Music
Music is a major creative art which goes beyond national and ethnic boundaries. It is an important means of emotional and aesthetic expression, a source of pleasure and a means of expression for young people, and a widespread recreational activity in adult life.
As an art form it engenders concentration, teamwork, individual confidence and self-discipline; it is intellectually satisfying and stimulating study, and therefore necessary for the complete education of the individual.
Students who choose to progress into KS4 Music will develop their musical understanding and apply these skills to real world challenges, such as organising musical events.
At Harris Garrard Academy, we aim to ensure all pupils experience and develop their creative musical skills through listening and analysing, composing and performing.
For further information about the Music curriculum please contact Garry Dennis g.dennis@harrisgarrard.org.uk
Full details of the intent, implementation and impact of our Music curriculum are contained in our curriculum plans, downloadable from the bottom of the page.
View/download medium term plans for all subjects. These are up to date as of 1st September 2021. Plans will be refreshed every term.
You can also download Knowledge Organisers for each year group from our Knowledge Organisers page.
Music Curriculum - Primary
Without music, life would be a mistake.” F. Nietzsche
Music education at Harris Garrard Academy primary phase is to explore sounds and their impact on human lives. It is to realise there are different qualities of sounds made by use of variety of musical instruments and human voices.
It is important the children understand musical terms and they are able to use vocabulary that is characteristic for music.
Key questions to answer through music education process are:
- What sounds make you happy, sad, reflective etc.?
- How do we make/produce sounds?
- What words do we need to know to describe music and to talk about it?
- What do we need to know to write down or to read music?
- What opportunity have the children been provided with to progress to the next level of their creative excellence?
Mr Mioduszewski, Primary Music Lead
Careers
Music helps students prepare for a wide range of careers including:
- Composer for: TV, film, video games, orchestra, radio
- Artist
- Producer
- Music teacher
- Music business management
- Sound engineer
- Promoter
- Radio presenter
- Conductor
- Music therapist
Music also develops skills that are essential in any workplace. Recent studies have clearly indicated that musical training physically develops the part of the left side of the brain known to be involved with processing language, and can actually wire the brain’s circuits in specific ways.
Students of the arts learn to think creatively and to solve problems by imagining various solutions, rejecting outdated rules and assumptions. Questions about the arts do not have only one right answer.
Students of music learn craftsmanship as they study how details are put together painstakingly and what constitutes good, as opposed to mediocre, work. These standards, when applied to a student’s own work, demand a new level of excellence and require students to stretch their inner resources.
In music, a mistake is a mistake; the instrument is in tune or not, the notes are well played or not, the entrance is made or not. It is only by much hard work that a successful performance is possible. Through music study, students learn the value of sustained effort to achieve excellence and the concrete rewards of hard work.
Music study enhances teamwork skills and discipline. Music provides students with a means of self-expression. Music performance teaches young people to conquer fear and to take risks. A little anxiety is a good thing, and something that will occur often in life. Dealing with it early and often makes it less of a problem later.
Find out more about the careers programme at Harris Garrard Academy.
