Music

Preparation for unit 1: performance

Choose and practise a piece for your first class performance, which will take place in the first 3 weeks of term. Play something you are comfortable with , as well as you can, rather than trying to play the hardest piece you know. This is to introduce you as performers, and to help understand the mark scheme for the recitals.

Preparation for unit 2: composition

Have a go at composing a melody for your instrument/voice. You can use manuscript paper, or improvise and record yourself playing your own tune. Start by choosing a scale, starting on the 1^st note and see where it takes you – any style is fine – be creative!

Preparation for unit 3

One of the ‘Areas of Study’ you will look at for A level Music is ‘Music for Film.’

A good starting point would be to watch the 2 films from which the musical extracts you will study are taken.

These are:

• Batman Returns
• Psycho

1. What instruments are used in this opening music?
2. How are the instruments used? What do they contribute and provide to the opening music?
3. How would you describe the tonality of this music?
4. How would you describe the main melody?
5. Does the texture of the music change at all during this cue?
6. Why is this a suitable piece of music for the opening of this particular movie?

This will really help to place the set extracts in context.

You will also study Vocal Music. 

You will need to explore the background and context  of  Vocal music by Vaughan Williams and Bach before you study the set works in depth next year.

Use the following to guide you, all the examples are available as audio / video if you search YouTube: