simple musical patterns that can be rhythmic or melodic (an ostinato in minimalism)

the combination of musical instruments used in a piece of music

Spring's Embrace (Marty Gionis) 

British English CC

Spring's Embrace (Marty Gionis) - Headspace cell

Spring's Embrace (Marty Gionis) - electronic cell

Spring's Embrace (Marty Gionis) - French horn cell

Spring's Embrace (Marty Gionis) - Viola cell 

Spring's Embrace (Marty Gionis) - Clarinet cell

Rise Up O Flame (two part round)

Rise Up O Flame (unison)

H.E.L.L.O (four part round)

Bate Bate Chocolate

Whole Body Warm-up (backing track)

Rise Up O Flame (four part round)

Building a minimalist piece

Music

The key features of minimalism

Creating and notating a repeating minimalist cell

Adding more minimalist cells to create a thicker texture

Notating a minimalist piece

Rehearsing, performing and appraising a minimalist performance

This unit introduces minimalism with its repetitive, hypnotic, short musical cells. Pupils will use Terry Riley’s In C to inspire their compositions. Working in groups, pupils will create short musical cells and decide how to use these to create and rehearse a larger minimalist piece.

Compose and rehearse: creating and combining minimalist cells

When choosing two pianos for Ellis Island, Meredith Monk would have been thinking about the __________ wanted for the piece.

True or false? All cells in minimalist music need to start with brand new ideas.

a constant, pitched sound that continues throughout a piece of music

the playing or showing of the steady pulse like the ticking of a clock

{{}} is the up and down movement of pitches in music.

the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing

Match the musical element to its definition.

a performance by two singers, musicians or dancers

a goblet-shaped drum originating from West Africa, played with hands

{{}} is a musical genre originating from the 1960s that includes the layering of multiple short, repeated musical ideas (cells) that subtly change over time.

When we work in ensemble to create new music, we are ...

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Building a minimalist piece

Lesson outcome

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.