Music 2013
Teaching and learning resources

Sample unit — Don’t Stop the Music!

Time allocation: 55 hours (20 weeks)
Overview

This unit focuses on developing students’ musicianship, understanding and application of music elements and concepts through a sequential program. It explores repertoire covering a range of contexts, styles and genres. Students develop a greater awareness of the stylistic considerations that inform the music they compose and perform. They develop aural skills sequentially through the repertoire in order to enhance their musicianship.

Possible approaches
1. Focus on music elements and concepts across music eras

As an introductory unit of study, students explore music elements and concepts to gain greater familiarity with the ways musicians refer to what they see and hear. Students track the use of particular elements and concepts across music eras, such as the role of chromaticism, the development of polyphony, or the manipulation of timbre in different historical contexts. Repertoire is chosen to match with the students’ level of musicianship in order to best develop their aural skills sequentially.

2. Focus on aspects of context, style and genre within a time period

In order to develop musicianship and an understanding of music elements and concepts, students explore the ways musicians manipulate elements within a particular style or context. Students might focus on the variety of moods portrayed in modern jazz, impressionism or folk rock with reference to the ways composers manipulate music elements. Repertoire is chosen to match with the students’ level of musicianship in order to best develop their aural skills sequentially.

Possible repertoire

Repertoire could be selected from the following:

Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf; Trad: The Ash Grove; Trad: When the Saints Go Marching In; J S Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring; Mozart: Twelve Variations on ‘Ah, vous dirai-je maman; Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro; Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in B Minor (‘Unfinished’ Symphony), 1st movement; Fun: Some Nights; Lynyd Skynyrd: Sweet Home Alabama; Coolio: Gangsta’s Paradise; Colin Brumby: The Lime Juice Tub, 2-part setting; Sonny Chua: Theme and 12 Deviations; Penderecki: Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima; Mr Percival: Down in Africa; Metallica: Fade to Black; Bob Dylan: Blowin’ in the Wind; Miles Davis: So What

Examples may also be chosen from the works of Australian composers such as John Antill, Don Banks, Philip Bracanin, Gerard Brophy, Colin Brumby, John Carmichael, Ann Carr-Boyd, Barry Conyngham, George Dreyfus, Ross Edwards, Peggy Glanville-Hicks, Paul Grabowsky, Percy Grainger, Dulcie Holland, Sarah Hopkins, Miriam Hyde, Elena Kats-Chernin, Graham Koehne, Stephen Leek, Richard Meale, Richard Mills, David Page, Peter Sculthorpe, Larry Sitsky, Roger Smalley, Margaret Sutherland, Carl Vine, Martin Wesley-Smith, Nigel Westlake, Vince Jones.

Possible learning experiences

Week 1–5: Music elements and developing musicianship

·  aurally identifying music elements and concepts in selected repertoire

·  visually and aurally listening to recordings with scores to perceive and identify different timbres, playing techniques and textures (score reading)

·  developing aural skills through notating themes from repertoire

·  perceiving, identifying and notating chord progressions heard in chosen repertoire

·  singing and playing rhythms or melodies from the selected repertoire to develop musicianship

·  perceiving and interpreting music elements and concepts in repertoire and music sources from a range of styles and genres

·  analysing and evaluating music to determine the relationships between music elements, concepts and stylistic characteristics

·  comparing music elements and concepts in works from varied contexts, styles and genres

·  evaluating conceptual links including unity, contrast, tension and climax in studied and previously unstudied music

·  synthesising findings, justifying music viewpoints and communicating music ideas about the use of music elements and concepts

Week 6–12: Using music elements

·  selecting and applying music elements and concepts in creating music

·  using aural skills to explore pitch through melody, harmony and tonality

·  using aural skills to create and notate rhythms

·  notating chord progressions taken from studied repertoire

·  imitating or incorporating a heard music passage in a new composition

·  using improvisation as a compositional tool

·  using available technologies to create music

·  composing melodies to existing chord progressions

·  writing accompaniments to existing melodies

·  demonstrating composition techniques in the creation of their own works

·  synthesising and communicating music ideas and stylistic characteristics to create their own works

Week 13–20: Music elements LIVE!

·  incorporating specific expressive devices in order to perform with stylistic accuracy

·  demonstrating aural skills through attention to correct intonation

·  performing works heard in class, viewed live, or seen on the internet

·  demonstrating performance skills and techniques

·  interpreting and applying music elements and concepts in performance

·  reviewing performances and techniques in live or virtual situations

·  realising a score

·  developing effective rehearsal skills to perform music as a cohesive group

·  synthesising and communicating music ideas and stylistic characteristics to create performances

·  using reflection and feedback to improve the performance

Possible assessment
Assessment technique / Composition
Possible tasks / Arrange a given song for duet and instrumental accompaniment.
Compose a theme and variations.
Dimension to be assessed / Composition
The dimension Composition involves the creation of music by combining music elements and concepts in a range of contexts, styles and genres. It entails innovation through exploring and experimenting with sound to synthesise and express personal music ideas and enhance musicianship in Musicology and Performance.
Objectives / By the conclusion of the course of study, students should:
·  select and apply music elements and concepts in the creation of their own works
·  demonstrate composition techniques in the creation of their own works
·  synthesise and communicate music ideas and stylistic characteristics to create their own works
Assessment conditions / Year 11: a minimum of 16 bars or approximately 30 seconds in length.
Year 12: a minimum of 32 bars or approximately 1 minute in length.
Assessment technique / Musicology — written examination
Possible task / Written examination consisting of short and extended written responses, and involving analysis and synthesis of music elements and concepts within a variety of repertoire.
Dimension to be assessed / Musicology
The dimension Musicology involves the study of music in social, historical and cultural contexts. It entails researching, analysing and evaluating repertoire and other music sources, in a range of contexts, styles and genres, to synthesise and express a music viewpoint, and enhance musicianship in Composition and Performance.
Objectives / By the conclusion of the course of study, students should:
·  perceive and interpret music elements and concepts in repertoire and music sources
·  analyse and evaluate music to determine the relationships between music elements, concepts and stylistic characteristics
·  synthesise findings, justify music viewpoints and communicate music ideas.
Assessment conditions / Year 11:
·  Recommended time: 1–1.5 hours.
·  Conducted under supervised conditions.
·  Use of support materials or technologies, e.g. music sources (such as recordings and/or scores), notes, other reference materials or computers, may be appropriate.
·  Questions may be seen or previously unseen.
·  Word lengths:
-  short written responses: 50–250 words
-  extended written responses: 400–600 words.
Year 12:
·  Recommended time: 1.5–2 hours.
·  Conducted under supervised conditions.
·  Use of support materials or technologies, e.g. music sources (such as recordings and/or scores), notes, other reference materials or computers, may be appropriate.
·  Questions may be seen or previously unseen.
·  Word lengths:
-  short written responses: 50–250 words
-  extended written responses: 600–800 words.
Assessment technique / Performance
Possible task / Perform an instrumental or vocal piece, either within ensemble, or as soloist. This may be a performance of the student’s own composition of a song or theme and variations.
Dimension to be assessed / Performance
The dimension Performance involves the interpretation of music elements and concepts through playing, singing and/or conducting in context. It entails communicating music to audiences through the synthesis of music ideas, stylistic characteristics and practices, while enhancing musicianship in Composition and Musicology.
Objectives / By the conclusion of the course of study, students should:
·  interpret and apply music elements and concepts in performance
·  demonstrate performance skills and techniques related to contexts
·  synthesise and communicate music ideas and stylistic characteristics to create performances.
Assessment conditions / Length (Years 11 and 12): Approximately three minutes.
Music 2013
Sample unit — Don’t Stop the Music! / Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
February 2015
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