Compose and create: cosmic programme music
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Why this why now
Pupils are given the opportunity to develop their creative music skills further, composing and improvising in a way that offers plenty of freedom of expression. Pupils can use their composition skills developed in other lower key stage two units alongside their working knowledge of the musical elements to create programme music as part of an ensemble with greater freedom than before. Due to the freedom of composition suggested in the lessons, this unit can be placed at any point across the key stage, with the compositional, performance and ensemble outcomes adjusted accordingly.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Classroom routines are established for using instruments.
- Pupils have experienced rehearsing and practising in order to improve.
- Pupils know that music can be notated in many different ways.
- Pupils can name and play a range of classroom percussion with accuracy.
- Pupils can listen with concentration to longer excerpts of music.
- Pupils understand that texture means the different layers of sound.
- Pupils understand that music has a structure.
- Pupils know that pitch is how high or low the note sounds.
- Pupils know that rhythm is the pattern of sounds and silences.
Why this why now
Pupils are given the opportunity to develop their creative music skills further, composing and improvising in a way that offers plenty of freedom of expression. Pupils can use their composition skills developed in other lower key stage two units alongside their working knowledge of the musical elements to create programme music as part of an ensemble with greater freedom than before. Due to the freedom of composition suggested in the lessons, this unit can be placed at any point across the key stage, with the compositional, performance and ensemble outcomes adjusted accordingly.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Classroom routines are established for using instruments.
- Pupils have experienced rehearsing and practising in order to improve.
- Pupils know that music can be notated in many different ways.
- Pupils can name and play a range of classroom percussion with accuracy.
- Pupils can listen with concentration to longer excerpts of music.
- Pupils understand that texture means the different layers of sound.
- Pupils understand that music has a structure.
- Pupils know that pitch is how high or low the note sounds.
- Pupils know that rhythm is the pattern of sounds and silences.
Compose and create: cosmic programme music
In this unit, pupils are introduced to the term, programme music. They study the programme music symphonic work, Deep Field, by Eric Whitacre and use this as their inspiration for composing, considering structuring around the golden ratio and the use of small music ideas called golden bricks.
4 lessons in unit
slide decks, worksheet PDFs, quizzes and lesson overviews. You can select individual lessons from the Compose and create: cosmic programme music unit and download the resources you need, or download the entire unit now. See every unit listed in our primary music curriculum and discover more of our teaching resources for primary music programmes.