Kura Tuarua Marautanga
Upper School Curriculum
Te Au Whakaari Puoro | Music
The teaching of music involves educating students in theory, performance, and appreciation of musical forms and styles. It aims to develop students' musical skills, creativity, and understanding of cultural and historical contexts through practical engagement and theoretical study.
Music Class 8
During Class 8, as students develop a sense of individuality, the music curriculum highlights contrasting music works which demonstrate how an artist’s inner life can inform musical decision making. Thereby, students express their inner self through musical performance and growing musical compositions.
When studying musical works, Class 8 students will focus on context, both internal and external, which have motivated composers to choose to compose the way they did. This includes exploring music from around the world and from different times in history.
Individuality is expressed through the opportunity to perform music which has been selected for its expressive qualities. Ideally this includes both vocal and instrumental performance practice, complementing and building upon their work in Class 7. Students can be expected in Class 8 to perform multi part vocal music as well as growing instrumental skills to perform in groups.
Developing compositional techniques and sharing their ideas uniquely identifies students, self expression and their understanding of key concepts.
The fourteenth year is a milestone year in the inner life of a young person. There is an increasing realisation—and assertion—of the individual sense of self, of the uniqueness of one’s own identity. After the breadth of exploration of the world, covered in Class 7, the Class 8 year is one of turning towards inwardness, even, at times, self-absorption.
However, in this year, there is still a strong connection to, and care for, the outside world, and the curriculum builds on this in lessons such as environmental studies, the impact of the industrial revolution on humanity, and in responding to the biographies of notable individualities.
At this age, the concreteness of refining skills, meeting boundaries, and being able to articulate emotions are all important ways in which the young person can be supported to feel safe and interested in his or her own place in the world.
UNITS OF LEARNING
A learning unit of performing and one of composing are non-negotiable but the way these are approached is open to the interpretation of each teacher and school.
Composition
Possible Content:
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Simple composition exercises which are all shared with others.
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Create positive listening audience/raising awareness of supporting and respecting all ideas shared.
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Improvising.
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Integrating performance elements
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Exploration of lyrics, basic chords, rhythms.
Performance
Possible Content:
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Could be individual or group performance to a small audience.
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Encourage positive experiences and therefore keep it less informal (depending on individuals)
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Practice performance skills and learning to be in an audience
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Understanding/normalising performance process (not just a one off) build in reflective practice
Relevant Pedagogical Aims:
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To support the individual’s developing sense of uniqueness.
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To re-discover notions of beauty and goodness in light of one’s own responses to the world.
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To stimulate personal goal setting and a sense of responsibility for oneself.
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To polish skills for learning.
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To encourage courage. (In context of composing ones own music)
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To foster a sense of connectedness to the world.
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To promote active searches for meaningful role-models or people who are worth emulating.
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To develop social skills more consciously.
Music Class 9
During Class 9, as students experience strong changes in emotions, corresponding music is explored to reflect these through changes in dynamics and genres. The learning is focused on group work and developing the students’ awareness of others because they tend to be very self focused at this age.
When studying musical works, Class 9 students will focus on music that is further afield. This can draw students towards a positive or negative polarity in relation to their enjoyment of these pieces. It also allows students to decide on genres they want to explore further and genres they certainly prefer to avoid. This includes political and protest music from around the world.
Students will explore and refine large amounts of information.
Individuality is expressed through the opportunity to perform music which has been selected for its expressive qualities. Ideally this includes both vocal and instrumental performance practice, complementing and building upon their work in Class 8. Students can be expected in Class 9 to perform multi part vocal music as well as growing instrumental skills to perform in groups.
Continue to develop compositional techniques started in Class 8. Students are given multiple opportunities to share their ideas and work with their classmates but not necessarily with more than their peers while they are still developing their performance and composition skills.
UNITS OF LEARNING
Composition
A learning unit of performing and one of composing are non-negotiable but the way these are approached is open to the interpretation of each teacher and school.
Possible Content:
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More scope for exploring personal expression, emulating others’ style
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Exploration of expression through music (protest songs etc.)
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Developing short ideas into something more substantial
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Exploring how ideas can influence and effect musical composition
Performance
Possible Content:
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Solo performance - Aspire to share to a larger audience than just the class or half class.
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Group performance - Within class group or co-curricular ensembles (orchestra, chamber group, barbershop/choir.)
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Practice performance skills and learning to be in an audience.
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Developing performance process skills, build in reflective practice
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Hold multiple performances (in different contexts) and refine these
Relevant Pedagogical Aims:
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To build inner courage and perseverance.
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To work with accurate observation, objectivity and detail.
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To develop the reasoning power of the student.
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To foster tolerance and social engagement.
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To work with the hands (and soil).
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To awaken to the polarities of subject knowledge through both heart and will.
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To show how causes, issues, “facts”, phenomena, opinions, etc. can pull in two directions, have two sides.
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To work with the discovery of assertion and a sense of place in the world.
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To bring claims of rights and responsibilities to consciousness.
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To bring idealism to the fore, to push ideas to the limit.
Music Class 10
At Class 10 level students continue to focus on performance and composition and develop the skills they began in Class 8 &9. The pedagogical aims are achieved through the practical learning of performance and composition skills.