A self-guided, step-by-step GCSE composing project for the Blues. Includes sample accompaniments and other features such as riffs.

A self-guided, step-by-step guide to composing a ternary form waltz or minuet for piano. An example waltz is included.

African Music KS3 scheme of work N.B. This is designed as a modular scheme of work with self-contained lessons linked by recurring themes. It works well in a short half of term and/or one interrupted by trips, exams, etc. Lessons 3 and 4 work best when taught consecutively. Objectives • Performing: to sing traditional African songs and to play African percussion • Composing: to create a layered, syncopated rhythmic ostinato within a group performance • Listening: to learn about, and to recognise, African musical styles and instruments Lesson overview • Lesson 1: Wimmoweh • Lesson 2: African instruments • Lesson 3: African rhythms • Lesson 4: Group composition • Lesson 5: Singing African Songs • Lesson 6: Listening to African Music • Research assignment (cover lesson/homework – no listening required) Vocabulary • African instruments: o CABASA large gourd with a handle covered with a network of stringed beads o KORA a harp with 21 strings, resounding in half a large gourd, covered with skin o TALKING DRUM A drum with two heads which are kept taut by strings o MARIMBA A set of wooden bars arranged in a row over a set of resonating gourds o DJEMBE A large single-headed drum o THUMB-PIANO A wooden board with thin metal strips attached to it • Polyrhythm and cross rhythm • Call-and-response • Ostinato • Layering • A capella • Close and parallel harmony Assessment • Performing: singing an African song (Lesson 5) • Composing: creating a rhythmic ostinato as part of a group composition/performance (Lessons 3 and 4) • Listening: ‘Listening to African Music’ (Lesson 6)

A complete carol from '50 Christmas Carols', edited by Chris Gill. Arranged for four parts (SATB) on two staves, with chord symbols above, and lyrics for all of the verses printed in between the staves. The complete edition of '50 Christmas Carols' is available as a pdf and Sibelius file from TES resources, or as a paperback from Amazon.

A complete carol from '50 Christmas Carols', edited by Chris Gill. Arranged for four parts (SATB) on two staves, with chord symbols above, and lyrics for all of the verses printed in between the staves. The complete edition of '50 Christmas Carols' is available as a pdf and Sibelius file from TES resources, or as a paperback from Amazon.

KS3 Scheme of Work (6-8 lessons) including 10 pages of teacher's notes and 14 pupils' worksheets Objectives • To become familiar with music for different films and to recognise film genres • To learn how some musical features can be combined to create soundtracks for different film genres • To perform a film music theme on the keyboard, and to adapt it to compose for a film clip Overview • Lesson 1: Film and Genre • Lesson 2: Musical Ideas for Film Genres • Lesson 3*: Orchestral Film Music • Lesson 4: Listening to the James Bond Theme • Lesson 5: Practising the James Bond Theme • Lesson 6: Performing the James Bond Theme • Lesson 7*: Composing film music • Lesson 8*: Final evaluation of composition • Cover lesson/homework worksheets: o Sound effects for film o Creative sound effects o A Century of Film Music (2 pages) * Lessons 3, 7 and 8 are self-contained lessons which can be omitted for a shorter scheme of work Subject-specific vocabulary • Film genres: thriller, romance, cartoon, comedy, sci-fi, western • Musical features: cluster chords, ‘oom-pah’ accompaniment, atonal, major, minor, chromatic • Timbres: synthesiser, strings, brass Assessments • Performing (keyboard) – The James Bond Theme • Listening – Film Genres, James Bond Theme with score and in context of a film • Composing – Goldfinger pre-credits sequence

KS3 Scheme of Work – 6 lessons Objectives • To listen to different styles of jazz and its influences: Blues, Ragtime, New Orleans Jazz, Swing Era big bands, Bebop, latin jazz, and rock fusion • To sing songs a spiritual and blues song in the jazz style, both in class and individually • To develop improvising skills using a variety of scales and note patterns (rhythm only, pentatonic minor scale, five notes (C-G), blues scale, chord notes) on given tunes and chord sequences Lesson outline • Lesson 1 – Blues and Ragtime • Lesson 2 – New Orleans Jazz • Lesson 3 – The Swing Era • Lesson 4 – Later Jazz Styles • Lesson 5 – When the Saints go Marching In • Lesson 6 – Improvising Assessment Subject-specific vocabulary • Instruments – piano, drum kit, double bass, trumpet, cornet, clarinet, trombone, saxophone, banjo • Blues notes – where some notes have a slightly lower pitch • Call-and-response – where the lead singer’s phrases are echoed by other singers or instruments • Major scale – an ordinary seven-note scale in a major key • Oom-pah accompaniment – a backing pattern where bass notes alternate with chords, all on the beat • Syncopated – where the offbeat notes are accented • Swing – where the beat is divided unequally into a long note and a short note • Rhythm section keeps the beat and accompanies with bass line and chords • Frontline instruments play the original melody (head) and improvise • Improvise - make up the music as you go along • Head – the original, composed melody of a particular song • Scat singing • Walking bass • ‘Ten-to-ten’ rhythm – repeated crotchet and two swung quavers on ride cymbal Assessments • Performing: playing ‘In the Mood’ on the keyboard (Lesson 3) • Listening: listening exercise on ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ (Lesson 5) • Composing: improvising on ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ (Lesson 6)

KS3 Scheme of Work (6 lessons) Objectives • To perform a samba rhythm on unpitched percussion • To perform the tango ‘Por Una Cabeza’ on unpitched percussion or keyboards (rhythm only, bass line or chords, depending on ability) • To listen to a variety of sambas and tango • To compose a tango using a descending bass line with a ‘habanera’ rhythm, chords and melody Lesson overview • Lesson 1 – Listening to Samba • Lesson 2 – Performing a Samba • Lesson 3 – Listening to Tangos • Lesson 4 – Performing a Tango • Lesson 5 – Composing a Tango: chords and bass line • Lesson 6 – Composing a Tango: melody Subject-specific vocabulary • Samba instruments: o Tamborim o Caixa de Guerra (‘War Box’) o Cuíca o Repinique o Chocalho o Surdo (bass drum) • Tango instruments: bandoneón, violin, piano and bass • Habañera (dotted) rhythm • First inversion chords • Descending bass line • Perfect cadence Assessments • Listening: Listening to Samba (Lesson 1) • Performing: Samba band (Lesson 2, self-assessment) and ‘Por Una Cabeza’ (Lesson 4) • Composing: Tango (Lesson 6)

Scheme of Work (6-8 lessons) Objectives • To learn about different genres, composers, instruments and musical forms from the Classical Era (1750-1820), • To apply this knowledge when listening to an unfamiliar piece • To sing both a song and an opera aria from the Classical Era • To understand how both accompanying patterns and melodies can be created from notes in the underlying chords (using the major triads G, D, A, C and F) • As a result, to be able to play both an accompanying (‘oom-cha’) pattern and a melody (for a minuet) on the keyboard • To compose one or two 8-bar section(s) of music, using chords and melody, which can be used as another section of a minuet in either ternary or Rondo form Lesson Overview • Lesson 1: Schubert’s ‘The Trout’ and Strophic Form • Lesson 2: Gluck’s ‘What is life’ and Rondo form • Lesson 3: Consolidation of Classical Vocal music • Lesson 4: Haydn’s ‘Emperor Quartet’ and Variation form • Lesson 5: Mozart’s Minuet and Ternary Form • Lesson 6: Consolidation of musical forms • Lesson 7: Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Sonata Form* • Lesson 8: Conclusion* * Optional lessons which may be omitted for a six-lesson scheme of work Subject-specific vocabulary • Composers: Schubert, Gluck, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven • Genres: song, opera, aria, symphony, minuet • Voices, instruments and their groupings: soprano, alto, piano, string quartet, orchestra • Forms: strophic, rondo, ternary, theme and variations, sonata form Assessments • Performing (singing) – Schubert’s ‘The Trout’ or Gluck’s ‘What is life’ • Performing (keyboard) – adaptations of accompaniment to ‘The Trout’ or Mozart’s Minuet • Composing – additional 8-bar section(s) for Mozart’s Minuet • Listening – exercise on unfamiliar piece in last lesson

A complete carol from '50 Christmas Carols', edited by Chris Gill. Arranged for four parts (SATB) on two staves, with chord symbols above, and lyrics for all of the verses printed in between the staves. The complete edition of '50 Christmas Carols' is available as a pdf and Sibelius file from TES resources, or as a paperback from Amazon.

A complete carol from '50 Christmas Carols', edited by Chris Gill. Arranged for four parts (SATB) on two staves, with chord symbols above, and lyrics for all of the verses printed in between the staves. The complete edition of '50 Christmas Carols' is available as a pdf and Sibelius file from TES resources, or as a paperback from Amazon.

A complete carol from '50 Christmas Carols', edited by Chris Gill. Arranged for four parts (SATB) on two staves, with chord symbols above, and lyrics for all of the verses printed in between the staves. The complete edition of '50 Christmas Carols' is available as a pdf and Sibelius file from TES resources, or as a paperback from Amazon.

A complete carol from '50 Christmas Carols', edited by Chris Gill. Arranged for four parts (SATB) on two staves, with chord symbols above, and lyrics for all of the verses printed in between the staves. The complete edition of '50 Christmas Carols' is available as a pdf and Sibelius file from TES resources, or as a paperback from Amazon.

Two-page worksheet on Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque vocal music, as preparation for studying vocal music for GCSE Music.

One-page summary of Elements of Music for GCSE or KS3 Music pupils.

One-page worksheet on 'Killer Queen', one of the set works for Edexcel GCSE 9-1 Music.

One-page worksheet on 'Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen', an example of early 1960s pop music.