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Music


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Polam Hall School has a strong tradition in Music with tuition available in a wide range of instruments from our large team of visiting instrumental and vocal teachers.

Scholarship auditions are held every year in January. Major and minor awards are available to pupils at all entry levels.

The Rotary Young Musician of the Year (held at Polam Hall every autumn) is a compulsory festival for all Polam Hall Music Scholars.

Currently the school is proud to offer Senior Choir, Vocal Ensemble, two orchestras (Junior and Senior), Woodwind Ensemble, various chamber ensembles, (for example the String Quartet) and the Senior Band where pupils are encouraged to perform popular repertoire . Entry into any of these groups is by demonstration of enthusiasm and commitment to weekly rehearsals.

There is an opportunity for all musicians to be involved in the department, whatever their style or ability and performance opportunities are regular and well attended.

In addition to the termly in-house concerts our choirs in particular regularly perform within the community in aid of a wide variety of charities.

At GCSE we follow the AQA specification. Students are required to perform instrumentally or vocally and to compose in their own style. In addition we listen to and analyse a wide variety of music from the works of Bach and the symphonies of Mozart to the heart of the swinging sixties and the music of popular bands.

A level music at Polam Hall School is a varied and inspiring course. Students study a wide and diverse curriculum with a focus on enjoyment and performance. Please enjoy further reading in the Sixth Form pages.

For details of Music Scholarships please click here

Music Curriculum

At Key Stage 3 pupils begin every lesson with singing, small theory based exercises or listening and appraising activities. Schemes of work are structured into half term projects which have an overall theme for the year.
Alongside the main areas studied, pupils experience unique lessons where we will spend a week away from a current subject. These lessons include ‘Halloween and Spooky Music’, ‘Bonfire Night and Firework Music’, ‘Remembrance Day’, ‘Christmas Carol Writing’, ‘Chinese New Year’, ‘The Royal Wedding Music/Music for Special Occasions’ and ‘Recital Week’, where instrumentalists and singers perform to their peers.

Lower Four (Year Seven).

The two main areas studied by Year 7 are ‘World Music’ and ‘Animals in Music’. Incorporated into every lesson are the basics of music and a focus on the elements; duration, dynamics, timbre, pitch, tempo and texture
In the Autumn Term we explore the Music of Africa by learning traditional African folk songs and African drumming. This is linked to the songs from ‘The Lion King’ and the pupils are provided with an opportunity to perform.
During the next half term pupils will develop their performance skills and create their own ‘Mini Musicals’ based on ideas of ‘World Music’ and ‘The Lion King’. The term’s work concludes with class performances.
Throughout the Spring Term the main areas of learning include the ‘World Music of Indonesia’. ‘Animals in Music’ becomes focused on the tiger rather than the lion (to fit geographically!). We explore the ‘Gamelan Music’ of Java and Bali, Indian Music and Chinese Music. Pupils are encouraged to begin their own compositions at keyboards and the computer programme Sibelius. Compositions are based around the 5 note Pentatonic Scale (to imitate Gamelan) and some pupils may even choose to write a narrative; for example, on World Poetry Day some pupils wrote an accompanying poem about the tiger.
Year 7 concludes with a performance based Summer Term which constitutes the main form of pupil assessment. Pupils are encouraged to use the skills and knowledge they have gained throughout the year to compose and perform their own Music.
Singing repertoire in the Summer Term is ‘Old Time Music Hall’; songs in the vein of ‘Daisy Bell’ and ‘I Do Like To Be Beside the Seaside!’. In the final half term the pupils will have their own ‘Last Night of the Proms’ lesson to show their songs and music.

The Music Department at Polam Hall believes strongly in the positive effect of SEAL; the social and emotional aspects of learning. We believe in building positive relationships (particularly in the transition stage of Year 6 to Year 7). The pupils are encouraged to identify and develop skills in building and maintaining relationships and learning how to value tolerance, diversity and respect. Singing together, participating in rhythm activities and studying World and Animal Music are successful ways of developing these skills.
In addition to Music the pupils also learn briefly about Africa and Indonesia as countries and create their own ‘Born Free’ projects, where awareness is raised of Lion and Tiger preservation.
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/big-cats/

Upper Four (Year 8).

The focus in Year 8 is for all pupils to enjoy making and performing music. There is an emphasis on composition and performance and the opportunity to develop skills and demonstrate those learned in previous years.
The main area of study is ‘Story Telling in Music’. This is explored through the singing of folk songs, the study of ‘Music for Film’, learning about Opera and Musicals and the pupils writing their own songs.
In the Autumn Term lessons are singing based (folk and some popular songs), with the incorporation of theory and the elements of music. The Year 8 are also given the opportunity to learn how to use music technology; specifically the Sibelius computer programme.
As the term progresses the pupils begin to study Music for Film and begin their film music compositions. These are based around ideas of fantasy film, for example, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’, ‘The Pirates of the Caribbean’ and ‘Harry Potter’. Pupils are encouraged to compose in a medium that best suits their own preferred style of writing. This can range from working in pairs at the keyboard, in groups using instruments or independently at the computer.
During the Spring Term, Year 8 study Musicals; how a story is told through musical theatre. There is a focus on Listening and Appraising and excerpts include ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘The Phantom of the Opera’. The pupils are encouraged to compare and contrast ideas from Opera (listening; Puccini), Operetta (listening; Gilbert and Sullivan) and modern day Musicals from the West End and Broadway.
As the term progresses the pupils write their own ‘Mini Musicals’. This is a development from Year 7 and the criteria include a convincing plot, a minimum of six scenes, accompanying music and a range of original songs. The pupils are also taught how to characterise their compositions using concepts such as leitmotif and exploring the use of fanfare and different tonalities. There is an opportunity to perform at the end of the term.
Year 8 end the year writing their own popular songs. They spend some time looking at Structure and Form and word setting. Time is also spent revising musical notation and ensuring compositional techniques are developed. There is an opportunity to perform their work and this is assessed.

Lower Five (Year 9).

During Year 9 the focus area for learning is: ‘The World of Rhythm’.
The year begins with rhythmic exercises based on African and Japanese drumming. This is developed into other areas, for example, Minimalism. During the year pupils will be encouraged to draw on learning from previous years and lessons will be centred on creating, performing and responding.
An aim in Year 9 is to establish a firm understanding of the basics of music which is associated with their composition work. Pupils will arrange and improvise their own music and be able to read and notate. Composition is also developed as pupils will compose a large proportion of their own music. In keeping with the main focus of learning this is linked to rhythm, for example, they may compose a fanfare with a distinct military beat. Pupils are expected to begin demonstrating pitch and rhythmic accuracy, reading and notating rhythmic and melodic patterns and identifying and applying traditional symbols and using appropriate terminology.
There is also an emphasis on listening and analysing in Year 9; this is in preparation for those wishing to continue their studies to GCSE. Through listening and further study of ‘World Music’, ‘Music for Film’, ‘Popular Music’, ‘The Western Classical Tradition’ and ‘Musical Theatre’, pupils will understand relationships between music and the other arts. They will also understand music in relation to history and culture. Another important aspect of Year 9 Music lessons is performance. Pupils will evaluate music and music performances. There is always opportunity for instrumentalists and singers to perform to their class and the department endeavours to ensure Music lessons in Year 9 are as enjoyable and enriching as possible.