Strategic Lead for Performance: Mr M. Osborne
“Music education can help spark a child’s imagination or ignite a lifetime of passion. It should not be a privilege for a lucky few, it should be a part of every child’s world of possibility.”
- Hillary Clinton
During their time at Scissett we want students to:
- Develop a love of Music and Drama, aware that Performance subjects are inclusive – for all not the few.
- Grow in confidence and capability through a broad range of experiences
- Engage with the Performing Arts subjects as both an academic and creative pursuit
Music develops the students’ social, creative and artistic skills and forms a foundation for a fulfilling and interesting life. For some it is the beginning of a specialised career and for others it enriches their life as a leisure activity.
Each student has 55-minute long music lesson each week. Lessons are entirely practical and involve performing, composing and listening to music. In each lesson we sing, create music in groups or using music technology and listen to and evaluate each other's work. Students have the opportunity to develop a broad mix of skills during their time at Scissett.
The department has been awarded, in every year since 2018, Music Mark status, which is an award in recognition of our commitment to providing high quality music education for all children and young people.
What do we study?
Year 6
| What Is Music? |
Introduction to the elements of music. Focus on singing technique. A ukulele transition unit based around the song Best Day of My Life by American Authors. |
|
Keyboard Kick-Off |
Introduction and development of keyboard skills. Using the 5-finger keyboard technique to learn a variety of keyboard melodies. Beginning to understand and develop how read notated music from the stave. |
| I Got Rhythm |
Introduction to djembe drumming techniques. Reading more complex rhythmic notation. Creating drumming compositions that include call and response, cross rhythms and other musical features. |
|
Composing For Film |
Using music technology to create a composition to accompany a scene from The Lion King. Introduction to basic music technology skills including automation and recording parts using a MIDI keyboard. Exploring the use of leitmotifs in film music. |
| Mash It Up |
Developing chord playing skills on the keyboard and ukulele by performing a variety of 4-chord songs. Learning about major and minor tonalities. Creating a mash-up of 4 chord songs and performing as part of a group. |
Year 7
| Instruments of The Orchestra |
Developing knowledge and a deeper understanding of the instruments in the four families of the orchestra. Revisiting and developing notation reading skills and keyboard technique performing a variety of orchestral melodies on the keyboard. |
| Blues |
Exploring the history and significance of The Blues. A mixture of performance and composition tasks using the 12 bar blues chord sequence and walking bass lines. Introduction to improvisation using the blues scale. Developing keyboard and ukulele skills putting together a group arrangement. |
| Minimalism |
Exploring the style and the key features of minimalism. Creating cell-based minimalist compositions that use phasing, melodic transformation, and other key features of the style. |
| Rock Band Part 1 |
Developing skills on the electric guitar, bass guitar, drum kit and keyboard. Learning how to read from tab notation. Performing a song as part of a rock band. Develop an understanding of popular music from 1950 – 1970 with a particular focus on Elvis Presley and The Beatles. |
| Samba |
An introduction to Latin American music including the instruments commonly heard in a Samba band. Learning a variety of Samba rhythms and performing these in class and smaller group performances. |
Year 8
| The Waltz |
Exploring the history of the waltz including key features and key composers. Extended composition of a Waltz that demonstrates an understanding of the key features of the style. |
|
Rock Band Part 2 |
Further developing skills introduced in Rock Band Part 1, including instrumental skills on the electric guitar, bass guitar, drum kit and keyboard. Presenting a performance of an ‘own choice’ rock band piece. Develop an understanding of popular music from 1980s to the present day with a particular focus on Queen, Oasis and the Britpop movement. |
| Remixing | Using music technology to create an authentic remix of a song. This involves taking a current pop song, isolating the vocal stems and then building the song back up using advanced music technology skills. |
Careers in this subject
- Entertainment Lawyer
- Music Producer
- Artists' and Performers' Manager
- DJ
- Video Game Composer or Sound Designer
- Public Relations (PR) Specialist
- Music Publisher
- Film composer
- Sound Engineering Technician
- Songwriter
- Conductor or Music Director
- Concert Promoter
- Music Therapist
- Music Teacher
- Music Journalist
- Instrument Repairer and Tuner
- Concert Technician (Roadie)
Careers Snapshot - Music
Enrichment Opportunities
There are a number of in-house concerts each year, which feature all of the school’s ensembles and a variety of solo acts. As well as our two main concerts, at Christmas and in the spring, our students have lots of opportunities to perform at events in school and in the community. Be sure to check the school’s social media pages to keep updated with all that is going on.
Every Christmas we arrange for Musica Kirklees’ Staff Orchestra and Staff Rock Band to come and entertain students. These concerts are great fun, with the ensembles playing diverse repertoire and introducing our students to the instruments on show.
The Performance department organise an annual trip for Year 7 students to watch a pantomime. At Christmas the Pop Choir visit local care homes and in the Spring term our Wind Band and String Ensemble undertake tours of a selection of our feeder schools. There are many other opportunities for students to perform in the community throughout the year, at local festivals and events, for example.
Lunchtime Clubs and Rehearsals
| Day and Time | Club | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Tuesday 12:25 - 12:55 |
Pop Choir | For all students who love to sing. We perform a range of pop and musical theatre and perform in concerts in school and in the local community. |
|
Wednesday 12:25 - 12:55 |
Wind Band | For all woodwind and brass players. Beginner upwards. The Wind Band perform at concerts in and out of school, including touring our feeder First Schools. |
|
Thursday 12:25 - 12:55 |
Rock Band | For students to unleash the rock star within. Open to students who want to learn the electric guitar, bass guitar and drums and form bands. (Year 7 & 8 only) |
|
Friday 12:25 - 12:55 |
String Ensemble | For Violins, Violas, Cellos and Double basses. Beginner upwards. The String Ensemble perform at concerts in and out of school, including touring our feeder First Schools. |
We are visited by 11 peripatetic staff from Musica Kirklees who offer lessons on the following:
| Tutor | Instrument |
|---|---|
| Mrs L. Pearson | Piano and Keyboard |
| Mrs T. Mansfield | Woodwind |
| Mrs L. Kingham | Woodwind |
| Mr A. Kingham | Brass |
| Mrs C. Clegg | Drum Kit and Percussion |
| Mr M. Crone | Electric and Bass Guitar |
| Miss H. Roulson | Classical Guitar |
| Miss K. Chappell | Upper Strings |
| Mrs J. Worboys-Hodgson | Lower Strings |
| Mr S. Bradnum | Voice (Pop and Musical Theatre) |
| Mrs T. Waller | Voice (Classical) |
Around a hundred students have weekly lessons from Musica Kirklees and many more have private lessons. Students interested in starting instrument lessons should visit the Musica Kirklees website to complete an online application form.
British Moral Values
Click here to see how British Moral Values are taught in Music at Scissett Middle School.