Believe it or not, most musicians follow the same patterns when they compose a piece of music. These patterns, called forms, have recently been the focus of learning for our Year 8 music students.
Believe it or not, most musicians follow the same patterns when they compose a piece of music. These patterns, called forms, have recently been the focus of learning for our Year 8 music students.
They’ve spent the past several days exploring and discussing differences among the various forms, including Binary Form (AB), Ternary Form (ABA) and Rondo Form (ABACAD). To demonstrate their knowledge of forms, small groups of students created and performed compositions in class, leaving their peers to determine which form they used.
Students also tackled a more complex pattern, called Sonata Form. They listened to works that showcase the form and then developed their keyboard skills by learning to play the beginning of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, which is one of the 12 core works of our music curriculum developed in collaboration with The Juilliard School. To take their understanding one step further, students composed three variations of the piece and then put on a performance in class.
In the coming days, students will be creating their own composition based on Sonata Form. Stay tuned!
