IB Music

Prerequisites

Competency on an instrument or voice, including currently having lessons either at Carey or with an external teacher. A knowledge of music theory in order to successfully analyse musical works and complete the composition tasks. Recommended completion of Year 10 Music Elective.

Course Description and Aims

The IB Music course seeks to develop the student's knowledge and potential as musicians, both personally and collaboratively. IB Music students are required to study musical perception and actively listen to a wide range of music from different parts of the world, musical cultures and time periods. They also develop aural perception and understanding of music by learning about musical elements, including form and structure, notations, musical terminology and context. Through the course of study students become aware of how musicians work and communicate. In addition, the course enables students to:

• enjoy lifelong engagement with the arts;
• become informed, reflective and critical practitioners in the arts;
• understand the dynamic and changing nature of the arts;
• explore and value the diversity of the arts across time, place and cultures;
• express ideas with confidence and competence;
• develop perceptual and analytical skills;
• develop their knowledge and potential as musicians, both personally and collaboratively.

The IB music course is deliberately open ended and encourages discovery of diverse and unfamiliar musical genres. Personal, local and global contexts are important.

All components of the course should be experienced through authentic musical encounters.

All students maintain a musical journal containing reflections, musical materials and intentions.

All students (SL and HL)

Exploring Music in Context– Externally assessed

Students analyse music throughout the course. They then submit a portfolio submission (2400 words) demonstrating engagements with and understanding of diverse musical material.

They also include one creative exercise (32 bars or 1 minute) and one performed adaptation of music for their own instrument (max 2 minutes).

Experimenting with Music  – Internally assessed

Students experiment with music, creating and performing in two areas of inquiry. Their report contains a rationale and commentary for each process. They submit a written experimentation report (max 1500 words).

They also include:

• three excerpts of creating max 5 minutes
• three excerpts of performing max 5 minutes

Presenting Music – Externally assessed

Students submit a collection of works demonstrating engagement with divesre musical material from 4 areas of inquiry. Their submission contains:

• Programme notes (max 600 words)
• Composition and/or improvisation (max 6 minutes)
• Solo and/or ensemble performances (max 12 minutes plus excerpts max 2 minutes)

Students doing Higher Level have an additional task

The Contemporary Music Maker - Internally assessed

Students create a Multimedia presentation documenting a real-life project. Their presentation covers the proposal, the process, evaluation and samples of the work. (max 15 minutes)

They need to work in collaboration with at least one other student and their project must involve an audience.

Some examples – they could explore a new music venue, collaborate with dancers, film makers, sound designers. They can work in a group but each student must have an area of responsibility. The project must involve presentation to an audience.