DURHAM JOHNSTON SCHOOL MUSIC DEPARTMENT

KS3 SCHEME OF WORK

Year 9

Title Understanding the conventions of minimalist music

Stage and Identify and Integrate (Level 6)

Objective of  Identify and explore the processes and contexts of minimalist music
Understanding  Create music convincingly within this style, exploring the details of stylistic idioms, and
bringing some originality to their work.

Context Learning how a minimum of musical materials are used to create compositions using various
development techniques.

Convention, Learning that the key characteristics of minimalism are repetition, ostinato, simple harmony,
Processes and layering, building texture, varying and developing.
Procedures

Focus of Composition: developing and extending musical ideas

Practical
Experience

Features of Texture: layering of simple melodic and rhythmic material.

Musical
Elements

Development of Composition: developing given musical fragments into a prolonged minimalist piece, employing
Skills the techniques studied and using Sibelius notation software.

Expected Pupils will show their understanding of minimalist techniques, by exploring them through a range
Outcome of of listening activities. All pupils will compose a piece of minimalist music and show secure
Understanding knowledge of the elements and how they are used. Some will develop ideas more securely and
incorporate more than one characteristic into their composition. A few will have incorporated
several techniques into their composition and will have shown a good use of Sibelius.

Expected Elements
Outcome of  All pupils will learn the key characteristics of minimalist music and how to use them in
Knowledge and their own compositions.
Skills  Some pupils will understand, use and identify the characteristics of minimalist music.
 A few pupils will understand how specific elements, in particular, texture have an impact
in minimalism and show this in their own work.
Skills
 All pupils will develop a given motif, by using some of the key characteristics of
minimalist music.
 Some pupils will be able to demonstrate their understanding of some of the minimalist
techniques using the Sibelius software.
 A few pupils will have incorporated several minimalist techniques into their compositions
and will have shown a secure sound knowledge of the Sibelius software package.

SEQUENCE OF LEARNING OVERVIEW

Learning Objective Core Activity(s) Learning Outcome National
Curriculum
PLTS
Pupils will develop Background of Minimalism IE CT RL TW SM EP

their: Pupils will understand the Key Concepts

Integration of Practice
Discussion as to the origins of Minimalism, its history of minimalism and Cultural Understanding
Critical Understanding
Knowledge: of the key features and elements used. some of its key features, Creativity
origins of minimalist with the help of listening Communication

music. Listening activities to familiarise class with what exercises. Cross-Curricular

Identity/Diversity
minimalist music sounds like and to start to Health
Community
Understanding: the identify key features. Enterprise
Sustainability
elements that are Technology/Media
commonly present in Creativity/Critical Thinking

minimalist music

PLTS
Pupils will develop Minimalism in Context Pupils will understand that IE CT RL TW SM EP

their: minimalism is sometimes Key Concepts

Integration of Practice
Identify the context of minimalism in relation to quite simple music yet still Cultural Understanding
Critical Understanding
Knowledge: of the other ideas of the time. has a great impact. Creativity
composers of Listening activity: John Cage In a Landscape, Communication

minimalist music and divide class into 4 groups, have to stand up and Cross-Curricular
Identity/Diversity
their different styles. sit down when they hear their given motif. Also Health
Community
written exercise on same music, to get class to Enterprise
Sustainability
Understanding: the listen to all parts of the music. Technology/Media
context of minimalism Creativity/Critical Thinking

and the idea of

minimum ideas,
maximum impact.

PLTS
Pupils will develop Minimalist Composition Pupils will explore IE CT RL TW SM EP

their: repetition, development and Key Concepts

Integration of Practice
Using a pre-prepared templates and given extension of given ostintos Cultural Understanding
Critical Understanding
Skills: by employing musical fragments, pupils will construct a and layer these to produce a Creativity
the compositional minimalist piece employing the techniques minimalist composition. Communication

techniques previously studied and analysed in listening work. Cross-Curricular

Identity/Diversity
analysed, pupils will Health
Community
manipulate and ASSESSMENT TASK Enterprise
Sustainability
develop musical ideas. Technology/Media
Creativity/Critical Thinking
Name……………………………………………………. Music Group……………….

YEAR 9 MUSIC: MINIMALISM

During the 20th century composers experimented with many new and
different styles of music. Some composers thought that music had
become far too complicated in the 19th century (the Romantic era) and
they developed a new way of composing which used a few musical
ideas and then repeated, developed and varied them.

Here are the main musical characteristics of this style;

 The main feature of the music is repetition.

 This kind of music uses ostinatos (short musical ideas which are repeated).
 The harmony is very simple, often one or two chords.
 Small changes in musical phrase are introduced one by one.
 This may metamorphosis where the ostinato is gradually varied and developed.
 The music has a hypnotic quality.
 Music technology may be employed.
 Philip Glass and Steve Reich are prominent minimalist composers.

IN A LANDSCAPE 1948 by JOHN CAGE

This piece of music written by John Cage can be divided into four different motifs or parts.

A – Chime motif/ostinato B – Bass – on the beat

C – String sustained chords D – Guitar strums

Listen to the piece, and see if can complete the grid below showing where parts enter and drop
out. If you can’t hear the part, then simply leave the box empty to show that the motif is not
being played.

Intro 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Ending
8 bars 8 bars 2 bars 8 bars 8 bars 2 bars 8 bars 8 bars 8 bars
A A

D
 Composing a
Minimalist Piece

To complete this task you are going to be learning how to use a software package
called ‘Sibelius’ which notates your music for you! To get the best out of this
programme you need to remember the main note values.

Semibreve 4 beats

Minim 2 beats

Crotchet 1 beat

Quaver ½ beat

Semiquaver ¼ beat

Getting Started in Sibelius

 Open up a ‘Sibelius’ document
 Add 4 instruments
 Create a 4/4 Time Signature
 Create a C major key signature
 Enter your ostinatos/musical fragments according to your plan.
 Remember to repeat and build up the texture.
 Later on try varying and developing.

(A) (C)

(B) (D)
 Planning your Minimalist Composition
Layer Intro Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5
2 bars 4 bars 4 bars 2 bars 4 bars 4 bars

Instrument?

Instrument?

Instrument?

Instrument?

Assessment Levels for Minimalist Compositions

The music composed shows very basic repetition and formulaic manipulation of
5c the given fragments. There are one or two layers within the composition.

The music composed shows some basic repetition and manipulation of the given
5b fragments. There is more than one layer within the texture.

The music composed shows repetition and some creative manipulation of the
5a given material. There are several different layers within the texture but these are
not always complimentary. There is evidence that sounds, melodies and
rhythms have been explored, and these ideas have begun to be developed.

The music composed contains repetition and creative development and

6c extension of the given musical fragments. Suitable dynamics, timbres and tempo
have been chosen and musical ideas have been developed to produce a
successful and effective piece of music.

The music composed is expressive and imaginative, and effectively employs

6b+ several of the main minimalist techniques. All musical features are appropriate
and the given musical ideas have been well explored and developed, and
extended.
 Minimalist Key Word Wordsearch!
S C U L P T U R E T J S G A P U D
S Y F O D N L S R E Y A L K A H D
N G O O N D G P U D F T C V M F J
O F O P L I N S T R U M E N T S K
O S T I N A T O X V D I E A F H S
P F S A G E O M E T R I C X V R T
V K U Q A E R Y T H I C K J R H E
M A T H E M A T I C A L H D Y W V
O G S H R H Y T H M Y A I P O L E
V D F G S J R A H O K S G J H N R
E P H R A S E A P V G I H K L W E
M A S E V E N T I E S X T D S B I
E A G P H D S A Y M I T S D G H C
N W E E G P H A S E G I S D F I H
T E R T T Y U D A N C E D S N A E
D F P I S H J A R T H S G O R D F
S A F T H G A S H Q E G R H E D Z
P H I L I P G L A S S T B V T C X
E R W O F F G S A K C L P G T D H
T H I N T B N D F E A S D F A G H
B N M Z X C S A L S D L O O P F G
F D G H J K R E P E T I T I O N H
U M E T A M O R P H O S I S R E A

Movement Philip Glass

Sculpture Thin
Loop Geometric
Thick Steve Reich
Sixties Instruments
Seventies Pattern
Electronic Rhythm
Art Repetition
Dance Ostinato
Mathematical Phase
Texture Phrase
Layers Metamorphosis
 The Desert Music
by Steve Reich
1. Which instrument plays the ‘stabbed’ chords at the start of this extract?
 
Organ Trumpet Piano
Cello
 
2. How many different pitches does the xylophone part have?

2 3 4 5 6
 
3. What happens to the xylophone part after the 2nd ‘stabbed’ chord?
 
a) It changes from a beat to a rhythm
b) It plays twice as fast as before
c) It plays 4 times as fast as before
d) It plays 1/2 as fast as before
 
4. After this 2nd ‘stabbed’ chord, a vibraphone comes in. Listening to it, what do you notice it can do that a
xylophone cannot do?
 
a) It can play loud and quiet sounds
b) It can play two notes at once
c) It can play long and short sounds at once
d) It can bend notes down in pitch

5. After the vibraphone what is the next instrument to enter the piece?
 
Cello Harp Guitar Violin Double Bass
 
6. What Minimalist technique is used on this instruments simple melody to make the music more complex as it
goes along?
 
a) It is repeated
b) It gets faster
c) It gradually changes its pitches
d) It leaves notes out as it goes along
e) It is imitated (echoed) by other instruments
 
7. How many phrases make up this simple melody?
 
2 3 4 5
 
8. Draw the pitch shape that appears in the violin part a little later.

9. When the voices enter, why are they a contrast to the other parts already playing? (Choose two)
 
a) The volume rises and falls
b) They have a faster rhythm
c) They have long notes
d) They have words
 
10.  Underline the two words which best describe the mood of this music.
 
Dreamy Aggressive Joyful Sulky Expectant Tired
 Listening to
Minimalist Music

Piece Composer Description