Music
Students embark on their musical journey at Middleton Technology by exploring the interrelated dimensions of music through the lens of different cultures and musical periods, from Baroque to Romantic, blues to salsa, and much more.
We pride ourselves on our focus on skills, where the goal of practical activities is to develop proficiency with an instrument/technology. Throughout KS3 students will perform and compose using: voice, keyboards, ukuleles, and a variety of percussion. Students will also learn how to use music technology, notably DJ controllers and PreSonus Studio One to create music.
Our partnership with Rochdale Music Service ensures that we can cater to a wide variety of musical interests when it comes to instrumental tuition. This tuition is open to any student from their first day in Year 7. Students studying Music at KS4 for GCSE or BTEC are eligible for free tuition on one instrument. Simply speak to Mr M Hayes to find out more.
Year 7
Our Year 7 students begin by building confidence through our Musicalfuturesonline resource “Find Your Voice” where students learn the basics of singing with an ensemble. Our percussion unit prepares students for all other units across the KS3 curriculum by exploring group rhythmic performances and creating compositions using rhythmic techniques which leads to reading staff notation on keyboards.
Following on from these foundation units, students explore a range of music from the following styles and composers including; Balinese Gamelan, Beethoven (Western Classical Tradition), Anna Clyne (Programme Music), DJing skills, and popular music (ukulele).
Year 8
Students in Year 8 start their second year of secondary music education with another singing unit that follows directly where they left off in Year 7. The curriculum then branches out to other topics that build on top of the skills and knowledge taught in Year 7 such as playing the keyboard with two hands together, dotted rhythms, improvisation, and compositional development techniques.
The styles and composers taught during Year 8 include; Samba Batacuda, Bach (Western Classical Tradition), Minimalism, 12 Bar Blues, and a continuation of both DJ skills and popular music (ukulele).
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Year 9
Students enter their final year of compulsory music education having developed a broad set of music skills in their previous two years. The curriculum for Year 9 focuses on the depth of a narrower range of skills to better prepare students for study at KS4, should they choose Music as an option.
For their final assessed projects, students will perform a keyboard interpretation of a popular Salsa-pop song as a duet, choose a major mode to create an effective jazz improvisation for a jazz standard, and create an atmospheric soundtrack for a given film clip.
Year 10
The current Year 10 cohort is following the Eduqas GCSE Music specification. Throughout the year, students will explore four areas of study: 1. Musical Forms and Devices, 2. Music for Ensemble, 3. Film Music, and 4. Popular Music.
Interleaved with these theoretical lessons are practical lessons where students either practice compositional skills using technology or develop proficiency with their chosen instrument.
Year 11
The current Year 11 cohort is following the Pearson BTEC Tech Award in Music Practice specification.
Throughout their final year, students will be completing coursework that showcases their development with composition and performance skills culminating in a final, externally assessed component that brings together all of their learning and skills from the past two years.