Australian Curriculum: Music
This section provides direct access to the complete Australian Curriculum: Music.
Understand how Music works
Rationale
This rationale complements and extends the rationale for The Arts learning area.
Music is uniquely an aural art form. The essential nature of music is abstract. Music encompasses existing sounds that are selected and shaped, new sounds created by composers and performers, and the placement of sounds in time and space.
Aims
In addition to the overarching aims of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts, music knowledge, understanding and skills ensure that, individually and collaboratively, students develop:
- the confidence to be creative, innovative, thoughtful, skilful and informed musicians
Structure
Students learning Music listen, perform and compose. They learn about the elements of music comprising rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture.
Example of knowledge and skills
Filters
Year levels:
Curriculum elements
Foundation to Year 2
Foundation to Year 2 Band Description
In Foundation to Year 2, learning in The Arts builds on the Early Years Learning Framework. Students are engaged through purposeful and creative play in structured activities, fostering a strong sense of wellbeing and developing their connection with and contribution to the world.
In the Foundation Year, students undertake The Arts appropriate for their level of development.
They explore the arts and learn how artworks can represent the world and that they can make artworks to represent their ideas about the world. They share their artworks with peers and experience being an audience to respond to others' art making.
As they experience the arts, students draw on artworks from a range of cultures, times and locations. They explore the arts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and of the Asia region and learn that they are used for different purposes. While the arts in the local community should be the initial focus for learning, students are also aware of and interested in the arts from more distant locations and the curriculum provides opportunities to build on this curiosity.
As they make and respond to artworks, students explore meaning and interpretation, forms and processes, and social and cultural contexts of the arts. They make early evaluations of artworks expressing what they like and why.
Students learn about safe practices in the arts through making and responding safely in the different arts subjects.
They experience the role of artist and they respond to feedback in their art making. As an audience, they learn to focus their attention on artworks presented and to respond to artworks appropriately. In Foundation to Year 2, students learn to be an audience for different arts experiences within the classroom.
In Music, students:
- become aware of rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture
- explore sounds as they learn to listen to and make music
- learn to discriminate between sounds and silence, and loud and soft sounds
- learn to move and perform with beat and tempo
- learn to listen as performers and as audience.
Foundation to Year 2 Content Descriptions
Content Descriptions
Foundation to Year 2 Achievement Standards
Learning Area Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 2, students describe artworks they make and those to which they respond. They consider where and why people make artworks.
Students use the elements and processes of arts subjects to make and share artworks that represent ideas.
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 2, students communicate about the music they listen to, make and perform and where and why people make music.
Students improvise, compose, arrange and perform music. They demonstrate aural skills by staying in tune and keeping in time when they sing and play.
Foundation to Year 2 Work Sample Portfolios
Years 3 and 4
Years 3 and 4 Band Description
In Years 3 and 4, learning in The Arts builds on the experience of the previous band. It involves students making and responding to artworks independently and collaboratively with their classmates and teachers.
As they experience The Arts, students draw on artworks from a range of cultures, times and locations. They explore the arts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and of the Asia region and learn that they are used for different purposes. While the arts in the local community should be the initial focus for learning, students are also aware of and interested in the arts from more distant locations and the curriculum provides opportunities to build on this curiosity.
As they make and respond to artworks, students explore meaning and interpretation, elements and forms, and social and cultural contexts of the arts. They make personal evaluations of their own and others' artworks, making connections between their own artistic intentions and those of other artists.
Students continue to learn about safe practices in the arts and in their interactions with other artists. Their understanding of the role of the artist and the audience builds on their experience from the previous band. As an audience, students focus their attention on the artwork and respond to it. They consider why and how audiences respond to artworks.
In Years 3 and 4, students' awareness of themselves and others as audiences is extended beyond the classroom to the broader school context.
In Music, students:
- extend their understanding of the elements of music as they develop their aural skills
- match pitch and show the direction of a tune with gesture or drawings
- recognise difference between notes moving by step and by leap
- recognise and discriminate between rhythm and beat
- explore meaning and interpretation, forms, and elements including rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture as they make and respond to music
- learn to listen as performers and as audience, extending their awareness of themselves and others as performers and as audience.
Years 3 and 4 Content Descriptions
Content Descriptions
Years 3 and 4 Achievement Standards
Learning Area Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 4, students describe and discuss similarities and differences between artworks they make and those to which they respond. They discuss how they and others organise the elements and processes in artworks.
Students collaborate to plan and make artworks that communicate ideas.
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 4, students describe and discuss similarities and differences between music they listen to, compose and perform. They discuss how they and others use the elements of music in performance and composition.
Students collaborate to improvise, compose and arrange sound, silence, tempo and volume in music that communicates ideas. They demonstrate aural skills by singing and playing instruments with accurate pitch, rhythm and expression.
Years 3 and 4 Work Sample Portfolios
Years 5 and 6
Years 5 and 6 Band Description
In Years 5 and 6, students draw on artworks from a range of cultures, times and locations. They explore the arts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and of the Asia region and learn that they are used for different purposes. While the arts in the local community should be the initial focus for learning, students are also aware of and interested in the arts from more distant locations and the curriculum provides opportunities to build on this curiosity.
As they make and respond to the arts, students explore meaning and interpretation, and social and cultural contexts of the arts. They evaluate the use of forms and elements in artworks they make and observe.
Students extend their understanding of safety in the arts. In Years 5 and 6, their understanding of the roles of artists and audiences builds on previous bands. They develop their understanding and use of performance or technical skills to communicate intention for different audiences. They identify a variety of audiences for different arts experiences as they engage with more diverse artworks as artists and audiences.
In Music, students:
- further their understanding of rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture in music
- extend their understanding and use of aural skills as they sing and play independent parts against contrasting parts and recognise instrumental, vocal and digitally generated sounds
- explore and use rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture in music they perform and compose
- explore meaning and interpretation, forms and elements of music as they make and respond to music.
Years 5 and 6 Content Descriptions
Content Descriptions
Years 5 and 6 Achievement Standards
Learning Area Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 6, students explain how ideas are communicated in artworks they make and to which they respond. They describe characteristics of artworks from different social, historical and cultural contexts that influence their art making.
Students structure elements and processes of arts subjects to make artworks that communicate meaning. They work collaboratively to share artworks for audiences, demonstrating skills and techniques.
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 6, students explain how the elements of music are used to communicate meaning in the music they listen to, compose and perform. They describe how their music making is influenced by music and performances from different cultures, times and places.
Students use rhythm, pitch and form symbols and terminology to compose and perform music. They sing and play music in different styles, demonstrating aural, technical and expressive skills by singing and playing instruments with accurate pitch, rhythm and expression in performances for audiences.
Years 5 and 6 Work Sample Portfolios
Years 7 and 8
Years 7 and 8 Band Description
In Music, students:
- build on their aural skills by identifying and manipulating rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture in their listening, composing and performing
- aurally identify layers within a texture
- sing and play independent parts against contrasting parts
- recognise rhythmic, melodic and harmonic patterns and beat groupings
- understand their role within an ensemble and control tone and volume
- perform with expression and technical control
- identify a variety of audiences for which music is made
- draw on music from a range of cultures, times and locations as they experience music
- explore the music and influences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and those of the Asia region
- learn that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have converted oral records to other technologies
- learn that over time there has been further development of techniques used in traditional and contemporary styles of music as they explore form in music
- explore meaning and interpretation, forms, and elements including rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture as they make and respond to music
- consider social, cultural and historical contexts of music
- evaluate the expressive techniques used in music they listen to and experience in performance
- maintain safety, correct posture and technique in using instruments and technologies
- build on their understanding from previous bands of the roles of artists and audiences as they engage with more diverse music.
Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions
Content Descriptions
Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 8, students identify and analyse how the elements of music are used in different styles and apply this knowledge in their performances and compositions. They evaluate musical choices they and others from different cultures, times and places make to communicate meaning as performers and composers.
Students manipulate the elements of music and stylistic conventions to compose music. They interpret, rehearse and perform songs and instrumental pieces in unison and in parts, demonstrating technical and expressive skills. They use aural skills, music terminology and symbols to recognise, memorise and notate features, such as melodic patterns in music they perform and compose.
Years 7 and 8 Work Sample Portfolios
Years 9 and 10
Years 9 and 10 Band Description
In Music, students:
- continue to develop their aural skills as they build on their understanding and use of the elements of music
- extend their understanding and use of more complex rhythms and diversity of pitch and incorporate dynamics and expression in different forms
- extend their use of and identification of timbre to discriminate between different instruments and different voice types
- build on their understanding of their role within an ensemble as they control tone and volume in a range of styles using instrumental and vocal techniques
- extend technical and expressive skills in performance from the previous band
- draw on music from a range of cultures, times and locations as they experience music
- explore the music and influences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and those of the Asia region
- learn that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have converted oral records to other technologies
- learn that over time there has been further development of different traditional and contemporary styles as they explore music forms
- reflect on the development of traditional and contemporary styles of music and how musicians can be identified through the style of their music
- explore meaning and interpretation, forms and elements, and social, cultural and historical contexts of music as they make and respond to music
- evaluate performers' success in expressing the composers' intentions and expressive skills in music they listen to and perform
- maintain safety, correct posture and technique in using instruments and technologies
- build on their understanding from previous bands of the roles of artists and audiences as they engage with more diverse music.
Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions
Content Descriptions
Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standards
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 10, 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 use their understanding of music making in different cultures, times and places to inform and shape their interpretations, performances and compositions.
Students interpret, rehearse and perform solo and ensemble repertoire in a range of forms and styles. They interpret and perform music with technical control, expression and stylistic understanding. They use aural skills to recognise elements of music and memorise aspects of music such as pitch and rhythm sequences. They use knowledge of the elements of music, style and notation to compose, document and share their music.
Years 9 and 10 Work Sample Portfolios
Last updated 8 August 2019
Australian Curriculum Version 8.4 in Queensland
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