YEAR 8 UNIT 1 – REPETITION AND CONTRAST

TIMESCALE: 14 – 15 Lessons (September – December)

Classwork to be covered:

• Indonesian Gamelan: Cultural background, names of gamelan instruments, slendro scale (links with pentatonic), composition techniques e.g repetition, ostinato, layered textures, rhythmic and melodic contrasts.  Performance of “Lancaran Cobowo”. Opportunity for more able to compose in the gamelan style.
• Listening based activities focusing on gamelan music and ground bass variations.
• Ground Bass Variations: Performance of Pachelbel’s Canon, links with use of ground bass in popular music e.g. Coolio – I’ll CU When You Get There.
• Triad Chords I, IV and V (III and VI)

Homework

• Gamelan project
• Extra performance practice

Work to be assessed:

• Performance skills – Pachelbel’s Canon
• Standardised test focusing on knowledge of gamelan, musical terms/vocab associated with this project and previous projects, treble clef notation and chords/keyboard layout.
• Homework project. Grade A – E, comment based feedback.

Classwork to be covered:

• The Blues.
• Cultural background, influences. Famous artists.
• Listening based work, focusing on blues/jazz music
• The 12 bar blues (I, IV and V plus 7ths for more able)
• Riffs, walking bass, improvisation, blues scale
• Ensemble and solo performance, improvisation
• Blues songs

Homework

• The origins of the blues, research/focus on one blues artist.

Work to be assessed:

• Ensemble, solo and improvisation based performance skills
• Composition (blues songs)
• Standardised test focusing on knowledge of origins of blues/terms and vocabulary associated with this unit and previous units
• Homework project. Grade A – E, comment based feedback.