths and areas for development |
Composing Musical Styles | Demonstrate skills to create two compositions in defined styles Research compositional methods of each style; Create pieces between 3-4 minutes each, for at least four parts each Produce visual representation of pieces (eg score/ lead sheet); Evaluate strengths and areas for development of compositions |
Orchestration | Create reduction of pop song for solo harmony instrument; orchestrate reduction for string quartet and vocals/ rhythm and horn sections Evaluate strengths and areas for development of arrangements created |
Composing for Film & Documentary | Demonstrate skills to create music for film/ documentary applications; Evaluate use of music in film and documentary applications Create two scenes of at least 5 minutes for a film and a documentary Produce visual representations of pieces (eg score/graphic diagrams); Evaluate strengths and areas for development of compositions |
Practical Harmony Applications | Describe and understand chord variants and modes; create four 16 bar chord progressions – major/ minor/ major mode/ minor mode Include specific chord types in chord progressions; Evaluate learning, identify strengths and areas for development |
Understanding Musical Influences | Understand importance of influences in creation of new music; produce analysis of influences on work of two current active artists Analyse the music of one of the artists referring to identifiable influences; Evaluate the influences on their own musical tastes and musical thinking |
Understanding Musical Styles | Understand the development of two distinct style of music; understand wider historical and social contexts of the styles Discuss chronological development and analyse context of the styles; Assess the musical and stylistic differences between the two styles |
Contextualising Music | Demonstrate contextual knowledge in relation to different musical styles; compare two styles – developments/ perceptions/ influences Explain main musical elements of each style; Evaluate personal responses to each style |
Listening to Music | Recognise relationship between musical elements and personal responses; identify two works that elicit contrasting responses, analyse elements involved Analyse how responses reflect conditioning and change over time; provide informed analysis of own musical tastes |
Music Dissertation | Dissertation, 2000-3000 words, objective argument on chosen music-related question (submit report)
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Leading Music-Making Activity | Plan and lead at least 45 minutes of Music-Making activity Evaluate the success of the activity; assess own strengths and areas for development |
Auditioning for Music | Demonstrate skills to audition effectively for a specific music role; analyse personal goals, review profile of audition Undertake audition, draw conclusions on success of audition; Identify strengths and areas for development |
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Practical Musicianship | Listen to, internalise and reproduce musical elements and ideas; communicate musical elements and ideas to others |
Extended music provision
Students can receive specialist tuition at very reasonable cost, in school time, in the following:
Woodwind, Brass & String instruments, Guitar, Drums, Keyboard, Piano, Voice
The Department provides a wide range of ensembles that meet during the day or after school:
Boys’ Choir, Girls’ Choir, School Choir, Post-16 Choir, Staff Choir
Orchestra, Woodwind Group, Brass Group, String Group, Jazz Group, Recorder Group
Regular performances throughout the year celebrate achievement and showcase ability, including: ‘Opportunity Knocks’ talent show, SingUp, Cockermouth by Candlelight, Carol Singing, Carol Service,
Recitals Week, Carlisle Music Festival, Classical Song, Summer Concert, Cockermouth Live!, Blues Night.
An annual show, produced with the Drama Department – this year’s is ‘The Pirates of Penzance’.
Cockermouth Music Centre is an independent organisation which offers classes at Cockermouth School on Saturday mornings in the autumn and spring terms, including:
Band, Folk Group, Samba Band, Viol Group, Saxophone Group, Clarinet Choir, Junior and Senior Choir;
Beginner, Intermediate, Senior Guitar and Ukulele Groups, Rock School, Theory, Keyboard, Recorders;
(For Years 2 and 3: Minims & Quavers, Little Recorders and Little Voices) www.cockermouthmusccentre.org