Music
Roding Valley's music department is going from strength to strength. Every year the music department churns out a new batch of fantastic musicians - all having had little or no musical experience prior to arriving at secondary school. Our music studio is the envy of schools all around the country and is one of only a handful of schools that provide the equipment and professional software on such a level to all lower and upper school students.
The music studio itself houses 16 state of the art music PC's - all loaded with Steinberg Cubasis, Cubase and a whole host of VST Instruments and Plugins. Every student in the school gets to use software they'd normally have to pay hundreds of pounds to use in a normal studio. Since the total refurbishment of the facility itself, the quality and quantity of music composed at RVHS has increased dramatically with many more students now choosing to come back to the studio in their free time and compose music.
Staff
Head of Music & Creative Arts: Mr J Savage.
Music Teacher: Miss L Fleming
Music Teacher, Technician and Web Developer: Mr D Holland
Peripatetic Music Teachers
Mr R Day - Drums, Mr D Gould - Woodwind & Jazz band, Mr S Bullamore - Piano, Mr J Taylor - Piano, Guitar, Blues & Salsa Band, Mr J Thompson - Guitar, Mr S Warne - Singing & Vocal groups
Facilities
Music Studio - 16 computers, Recording Studio, Cubasis software, Music Room (17 Keyboard), Drum kit, Range of guitars and percussion instruments, Percussion Room - Drum Kit, Congas, Bongos
The department also has two practice rooms and 5 pianos including one Grand Piano in the Hall.
Cubasis Software
Cubasis Software (the software for composing and editing Music). The music department is one of the forerunners in the use of music technology in schools. The department uses Cubasis Software. This is a relatively inexpensive programme that can be used at home. All students from years 7-11 use this software.
Key Stage 3 Music
All students are taught one hour of music each week. They are on a two week timetable and have two music teachers. One week they have their lesson in the Music Studio where they focus on composition skills and the next week they are in Music Room 1 where they focus on Performing and keyboard skills.
Schemes of Work
Students will study a wide range of subjects. This will include:
Year 7 - Reading Music, keyboard skills, advertising, Reggae, writing your own pop song
Year 8 - Hooks and Riffs, The Baroque Period, African drumming, Indonesian Gamelan, Film Music
Year 9 - The Blues, Ragtime, Dance Music, Radio Show
Assessment
The students are assessed termly in four key areas - Performing, Composing, Listening, Appraising
At the end of year 9 the average students is expected to achieve a level5. In 2005 75% of students achieved this level. Students are also given an ICT level for the work they have done on the computers which goes towards their final ICT level.
Key Stage 4 Music
The music GCSE is a two year course. You will be learning a lot of new skills, as well as building upon skills you have learnt in the lower school. For more detail please go to the Edexcel website.
Performing 30% - This section is split into two parts - solo performance and group performance. Each section is worth 15% of your final mark.
Solo Performance 15% - Here you will perform one short piece to your music teacher. No one else will be listening! Your teachers will then mark you and send the result to the exam board. It will really help you if you are having instrumental lessons.
Group Performance 15% - The mark that you are awarded for this section will reflect all of the group performances that you have taken part in over the two years. You will still perform one piece for the exam, but this is just to show that standard that you have reached at the end of your course.
Compositions 30% - You will write two compositions each year. To start with you will be given a topic or title but you can also choose to write for whichever instruments, or style that you like! When you have finished your composition you hand it to your teacher who will mark it as though it has been handed in for the final exam. You can then improve your work and hand it in again. This process can happen over and over again. You will then hand in two compositions at the end of the course. You will also have to perform one part of one of your compositions and this mark goes towards your performance grade.
Listening Paper 40% - This is the only formal exam on the course. You will have a one and a half hour exam where you will be listening to many different kinds of music and will have to answer questions about them. This in some ways is the hardest part of the exam but with practice it will become easier.
Instrumental Tuition at RVHS
There are lots of opportunities for those of you who want to play a musical instrument. Lessons are available for everyone who wants them - it doesn't matter if you haven't had lessons before. The lessons cost £48.50 for ten fifteen minute lessons. If you receive free school meals then this cost is subsidised and you only have to pay £12.50 per term. Link to form that needs to be filled in.
Lessons are available in:
Piano/Keyboard, Electric/acoustic/bass guitar, Singing, Flute/clarinet/saxophone/bassoon/recorder, Drums
Hiring Instruments
If you need to hire an instrument then it is possible to do so from Essex Music Services. You can hire all kinds of instruments including drum kits and electric guitars! They have very reasonable rates and those of you who have free school meals will also receive a discount. For more information contact Essex Music Services on or visit their website.
Listen to students work:
Music Software:
Music Studio:
Students Performing:
