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Welcome to the Music Department
Introduction
The London Oratory School Music Department aims to provide a wide ranging musical education which combines developing an understanding of different musical styles and genres with practical music making. Music lessons at all levels in the school involve listening, composing and performing in many different shapes and forms. The Catholic ethos of the school also has a strong influence upon the music curriculum and more traditional musical activities such as singing hymns in preparation for school services are a regular occurrence in the lower school, as is the learning of Gregorian mass settings and Marian antiphons. Students are very much encouraged to take part in the busy co-curricular life of the school which includes many Choirs, Orchestras and smaller ensembles. Many students have individual instrumental or singing lessons and around fifty visiting music teachers visit the school every week.
First, Second and Third Forms (Key Stage 3)
Music is compulsory for students during their first three years at the
London
Oratory
School. During this time all students learn to sing hymns and sections of the mass to help them to participate in regular services and specific occasions in the School’s calendar such as:
- The Academic Mass
- All Saints Day
- Candlemas
- Ash Wednesday
- Annual Carol Service
- Patronal Festival
Students also follow a Scheme of work where one particular area of music is examined per half term. During this time, students will listen to examples of music from that topic, perform suitable pieces through singing or playing on keyboards (or their own instruments) and will compose their own music or improvise in the style being studied. Homework is project based each half term and includes rudiments learning and focussed listening. Topics include:
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First Form
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The History of Notation, Ensemble Performance (Cops and Robbers) Composing Music for Film (Gladiator) and African music.
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Second Form
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Music from the Classical period, Form and Structure in Dance Music, The Blues.
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Third Form
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Celtic Music, Gospel Music and Electronic Music.
For some topics, students will have the opportunity to use the School’s Computer facilities which include the sequencing program Mixcraft and the score writing program Sibelius
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Students follow the Edexcel GCSE syllabus which divides into three sections: Listening and Appraising, Performing and Composing.
Listening and Appraising (40% assessed by examination)
Students study works from an anthology which covers a very wide range of topics including classical music from the Baroque period to the present day, Popular Music and World Music. Knowledge of these works is then tested through an exam at the end of the course which consists of listening to extracts of the pieces and answering questions on them.
Performing (30% internally assessed)
Singing or playing an instrument is an important part of the GCSE and all pupils are required to perform both as a soloist and as part of an ensemble, usually involving other members of the class. Recordings of performances are made throughout the course and two examples are formally assessed. Students will receive an individual instrumental music lesson in order to help them prepare for this part of the GCSE.
Composing (30% internally assessed)
Students study different styles of musical composition and submit two examples of their own work as coursework at the end of the two years.
Edexcel GCSE syllabus
Sixth-Form
GCE ‘A’ Level ICT
Students follow the Edexcel GCE syllabus, but it is important that pupils listen to music in their own time and participate in some of the school’s many co-curricular musical activities in order to extend their working knowledge of different musical styles.
The course itself is divided into three sections – Musical Understanding, Performing and Composing.
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Performing
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At AS level, students perform 5-6 minutes of music on their chosen instrument or voice which is assessed internally. For A2 a more testing recital of around 15 minutes is required.
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Composing
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At AS a short composition in response to a brief published by the exam board can allow students to write music in a style which is unique to themselves while at A2 fundamental techniques such as chorale harmony in the style of J.S. Bach and two part counterpoint are studied.
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Musical Understanding
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At both AS and A2 students study in detail around a dozen very different pieces as specified by the exam board, which could include anything from a Baroque concerto grosso to a John Williams film Score to a Reggae song. Their knowledge of these works is assessed through examination at the end of the year. The A2 exam also tests a student’s general musical knowledge and aural skills and while both of these areas can be worked on in the classroom, it is vital that students develop outside the classroom through listening and participation in co-curricular groups such as the School Orchestra and Chamber Choir.
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Teaching Staff
Mr L Ward (Director of Music) lward@los.ac
Mr D Terry (Head of Academic Music) dterry@los.ac
Miss C Dawson
Mr A Coburn
Miss K Long
Mr M Ward
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