Music Department

Staff in Department

Ms S Hughes (Head of Department)

Peripatetic Tutors

Mrs Anna Hill

Ms Eileen Rogers

Ms Jane McCartney

Mr Glen Dubbelaar

Aims

The Music department aims to provide all pupils with the opportunity to be creative through music. In Larne High School we believe that music should be accessible to all pupils regardless of prior musical training.

Key Stage 3

At key stage 3 the curriculum closely follows the requirements of the NI curriculum with its emphasis on listening, performing and composing.

All students will have opportunities to develop their skills on various classroom instruments, with a focus on keyboard and guitar.

Pupils will cover a variety of areas of study such as:

· Ostinato

· Programme music

· Music in advertising

· Film music

· Blues

· Rap

· The March and the Waltz.

Key Stage 4

GCSE

At GCSE pupils will study the CCEA gcse music course. Within this, pupils will develop their understanding of music with a focus on the core areas performing, composing and listening.

Pupils will work on two composition pieces over the duration of the two-year course and at the end of year 12 pupils will have a final performance and a written exam.

The four areas of study at GCSE are:

· Pop music

· Film music

· Musical traditions in Ireland

· Western classical music

To study GCSE music pupils should be competent on and have taken some grades on an instrument/singing.

More information can be found on the CCEA website.

Key Stage 5

A-level

On completing GCSE music some pupils may wish to progress further with their studies in music. For these pupils we offer the BTEC National extended Diploma in Music.

This course takes the place of 3 A levels and for many will provide a route to university to study music further.

In the BTEC course pupil will:

· Further develop their skills on an instrument/voice

· Gain an understanding of the music industries past, present and future

· Study the history of popular music

· Study the connections and stylistic features of a variety of genres

· Organise performances

· Compose

· Arrange music into different styles

· Learn about self promotion, social media and personal style.

Extra-curricular

The music department offers several opportunities for pupils to perform.

We have a school choir which perform at various events such as: Prize night, Carol service, The Larne Music Festival, Larne Christmas lights switch on and a memorial service for the Princess Victoria tragedy.

We enter a large number of pupils into the music festival as solo singers/ instrumentalists to get feedback and important performance experience in front of an audience.

All pupils have the opportunity to take tuition in one of the following instruments: violin, flute, clarinet, trumpet, drums, guitar, piano and singing.

Many pupils have gone on to complete exams in their chosen instrument.