Music

Two Music courses are offered in Year 9:
• Elective Music
• Contemporary Music Studies

Both courses offer the students the opportunity to develop their musical skills and are designed to increase their understanding through a wide range of activities. It is recommended that students contemplating the study of music in Years 11 and 12 take a Music elective course in Year 9 and/or Year 10. Students have the opportunity to work with the latest music technology equipment for composition and recording.

Music Elective students will integrate performance, listening and composition through studying the following topics:
• Jazz
• Baroque and Classical Music
• Australian Music

Contemporary Music Studies is a course that any student may take in Year 9 and/or Year 10, no matter what their prior level of musical experience. It includes a study of music technology and basic recording techniques.

The topics studied include:
• Jazz 
• Australian Music
• Rock/Popular Music

All students who study elective music must have weekly individual lessons on an instrument or voice (minimum 30 minutes in duration). This is usually done through the Music Centre’s instrumental teaching program, although some students have lessons outside school.

In addition to lessons, students are also required to participate in the co-curricular music ensemble program as follows:

• Band instrumentalists (including percussion): One of the School’s bands as determined by the Director of Bands. Also, some band instrumentalists are invited to play in the Symphony Orchestra.
• Vocalists and Pianists: Senior Choir
• Orchestral strings: Symphony Orchestra (Years 9-12), Chamber Orchestra (Years 10-12)
• Guitarists, Keyboards, Drummers: Contemporary Music Ensembles as determined by music staff. These ensembles are established as part of the students’ performance program and have a regular weekly rehearsal time.

Assessment Structure

The assessment in both music courses include tasks that assess:
• Performance
• Composition
• Listening

Music

Two Music courses are offered in Year 10:
• Elective Music
• Contemporary Music Studies

Both courses offer the students the opportunity to develop their musical skills and are designed to increase their understanding through a wide range of activities. The courses lead directly onto Music Course 1 or 2 in Years 11 and 12.

The musical styles studied range from baroque to present-day rock and jazz and will include a study of music technology and basic recording techniques. Students will integrate performance, listening and composition through studying the following topics:

• Music for large ensembles (Romantic and 20th Century)
• Vocal music
• Australian music
• Theatre music
• Music for small ensembles

All students who study elective music must have weekly individual lessons on an instrument or voice. This is usually done through the Music Centre’s instrumental teaching program, although some students have lessons outside school. In addition to lessons, students are also required to participate in the co-curricular music ensemble program as follows:

• Band instrumentalists (including percussion): One of the school’s bands as determined by the Director of Bands. Also, some band instrumentalists are invited to play in the Symphony Orchestra.
• Vocalists and Pianists: Senior Choir
• Orchestral strings: Symphony Orchestra (Years 9-12), Chamber Orchestra (Years 10-12)
Guitarists, Keyboards, Drummers: Contemporary Music Ensembles as determined by music staff. These ensembles are established as part of the students’ performance program and have a regular weekly rehearsal time

Assessment Structure

The assessment in Year 10 Music includes tasks that assess:
• Performance
• Composition
• Listening

Music

In both Music Courses 1 and 2 students develop a deep understanding of the musical concepts through learning experiences in performance, composition, musicology and aural skills. In Year 12 students select electives from any combination of performance, composition and musicology to present for both internal and external assessment. These electives represent topics chosen from contexts which cover a range of styles and genres.

Music 1

Music 1 caters for students of varied abilities and interests. Students study three topics in each year of the course. Topics include:
• An instrument and its repertoire
• Australian music
• Baroque music
• Jazz
• Methods of notating music
• Music for large ensembles
• Music for radio, film, television and multimedia
• Music for small ensembles
• Music of the 20th and 21st centuries
• Popular music
• Rock music
• Technology and its influence on music
• Theatre music

Music 2

Music 2 caters for students with experience in score reading and notation-based skills such as sight-singing and melodic dictation. Students study one Mandatory Topic and one Additional Topic in each year of the course. 

Year 11 Music 2
• Mandatory Topic: Music 1600-1900
• Additional Topic:  Music 1900-1945 or Music 1945 to 25 years ago

All students who elect to study Music 1 must have weekly individual lessons on an instrument or voice. This is usually done through the Music Centre’s instrumental teaching program, although some students have lessons outside school.

In addition to lessons, students are also required to participate in the co-curricular music ensemble program as follows:

• Band instrumentalists (including percussion): One of the School’s bands as determined by the Director of Bands. Also, some band instrumentalists are invited to play in the Symphony Orchestra.
• Vocalists and Pianists: Senior Choir
• Orchestral strings: Symphony Orchestra (Years 9-12), Chamber Orchestra (Years 10-12)
• Guitarists, Keyboards, Drummers: Contemporary Music Ensembles as determined by music staff. These ensembles are established as part of the students’ performance program and have a regular weekly rehearsal time.

Assessment Structure

The assessment in Year 11 Music includes tasks that assess

• Performance
• Composition
• Musicology
• Aural Skills