Higher Music

Why Music?

This course makes a valuable contribution to your general education and personal development by providing you with the opportunity to develop interests that will enhance your quality of life. It also allows you to develop the skills and knowledge required if you wish to proceed to further study and/or follow a career in music.

Entry to the Course

This is at the discretion of the school/college but you would normally be expected to have attained one of the following

·         Standard Grade Music at Credit level, with a Credit level grade in all four elements.

·         Intermediate 2 Music units or course

·         An equivalent qualification.

Course Outline

The course consists of one compulsory 80 hour unit, one 40 hour unit selected from a choice of six options and 40 hours flexible time.

Compulsory Unit

Performing, Inventing and Listening (80 hours)

The emphasis in this unit is on practical musical activity across the three elements which will allow you to develop aural perception, musical imagination, sensitivity and discrimination.

The unit will offer opportunities for you to

·         perform music from a wide range of styles in a solo and/or group situation on one instrument

·         invent music with evidence of originality, creativity, planning and good use of compositional techniques such as the deployment of selected concepts; arranging and improvising may be included where appropriate

·         listen to music which is relevant, related to practical experiences and based on a conceptual approach.

Optional Units – one to be selected.

Accompanying (40 hours)

This unit will allow you to extend performing and musicianship skills on an instrument chosen from a prescribed list. The content of the unit will develop you skills in

·         accompanying

·         sight-reading

·         transposition

·         harmonisation.

Inventing (40 hours)

This unit will allow you to

·         broaden and deepen your creative skills

·         build on the work experienced in the 80 hour unit

·         take an optional paper in techniques of composition.

Listening (40 hours)

This unit will allow you to

·         broaden and deepen your listening skills

·         build on the work experienced in the 80 hour unit

·         demonstrate enhanced ability to relate sound to printed music

·         select two or more works for study in greater depth.

MIDI-Sequencing (40 hours)

This unit will allow you to

·         develop skills in the use of MIDI technology to create, develop and refine musical ideas.

Performing (40 hours)

This unit will be taken on an instrument (or voice) from a different category to that used in the compulsory unit. Performing at this level will allow

·         a more in depth musical experience

·         the extension of technical ability

·         enhancement of musical skills and attainment at a higher level.

Sound Engineering and Production (40 hours)

This unit will allow you to

·         set up and use multi-track equipment

·         use the equipment to record and mix musical performances from a variety of sources including live performances

·         deploy musical judgement and discrimination when editing and mixing these to a high standard.

Core Skills

·         Problem Solving (Int.2 Critical Thinking; H Planning and Organising)

·         Int. 2 IT (Using Information Technology)*

* Contained only in an optional unit

Assessment

The course is assessed by a combination of internal assessment by the teacher/lecturer and external assessment by the SQA. Methods of assessment vary according to the demands of different units and include taped performance, live performance, aural assessment and written papers.

Progression

Successful completion of this course may lead to:

Advanced Higher in

·         Music

A Scottish Group Award in

·         Performing Arts: Music

Education (HNC/HND/Degree); Employment in

·         Performing Arts

Further advice and information on these options is available from your subject teacher, Principal teacher/adviser and careers adviser.