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

a composer who creates new music in the style of minimalism

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

a repeating musical pattern which can be rhythmic or melodic

reusing musical ideas, patterns or phrases to make the music more memorable, add impact or create a musical structure

Whole Body Warm-up backing track

British English CC

Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar? (example video)

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

Springs Embrace by Marty Gionis

The key features of minimalism

Music

Creating and notating a repeating minimalist cell

Adding more minimalist cells to create a thicker texture

Building a minimalist piece

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

Steve Reich's Clapping Music is an example of ...

piano accompaniments built on popular chord progressions

In minimalism, one musical idea, often played like an ostinato, is called a...

True or false? In Spring's Embrace, the cells are all built of simple, descending phrases.

the combination of different layers of sounds

Match the musical element to its definition.

When the same tune is sung or played at the same time, the parts are in...

a musical thought, like a sentence in a story

When notes rise in pitch in a phrase or scale, we can say they are ...

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

The key features of minimalism

Lesson outcome

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