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    Year 6 Music Curriculum
    Children will be taught six key strands of musical knowledge which include: singing, listening, improvising, composing, performing and reading notation. Pupils will be encouraged to explore the musical concepts through learning to play the xylophone and a samba performance. They will be taught…
     

    Singing

    • Sing a broad range of songs, including those that involve syncopated rhythms. This should include observing rhythm, phrasing, accurate pitching and appropriate style.
    • Continue to sing three- and four-part rounds or partner songs, and experiment with positioning singers randomly within the group.
    • Perform a range of songs as a choir in school assemblies, school performance opportunities and to a wider audience.
     

    Listening

    The following styles of music will be introduced as well as recapping on styles that have been taught in previous years. 

    Western Classical Tradition and Film:

    • Romantic- Tchaikovsky
    • 21st Century – Anna Meredith

    Popular Music:

    • 90s RnB- Destiny’s Child

    Musical Traditions:

    • Middle East- Folk- Reem Kelani
    • England- Folk- Sea Shanties
    • Poland- Folk- Chopin
    • Argentina- Tango- Piazzolla
     

    Improvise

    • Create music with multiple sections that include repetition and contrast.
    • Use chord changes as part of an improvised sequence.
    • Extend improvised melodies beyond 8 beats over a fixed groove, creating a satisfying melodic shape.
     

    Compose

    • Plan and compose an 8- or 16-beat melodic phrase using the pentatonic scale (e.g. C, D, E, G, A) and incorporate rhythmic variety and interest. Play this melody on available tuned percussion and/or orchestral instruments. Notate this melody.
    • Compose melodies made from pairs of phrases in either G major or E minor or a key suitable for the instrument chosen.
    • Either of these melodies can be enhanced with rhythmic or chordal accompaniment.
    • Compose a ternary piece; use available music software/apps to create and record it, discussing how musical contrasts are achieved.
     

    Performing

    • Play a melody following staff notation written on one stave and using notes within an octave range (do–do); make decisions about dynamic range
    • Accompany this same melody, and others, using block chords or a bass line. This could be done using keyboards, tuned percussion or tablets, or demonstrated at the board using an online keyboard.
    • Engage with others through ensemble playing (e.g. school orchestra, band, mixed ensemble) with pupils taking on melody or accompaniment roles. The accompaniment, if instrumental, could be chords or a single-note bass line
     

    Reading Notation

    • Further understand the differences between semibreves, minims, crotchets, quavers and semiquavers, and their equivalent rests.
    • Further develop the skills to read and perform pitch notation within an octave (e.g. C–C/ do–do).
    • Read and play confidently from rhythm notation cards and rhythmic scores in up to 4 parts that contain known rhythms and note durations.
    • Read and play from notation a four-bar phrase, confidently identifying note names and durations.