S3 WordPress website

Create an “about me ” page on your wordpress website

Include what you have done in music at….

• Primary
• Secondary – music class and ‘out’ of class – S1 Journey, iSonic, Radio Live in S2 plus anything else you have done in music, drama, dance, theatre, etc.
• The Future – which course would you like to do in Music…….. Music or Technology

Give some detail as to when you started to play your instruments; do you get lessons; what grade or level have you reached.

Please complete this for Friday 2 November 2012.

Thank you

S1 Creative Experience Prezi for Journey

Just thought I’d post the video used for S1 Creative Experience.

Happy viewing….. post a comment if you wish.

Thanks.

 

 

RSNO – Royal Scottish National Orchestra

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) have put some very useful information online. There are information sheets on the composers and their music that they will be performing during their Autumn concerts.

Check out http://www.rsno.org.uk/maestromusic/ for details. This site should be especially useful for pupils attending the RSNO concert in Dundee on 31st October 2012.

Advanced Higher Listening Commentary

I have posted Important information regarding the AH Listening Commentary (“The Essay”) in Music Courses/ Listening/ Advanced Higher Listening Commentary. There are four documents available on that page that should give you all the information you need; one is a break-down of a suggested essay structure for you to use as a guide.

Please reply to this post when you have decided what you are going to do. Give me details in your post of who and what you are intending to do. Also confirm if you have a copy of the printed music and audio (CD or MP3).

Thank you.

Violin/Viola lessons on Friday

Ms Fletcher will not be in school on Friday 12 October 2012. There will be no violin or viola lessons, nor will there will string quartet at lunchtime. Lessons resume after the October holidays on Tuesday 30 October.

Thank you.

Dire Straits

One of the best songs of all time! A huge hit for Dire Straits with the amazing Mark Knopfler on guitar. Have a listen….

What is your all-time favourite song? Reply to this post and give a link to your choice so we can all listen.

Introduction to Opera…..

Have a listen to these YouTube playlists and get an overview of Italian Opera.

More examples to follow in due course.

S4/5/6 Performing Pieces for SQA exams – Notice for all pupils……..

To S4, S5 and S6

If you wish pieces approved by the SQA for your Intermediate, Higher or Advanced Higher performing exam, you must give them to me by Wednesday 10 October. I have to send a photocopy of your music to SQA and complete some paperwork. This needs to be with the SQA by the start of the October holidays.

Thank you.

Mr Birse

S3 Thinking Caps on!

Put on your thinking caps! We need to think round how to keep records of what you do in music class. In the past, that has been just keeping a diary or paper profile. However, in this modern age, we should be able to do this in a better way.

How about a website or blog? Somewhere you can store mp3 files or images; somewhere we you can create a diary with screenshots of your GarageBand tracks and pieces. Maybe you need to keep note of what compositions you have done or audio files of your performance instrument.

So come on, let’s have all your ideas…….

Click the “leave a reply” button and send me your thoughts.

Thanks.

Listening to Music

S5/6 Music classes

Our listening course has now reached the Classical period. We have looked at music from 500 AD at the start of the Dark Ages, through the Music of the Medieval culminating in the fantastic pieces by Guillame de Machaut at the end of the period in 1400. The Renaissance brought significant change to music, both in sacred and secular music. The height of Renaissance sacred music is often thought to be that of Palestrina. Of course, the age of the Baroque highlights two superb exponents of Counterpoint and Harmony, namely J.S. Bach and G. Handel. In the Classical period, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven are “giants” but there are many other composers too.

Music changed out of all recognition in the years 500 to 1820, a spread of 1420 years – it is just not possible to sum it up in a few examples. If you are interested in music, you will keep learning and hearing new music for the rest of your lives. This is what is meant by “deepening your understanding” of music. And yet, we still have to study the music of the Romantic period and beyond to the present day.

If you have missed any “listening” classes since the start of term, many examples of audio, printed music, videos, images, concepts and text explanations are on the site at birsemusic.wordpress.com – look in the music courses section.

All the best…….