Friday 9th March 2012
Congratulations to Sarah Gardner who was crowned classical winner of Next Brit Thing 2012 earlier t...
Read full news story...Thursday 2nd February 2012
Charlie Vasiliou has reached the final of the Young Drummer of the Year competition, after fighting...
Read full news story...Tuesday 31st January 2012
The Department for Education published the school performance league tables this week....
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The Music department consists of the Director of Music (appointed 2005), a full time Teacher of Academic Music, and 2 Prep School Music Co-ordinators (Yarm Prep School and Yarm at Raventhorpe), the Head of Strings, a Master responsible for Music Examinations and numerous peripatetic musicians. Currently, 3 full-time members of the general academic staff have professional qualifications in music and contribute also to the musical life of the school.
First and Second Year pupils have one (50/55 minute) lesson of music per week; in the Third Year Music is an option and this is where the introduction to GCSE Music begins.
The GCSE, AS and A2 pupils follow the AQA specification. GCSE groups vary in size from year to year but on average 15 candidates are entered for the subject; AS groups have been as large as 9 but lean on average towards 4 or 5 candidates; most of these will continue with A2 and be excellent young performers or composers. The pass rate at A-C for GCSE, AS and A2 remains at 100%.
The Academic Curriculum
First Year
All pupils study Music in the First Year and throughout the schemes of work they begin to build their musicianship and develop their aural, practical and theoretical skills. The schemes of work include a balance in listening and appraising, composing and performing.
- Rhythm and Notation
Pupils study basic rhythm and note-values and experiment with rhythmical patterns and polyrhythm. Creative composition is a major element and pupils learn how to mix musical patterns and evaluate their own work. Pupils are introduced to both treble and bass clef notation and they experiment and learn how to fuse notation with rhythm to create what we believe is ‘music’. Pupils compose and perform melodies.
- Instruments of the Orchestra
Pupils study the basic development of the orchestra, its instruments and sounds. They learn to recognize instruments from different musical families and respond to how musical sounds are being created.
The major work is Britten The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Programme Music.
Pupils study music written to provide atmospheres, moods and narratives. This will include detailed analysis of Saint-Saens The Carnival of the Animals, Danse Macabre and Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Pupils will be given an opportunity to compose and perform in response to a given brief.
Second Year
All pupils continue to study Music in the Second Year and continue to build upon their aural, practical and theoretical skills. The schemes of work include a balance in listening and appraising, composing and performing.
- World Music
Pupils will study music originating from different parts of the world and will learn to recognize the geographical influences on music. Improvisation plays a major role and pupils perform and improvise within these styles. A trip to see and perform the Javanese Gamelan in Durham is planned for the summer term.
- Texture and Structure
Pupils study some of the fundamental elements of music. They analyse music with different textures including examples from various genres and eras and learn to arrange music with different textures. Pupils also examine how composers have used structure to build their music throughout history and a structure is chosen as a model for composition.
- The Blues
Pupils study the origin of the Blues and the development of the twelve-bar improvisation system and the popular song. Performing and composing are the main elements and pupils learn to improvise around a given chord sequence and they compose a ‘blues song’.
Third Year
Pupils that choose Music as an option in the Third Year continue to build upon their aural, practical and theoretical skills and the schemes of work include a balance in listening and appraising, composing and performing. The topics studied at this level prepare pupils to move comfortably into the GCSE specification, if they choose this subject as an option in the fourth form.
- Film Music
Pupils study the development of music for film and understand the relationships between music and action. Pupils focus on the functions and techniques used by composers to create moods to suit a variety of plots and a brief is given to stimulate creative and free composition.
- Music throughout the Ages
Pupils study classical music and its changes and developments from the middle ages to the present day. They analyse music from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras including some of the greatest classical works ever written. Pupils recognise and compare characteristics in order to place music within its historical context and compose and perform music in these styles.
- The Popular Song
Pupils study the form of the popular song, influences on its evolution and its place within society. Music composed or performed by notable individuals and groups is analysed in preparation for pupils writing and performing their own popular song.
The GCSE Examination (AQA)
Pupils that choose Music for GCSE study a broad syllabus that is focused around listening and appraising, composing and performing. Pupils that are competent in performing music at a level of Grade 3 and higher are able to score marks in the higher band for performance. A large amount of theoretical knowledge is not a pre-requisite but basic theory and general knowledge of rudiments is required.
Unit 1 Composing
Pupils compose one piece of music based on Area of Study 3: Music for Special Events. The composition is submitted as a score with a recording.
Unit 2 Performing
Pupils perform one solo work and one ensemble work, both of which are recorded. These performances can happen at any time during the course.
Unit 3 Integrated Assignment
Pupils compose a composition based on one of the other Areas of Study (see Unit 4). This is a response to a written brief that is set by the AQA in the autumn term of the examination year. The completed work must be presented as a score and recorded.
Pupils then answer questions to evaluate their work in a ½ hour formal examination that takes place in the summer term.
Unit 4 Listening
This 1 ¼ -hour examination takes place at the end of the course and pupils are required to answer questions based on recorded examples of music from the Areas of Study. Pupils may be asked to identify instruments, recognise types and dates of music, spot technical features, make comparisons, notate rhythm and pitch and identify chord changes and cadences.
The Areas of Study are:
Music for Film
Music for Dance
Music for Special Events
Orchestral Landmarks
The Popular Song since 1960
Extra-Curricular Music
Pupils of all ages are involved in the many extra-curricular activities the department has to offer and concerts are held each month. Ensembles meet during lunchtimes and after school and they include: Choir, A capella, Sinfonia, Junior Orchestra, Jazz Band, Funk Band, Contemporary Band, Flute Ensemble, Guitar Trio, Brass Ensemble, Clarinet Ensemble, String Orchestra, Saxophone Ensemble, Recorder Ensemble and numerous String Quartets and Trios that change each year according to the levels, numbers and demands of the musicians.
All pupils have the opportunity to be part of the Theory and Composing Workshops that take place during timetabled activities. First Form pupils are introduced to percussion instruments and ‘Samba’ as a supervised and compulsory activity that lasts for one term.
Yarm School Choral Society, a community ensemble, meets weekly in the Theatre and the eighty-strong ensemble was introduced in January 2006. Concert venues have included Durham Cathedral and repertoire includes: Mozart: Requiem, C minor Mass, Regina Coeli, Handel: The Messiah, Haydn: Maria Therese Mass, Insanae et vanae curae, Te Deum and Orff: Carmina Burana is being prepared for May 2009.
Members of the public regularly attend our concerts and recitals, which are bursting with excellent performances and high standards. The Amadeus Quartet were fortunate to qualify for the semi-finals of the National Chamber Music for Schools and have recently performed for the Mayor of Middlesbrough, Sir John Hall at the public opening of Wynyard Hall, and for Simon Bailes at the launch of the new Peugeot 206.
Some chamber ensembles have been fortunate to reach the semi finals of the national Music for Youth competition that is held annually. Each year the Choir sings Evensong at Durham and at Ripon Cathedrals and in 2007 performed a concert in Barcelona Cathedral and in Middlesbrough for The Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend John Sentamu. Both the Choir and Choral Society joined forces in 2007 to broadcast the regional BBC Radio Carol Service from Middlesbrough RC Cathedral.
