Class work for 13/11 & 14/11

You have several items to complete for me for 20/11.

1. Make sure your listening task from half term is completely done. If you have submitted half work I will be most unhappy..
2. Complete your MRS DI HAT for your three pieces.
Hint: choose 3 songs you know very well. Mr. Chambers, your must first decide which style you will compose in and then go and research 3 songs in that style. No Mozart yet!
3. Once you have completed task 1&2 you are to go back to your composition and amend it according to the feedback I gave you as well as the information you have gained by researching your three songs:
Your task now is:
a) listen to your composition;
b) write a MRSDIHAT of your composition just like you did in 2.
c) write up a plan how you will improve your MRSDIHAT
d) start composing. For quite a few of you you will have to START FROM SCRATCH. Don't worry, you will be better every time you try.

NEW DEADLINE of your FIXED compositions are 20/11/17.

Anyone not 100% on task will have their names sent to me and I will make sure they have a DOL detention.

Class and homework for 6th November-20th November 2017

Hello! Here is your work for this half-term.

Deadline reminder: Your first official music performance exam will take place on Monday 4th December 2017.  You must bring your sheet music to class and be prepared to perform your piece IN FRONT OF THE REST OF THE CLASS.  Your performance will be recorded for feedback purposes. (i.e. PRACTISE PRACTISE PRACTISE!!)

Lesson1      6/11:

SIT 1, for ALL students.

You have not listened to enough similar compositions.

Task 1: Find 3 songs similar to the piece you composed in style. Listen to each piece on YouTube and complete the following work.

Create a WORD document (Save it in the GCSE Music folder in Mac Shared. File name. Your name and SURNAME Workbook. 

E.g. Yolandy Griffith GCSE Music Workbook

Write the date and topic (GCSE Composition research).

Name of song 1:

1. Style of the song.

2. MRS DI HAT. Make a comment on each of these headings.

M: Melody

R: Rhythm(beat)

S: Structure

D: Dynamics

I: Instrumentation

H: Harmony (chords used)

A: Accompaniment

T: Texture (Layers of music)

Do the same for piece 2 and 3. THIS IS YOUR FIRST HOMEWORK to complete FOR 20/11.

Improvement2: Once you have created your file I will copy the work in it for you.

Lesson 2:  Listening task feedback.  

Pair up. You will be issued with a set work to give feedback on.  You must have your listening homework ready at the START of the lesson. You will have 5 minutes to prepare feedback to the rest of the class.

Last 20 minutes. We will be moving the keyboards into the practical music room in preparation of your next lesson with me which will take place in that classroom. 

GCSE Music classwork for 6th November 2017

Hello Lovelies! Thank you for everyone's compositions today. Here is your homework and classwork to be completed by the 6th of November.

Edexcel GCSE Music

Set works

Area of Study 1: Instrumental Music 1700–1820

1.         J.S. Bach: 3rd Movement from Brandenburg Concerto no. 5 in D major

2.         L. van Beethoven: 1st Movement from Piano Sonata no. 8 in C minor ‘Pathétique’

Area of Study 2: Vocal Music

3.         H. Purcell: Music for a While

4.         Queen: Killer Queen (from the album ‘Sheer Heart Attack’)

Area of Study 3: Music for Stage and Screen

5.         S. Schwartz: Defying Gravity (from the album of the cast recording of Wicked)

6.         J. Williams: Main title/rebel blockade runner (from the soundtrack to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope)

Area of Study 4: Fusions

7.         Afro Celt Sound System: Release (from the album ‘Volume 2: Release’)

8.         Esperanza Spalding: Samba Em Preludio (from the album ‘Esperanza’)

For each set work do the following by 6^th November 2017:

1.         Listen to each set work. You will find the set work list on the music blog: 

\www.harrisinvictusmusic.blogspot.co.uk

2.         Research the following information:

a)       Name of the piece of music

b)      Year it was composed in.

c)       The Style of the piece (e.g. concerto/song/sonata etc)

d)      Write a short biography about the composer (DOB, country of birth, 2 interesting facts about their lives)

e)       List the instruments found in the piece.  Organise the instruments according to their instrument families (e.g. Violin, viola, cello, double bass are all strings so should be together).

f)         Where was the piece first performed.

g)    Write 2 musical points that you can hear about each piece.  Ideas to write about are: 

Rhythm, Pitch, Melody, Texture, Structure, Dynamics.

Composing at GCSE Music

Hi guys, Just a reminder that your composition is due on Monday 16th October 2017.  Here are some top tips for writing a piece on Garageband.

1. Start with a chord sequence.  C G Am F is a good one to try, but experiment with the chords in my previous post to see which one you like. 

2. Play these chords into Garageband and loop about 4-6 times.

3. Play them back to yourself and try humming or playing a tune over it that fits.

4. HINT: The tune should have a lot of the same notes as the notes in your chord that is playing at that time. e.g. If the chord is CEG, then the melody should have C E and G in it.

5. Try adding a baseline.  This should be the bottom note of your chord so, if your chord is CEG, your baseline note should be C. 

6. Develop your baseline note by playing it in with an interesting rhythm.

7. Add a beat. NOTE: you are NOT allowed any sample beats, make your own!!

Good luck.  Also, for ideas on good beats check out the youtube video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zkU_lOSgPI

GCSE Music listening playlists on YouTube

This is an image of the textbook that you need to get. 

Edexcel GCSE Music (9-1) Set Works:  These pieces will all be in your written exam in year 11.  You will study their origin, social context as well as detailed features of the music itself.  Make sure you listen to these tracks AT LEAST once EVERY WEEK so that you know them like the back of your hand by year 11.

Edexcel GCSE Music (9-1) Suggested wider listening: These pieces will enrich your listening and study of the set works.

GCSE Music at Harris Invictus Academy

My dearies,
Welcome to what will be an amazing two years filled with hard work and dedication.  I hope you all behaved very well for the other teacher.  I have had a lovely time growing a tiny human.

Yes I know, she's very cute.

Until Christmas I will see you only sporadically, but keep an eye on this blog and do all the work I set and you will be just fine!

Half-term 1: Chords and Composition

This half-term you will get to know your instrument and write a song for it.  We will also tackle formal music theory as you will need to read and write music to pass your GCSE!  Here are some ideas to help you with your composition this term.


Composition task: Compose a piece of music that is suited for the instrument you intend to perform your solo recital on.  It must include:
- An Appropriate chord sequence of at least 4 chords.
- A melody that fits correctly over these chords.
- An appropriate structure (e.g. intro-verse-chorus)
It can include:
- Appropriate lyrics.
- These lyrics recorded in on your Mac over the chord sequence.

Youtube tutorials on this blog will help refresh your memory on how to create your Garageband files.

Deadline: 9th October 2017.  Your composition will be marked by me during this session with appropriate feedback and improvement points that you will need to complete by the 17th of October.

Let's start with chords. 

I Smile lyrics- Soul choir

Lyrics

I dedicate this song to recession,
Depression and unemployment
This song's for you

Today's a new day, but there is no sunshine
Nothing but clouds, and it's dark in my heart
And it feels like a cold night
Today's a new day, where are my blue skies
Where is the love and the joy that you promised me
Tell me it's alright

I almost gave up, but a power that I can't explain
Fell from heaven like a shower

I smile, even though I hurt see I smile
I know God is working so I smile
Even though I've been here for a while
I smile, smile
It's so hard to look up when you been down
Sure would hate to see you give up now
You look so much better when you smile, so smile

Today's a new day, but there is no sunshine
Nothing but clouds and it's dark in my heart
And it feels like a cold night
Today's a new day, tell me where are my blue skies
Where is the love and the joy that you promised me
Tell me it's alright

I almost gave up, but a power that I can't explain
Fell from heaven like a shower now

I smile, even though I hurt see I smile
I know God is working so I smile
Even though I've been here for a while
I smile, smile
It's so hard to look up when you been down
Sure would hate to see you give up now
You look so much better when you smile