Activity Introduction
Quick summary: This lesson is designed to inspire students to experiment with rhythm. Students explore syncopation and irregular bar lengths and apply it to their own 30 second attention grabbing piece of music to enter into the Fanfare Competition.
This lesson is part of the Fanfare Competition unit. The unit is designed for students to build their aural and technical skills while exploring music as an art form through listening, composing and performing. Students are encouraged to apply their learning by planning and organising a composition for the Fanfare Competition.
The competition encourages young people aged 12‐21 years to write a new work to be played in venues across Australia to replace the ‘cue bells’ for audiences to take their seats. It is a wonderful way to showcase young artists and musicians, and encourage creativity in young people.
Learning intentions:
- Students consider the possibilities of variable bar lengths when composing.
- Students experiment with a traditional African rhythm (using syncopation).
- Students build their capacity to be creative and express ideas musically.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 9 & 10 Music
- Manipulate combinations of the elements of music in a range of styles, using technology and notation (ACAMUM100).
- Plan and organise compositions with an understanding of style and convention, including drawing upon Australian music by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists (ACAMUM102).
Syllabus Outcomes: MUS5.4, MUS5.5, MUS5.6.
General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking
Relevant parts of Year 9 and 10 achievement standards: Students analyse different scores and performances aurally and visually. They evaluate the use of elements of music and defining characteristics from different musical styles. They interpret, rehearse and perform solo and ensemble repertoire in a range of forms and styles.
Topic: Fanfare Competition.
Unit of work: Artology Fanfare Competition.
Time needed: 60 minutes.
Level of teacher scaffolding: High – teacher requires musical knowledge to guide student ideas.
Resources required: Device capable of presenting a video to the class. Manuscript paper, whiteboard. Optional: Fanfare Competition DIY Student Toolkit.
Key words: fanfare, composition, rhythm, beat, bar-length, attention-grabbing, syncopation, canon, round.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Teacher preparation