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Music

Academic Department Details

Department:Department of Music

Subject:Hindustani Classical and Western Classical

Course Content

D Form

  • Voice Culture through exercises based on the diatonic scale
  • Learning fifteen songs sung at Assembly
  • Learning songs based on Classical and Folk styles and idiom
  • Basic knowledge of partsinging in harmony
  • Use of vocables to a given rhythm
  • Learning about various intervals
  • Music appreciation

C Form

  • Introduction to, and training in, playing any one of the following: tabla, sitar, santoor, sarod, xylophone, flute, guitar, piano, electronic keyboard, violin and
    vocal music
  • In Western Music, reading of staff notation and preparation for the Trinity College, London, examination for interested students is part of the course
  • In Hindustani Music, reading notation and preparation for external music examinations for interested students is part of the course
  • Music appreciation is carried out via audio and audio-visual sessions and workshops

Learning Objectives

The course will develop in students an understanding of the key elements of music, viz. melody, harmony and rhythm. The understanding will, at every stage, be translated into practice through voice culture, and learning how to play melodic and percussion instruments.

General Comments

In C and D forms, there are internal examinations/assessment. These are not affiliated to any external examination board.

In D Form, assessment is done through examinations which test individual vocal ability in the following: accuracy of pitch, rhythmic perception, memorization of given lyrics, and communication and interpretation in performance. Each of these components carries 25%, with a total of 100% as the maximum marks possible.

In C Form no examinations are held. Assessment is done on the basis of progress observed in technical and musical skills, through an ongoing series of tests through the academic year and through performance at school music productions.

Academic Department Details

Department:Music

Subject:Hindustani Music (Instrumental/Vocal)

Curriculum::ICSE

Course Content

Theory – Main systems of Hindustani music and musical notation system

Theory – description of 16 ragas and 10 taals

Theory – Life and works of eminent musicians

Practical – Identifying and playing/singing major and minor notes, demonstrating fractional rhythms, singing/playing Madhya laya Khayal, Vilambit Khayal, alaaps and tans.

Learning Objectives

  • To consolidate basic range of musical skills
  • Knowledge of musical notation system
  • Identification of ragas
  • Methods of handling and tuning instrument

Skills Acquired by Students

  • Playing alankars in different layakaris and taals
  • Identifying and playing/singing major and minor notes
  • Playing/singing certain gats with simple alaap, tans and jhala

General Comments

The subject enables students to acquire and consolidate a range of basic musical skills, knowledge and understanding through listening and performing. An understanding of classical styles like dhrupad and khayal, and semi-classical styles like thumri, tappa and ghazal is imparted through listening and performance by the student. The essential skill of reading and writing musical notation is an integral part of the course. The subject guides the student through an informed appreciation of forms and gharanas of music, and the styles of eminent exponents in vocal and instrumental (pertaining to the student`s instrument) classical music.

Academic Department Details

Department:Music

Subject:Hindustani Music (Tabla)

Curriculum::ICSE

Course Content

Theory – History of music and the instrument

Practical – Rhythmic compositions on Taals.

Learning Objectives

  • Understanding rhythmic cycles through recitation
  • Performing cycles to a given melodic phrase
  • Composing and elaborating on given Taals

Skills Acquired by Students

  • Technical proficiency as shown through hand coordination and clarity of syllables
  • Coordination with melodic performer/ performance through accompanying
  • Understanding and performing with different styles of musical composition

General Comments

The subject aims at teaching students to develop a perceptive, sensitive and critical response to rhythm. It guides the aesthetic and creative development of the student and builds up a repertoire aimed at performing with varied styles of Hindustani music. It teaches a basic understanding of the structure and idiom of Hindustani music, both melodic and rhythmic. Aural perception is an essential part of the learning process, as is the ability to transfer theoretical knowledge into practical performance.

Academic Department Details

Department:Music

Subject:Western Music

Curriculum::ICSE

Course Content

Theory – Instrument families

Theory – History and analysis of music, through symphony, concerto and lives and works of major art music composers of the classical and romantic periods

Theory – Origins and characteristics of jazz, biographies of major exponents

Theory – Instrumentation, biography, discography, style and idiom of any one popular band and singer

Theory – Musical definitions, music for dance, folk and country music styles and exponents

Practical – Grade 4 (or above), Trinity College London, examination: pieces, technical exercises, scales, arpeggios, musical knowledge viva voce, aural perception test.

Learning Objectives

  • Learning the structure, range and music written for all instruments in the symphony orchestra
  • Studying the culture, context, style and form of Western Art music from Baroque to Romantic periods; jazz styles and popular music
  • Analyzing large-scale musical forms like symphony and concerto
  • Lives and works of major European composers and jazz/popular exponents of those genres
  • Technical proficiency on instrument and understanding of how to perform musically

Skills Acquired by Students

  • Critical and analytical skills applied to forms and genres of music
  • Recognizing styles, periods, instrumentation
  • Technical, musical skills appropriate to the style /genre of specific pieces

General Comments

The subject introduces and familiarizes students with the concepts of melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, tone-colour and forms of Western art and jazz/popular music. It gives a thorough grounding in the theory (grammar) of music through key, time signatures and devices like modulations and tonality. It makes the student proficient in reading Western notation.

Learning an instrument covers technical exercises and pieces of different periods in art music, with Grade 4, or above, examination of Trinity College London being taken at the end of the course. Notational accuracy, technical proficiency and effective musical understanding and communication are taught as essential performance components.

Academic Department Details

Department: Department of Music

Subject: Hindustani Music (Vocal/Instrumental)

Curriculum: ISC

Course Content

Theory: Musical sound, Swaras, Varna,Alankar,Taal.

Theory: Forms of composition and types of ragas.

Theory: Complete theory of set ragas and notation

Theory: Contribution of eminent musicians — their lives and works

Practical: Singing/playing of Khayal of set ragas with alap, Bola lap, sargam, tans

Practical: Dhrupad in any one of the set ragas

Practical: Use of self-made alap and appropriate use of certain grace notes.

Learning Objectives

  • In-depth understanding of shruties, swaras, thats
  • Notation writing of note combinations, songs with alaap and taans
  • Demonstration of ragas with improvisation

Skills Acquired by Students

  • Holding, handling, tuning and performing the instrument with confidence and familiarity
  • Ability to bring out expressive and creative nuances of a composition
  • Analytical and appreciative ability as a listener
  • Communicating musically as a solo performing artiste

General Comments

The subject is designed to encourage and nurture creativity of musical expression. To achieve this, thorough and in-depth knowledge of the structure, idiom and theory of music is imparted. Critical appreciation and understanding is fostered through examining and listening to the music of eminent exponents from different gharaanas. Singing/playing of an advanced level, incorporating self-made alaaps and improvisation, and being able to understand and demonstrate diverse styles and forms is an essential element of the subject, helping the student to be able to give solo performances of a high calibre. Versatility in music-making is taught through ensemble playing, and an understanding of diverse tone-colours and textures in a range of instruments and vocal techniques.

Academic Department Details

Department: Department of Music

Subject: Hindustani Music (Tabla)

Curriculum: ISC

Course Content

Theory: Lives and styles of leading exponents

Theory: Taal notation, rotation and Pranas of taal

Theory: Pakhawaj taals

Practical: Accompaniment of Thekas, production and identification of syllables, compositions from different gharaanas.

Learning Objectives

  • Advanced and in-depth understanding of Layakaries and wazan of Taal
  • Identification of gharaanas, through stylistic hallmarks
  • Essay writing, covering a wide range of music-related topics, including contemporary popular music, electronics in music, etc.

Skills Acquired by Students

  • Ability to perform accompanying Taals to different styles of Hindustani classical, light classical and popular music
  • An in-depth appreciation of complex Taals and application of theoretical knowledge to performance
  • Presenting a solo performance incorporating tukdas, kayadas, chakradhars, tihais and laggis to a nagma (fixed melodic pattern)

General Comments

The subject teaches advanced skills in 56able playing, with technical proficiency, high tempo and dynamic control. It imparts an appreciation of the styles and playing techniques unique to all the major gharaanas of Hindustani music, with an ability to recognize the styles. It encompasses 56able and other Indian percussion instrument playing from ancient to present times, including the two main streams of Hindustani classical music, Dhrupad-ang and Khayal-ang. It teaches the student to be well-versed in all theoretical aspects of music and familiar with appropriate technical terminology, as well as have a wide knowledge of exponents of 57able, instrumental and vocal classical music.

Academic Department Details

Department: Department of Music

Subject: Western Music

Curriculum: ISC

Course Content

Theory: Composition

Theory: Harmony – SATB and two-part

Theory: Analysis

Theory: History and Analysis of set works, lives and works of Bach, Beethoven, Schubert and Franck

Practicals: Trinity College London, advanced grade examination – pieces, technical exercises, scales, arpeggios, aural perception, sight-reading.

Aural perception tests (written)

Learning Objectives

  • Structure, devices, melodic progressions, modulations, text-painting in composing to words
  • Harmonisation, and its application to all degrees and in all inversions of major and minor keys
  • Application of technique and stylistic understanding to performance on an instrument
  • In-depth analysis and understanding of a set symphony, lied, fugue and sonata, with context and culture, and other works of the composers

Skills Acquired by Students

  • Technical, stylistic proficiency on the instrument to an advanced level
  • Thorough knowledge of the composers, forms, major works of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods of Western Art music
  • Creativity through composition
  • Aural proficiency in recognizing and writing, in staff notation, rhythms, melodies, intervals, cadences, chord progressions, modulations.

General Comments

The subject teaches, over two years, advanced musical skills in performance – notational accuracy, technical proficiency, stylistic understanding, and musical communication at an advanced level, following the Trinity College London Grade 6, or above, syllabus, with an examination at the end of the two years (Form SC). Musical dictation employing a variety of components is taught over two years as aural perception to an advanced degree. Creativity through composition, using devices of Western Art music; composition, part-writing for voices, analysis of an extract from a score, and essays analyzing in detail works of major composers of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods of Western Music , as well as their lives and works, comprise the theoretical components of the subject.

Academic Department Details

Department: Department of Music

Subject: Music

Curriculum: IB

Course Content

Theory: Analysis through scores of two set works

Theory: Study of Western art music through scores and guided listening, World Music, jazz and popular music through guided listening with written analyses.

Theory: Researching links between music of two different cultures

Practical: Repertoire of an advanced level in an instrument for a recording of 15 minutes.

Learning Objectives

  • Technical and musical proficiency on the instrument of choice
  • Ability to understand and interpret a wide variety of styles and idioms through performance
  • Developing a musical and socio-cultural understanding of genres of music
  • Developing the ability to do independent research and produce original work
  • Cultural sensitivity

Skills Acquired by Students

  • Convincing, technically secure control of the instrument
  • Analytical skills in the elements of music such as structure, instrumentation, form, melody, harmony, texture, rhythm and tone colour
  • Ability to read symphonic and other complex scores and analyse them
  • Aural perceptiveness
  • Writing about music using appropriate terminology and displaying in-depth knowledge

General Comments

The purpose of the course is to help the student gain as broad a music education as possible. The framework of the course is such that it can be constructed to suit the student`s strengths, interests and capability in the components of performance and musical links investigation. The student is helped to develop as a performer in terms of technique, interpretive skills and versatility. Aural perceptiveness is taught to promote the ability to recognize, analyse, identify and describe, in appropriate musical terminology, music of different genres and styles from across the world. Comprehensive and eclectic listening, building a confident and communicative musical performance personality, and teaching how to research and write about music are the key elements of the course.


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