IB Music (Group 6)
Course Overview
Music can be studied at Higher or Standard Level
Music is an essential part of the human experience and a unique mode of creativity, expression and communication. Music is both functional and meaningful, and its vitality and complexity enriches our lives.
This is a really exciting course and you will need to be a creator, performer and researcher. The IB Music course aims to enable students to explore a range of musical contexts, and make links to, and between, different musical practices conventions and forms of expression. There is no examination in this subject but content is developed both individually and collaboratively through ‘Areas of Inquiry’ and content is entered into a Music Journal from which work is submitted at the end of the course.
Specific musical works are prescribed by the IB and delivered through four main areas of inquiry:
Protest songs
Liturgical music
National anthems
Chamber music of the Western art tradition
Cool jazz
Experimental music
Music for film
Music for ballet
Musical theatre
Electronic dance music
Elektronische Musik
Technology in popular music production
The role of music technology in the course
The music curriculum reflects the substantial global increase in access to digital technologies. 21st-century musicians, learning to make music by engaging with a range of technologies is now a fundamental skill and is therefore a central aspect of this curriculum.
Technology also creates opportunities for musicians to study music, collaborate and share musical ideas across time, place and culture.
When exploring music in context, students will learn how to engage with a diverse range of music that will broaden their musical horizons and provide stimuli to expand their own music-making. Students will demonstrate diversity and breadth in their exploration by engaging with music from the areas of inquiry in personal, local and global contexts.
When experimenting with music, students connect theoretical studies to practical work and gain a deeper understanding of the music they engage with. Through this theoretical and practical work as researchers, creators and performers, students will learn to experiment with a range of musical material and stimuli from the areas of inquiry across local and global contexts.
When presenting music, students learn to practice and prepare finished pieces that will be performed or presented to an audience. In working towards completed musical works, students expand their musical identity, demonstrate their level of musicianship, and learn to share and communicate their music as researchers, creators and performers.
Music at higher level (HL) builds on the learning of musical competencies and challenges students to engage with the musical processes in settings of contemporary music-making. For the HL component, students plan and collaboratively create a project that draws on the competencies, skills and processes in all of the musical roles of the music course and is inspired by real- life practices of music-making.
To find out more about this course please contact Head of Department: Rosemary Scales.
To apply for our Sixth Form please see our Admissions page.
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