Curriculum Statement - Music
‘Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.’ – Plato
Music has an inexplicable power to stimulate us intellectually and move us emotionally.
Powerful Knowledge in Music
Our aims are for every student regardless of background or circumstance to be inspired, and to make progress to achieve the highest standards of musicianship.
Our curriculum endeavours to achieve our aims in the key areas of singing, listening, composing and performing. We aim to develop powerful knowledge of musical concepts and creative skills through the study of a broad range of genres and through critical engagement with historical, social, moral, spiritual, and cultural contexts.
Our curriculum teaches beyond what is required to pass examinations. It enriches the lives of our individual students and enables them to develop mature musical understanding and a lifelong appreciation of music.
Curriculum Features
Students build powerful knowledge and skills through performing, composing and listening.
They develop their vocal and instrumental fluency, accuracy and expressiveness in a range of solo and ensemble contexts.
They understand the threshold concepts of musical theory, identify and use the interrelated dimensions of music expressively and with increasing sophistication, including use of tonalities, scales, and musical devices.
They compose and improvise; extend and develop musical ideas, use staff and other relevant notations in a range of musical styles, genres and traditions.
They listen with increasing discrimination, and awareness to a wide range of music from great composers and musicians informing their practice as musicians and developing a deep understanding of the music that they perform and to which they listen, and its history.
Co-Curriculum Enrichment
Our music curriculum inspires our students to be involved in an extensive, diverse elective enrichment programme. Our inclusive ensembles and choirs are delivered by expert practitioners who nurture an enjoyment of performing whilst challenging our students to develop their musicianship.
We encourage our students to strive to achieve through graded music examinations and we provide quality opportunities to work in partnership with professional music organisations and conservatoires. Student ambassadors develop leadership skills by sharing their musicianship with their peers.
We are unapologetically aspirational which is demonstrated through the quality of our performances.