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. Key Assessment: Small group performance
Fanfares: Listen to range of fanfares, Identify elements used, compose piece in a fanfare style. Key Assessment: Small group composition
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. Key Assessment: Listening Test
Year 8
Overtures: Listen to selected overtures, identify structures, create a mini-William Tell overture, perform theme. Key Assessment: Small group composition
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. Key Assessment: Small group performance
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. Key Assessment: Listening Test
Year 9
Musical Clichés Listen to film extracts, identify elements in scary, heroic & fantasy genres: create music for genres. Key Assessment: Small group composition
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. Key Assessment: Small group performance
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. Key Assessment: Listening Test
Summer Holiday: 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. Key Assessment: Solo Performance(Internally marked)
Ensemble Performance: Perform and record a piece of music in a group of at least three people. Key Assessment: 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)
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