Wednesday 23 January 2019

Practical Exams in Music

The Practical exams for Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate Music will take place on specific dates between April 1st and April 12th. Students are currently working hard on their performances for this exam. The Practical Exam is worth 25% of the overall grade at Junior Cert level and 50% of the overall grade for the majority of Leaving Cert students. The music room is available at lunchtimes for students who wish to practice.

First Year Music

First Year students are currently working on a Jazz Music project. They can chose any of the styles of Jazz Music that we have studied in class and the project can be presented in written, typed, poster or audio form. I'm really looking forward to seeing their creativity in action! This project is due on Friday 12th April and will account for 15% of the end of year exam.

General Study Jazz Music

Question 10 on the Junior Certificate Music Paper is the General Study question. Students in 2nd and 3rd Year are using Jazz Music as part of their General Study. The answer to question 10 normally takes the following form:
 


GENERAL STUDY JAZZ MUSIC


 


FROM THE CATEGORY: MUSIC IN THE POPULAR TRADITION.


 


TWO PIECES WITH PERFORMER/COMPOSER:


  • IN THE MOOD: COMPOSED AND PERFORMED BY GLENN MILLER.
  • BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY: PERFORMED BY THE ANDREWS SISTERS.
  • MAPLE LEAF RAG: COMPOSED BY SCOTT JOPLIN.
  • THE ENTERTAINER: COMPOSED BY SCOTT JOPLIN.
  • WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN: PERFORMED BY LOUIS ARMSTRONG.


(ANY TWO OF THESE)


 


OSTINATO: AN OSTINATO OCCURS WHEN A SECTION OF MUSIC IS REPEATED CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT THE PIECE OF MUSIC. IN JAZZ MUSIC, OSTINATOS ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS RIFFS. THEY CAN BE RHYTHMIC, WHERE A SECTION OF RHYTHM IS REPEATED OR HARMONIC, WHERE A SECTION OF MELODY IS REPEATED THROUGHOUT THE PIECE OF MUSIC. OSTINATOS ARE A VERY COMMON FEATURE OF JAZZ MUSIC AND ARE USED TO ACCOMPANY A GREAT NUMBER OF JAZZ PERFORMANCES. A PIECE OF MUSIC THAT USES OSTINATO IS IN THE MOOD BY GLENN MILLER.

SYNCOPATION: SYNCOPATION IS ANOTHER VERY COMMON FEATURE OF JAZZ MUSIC. SYNCOPATION OCCURS WHEN THE EMPHASIS OR STRONG BEAT IS PLACED ON WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE THE WEAKER BEAT OF THE BAR. FOR EXAMPLE IN A PIECE OF MUSIC WITH A TIME SIGNATURE OF 4/4, THE STRONG BEAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ON THE BEATS OF ONE AND THREE. WHEN THAT PIECE OF MUSIC IS SYNCOPATED, THE STRONG BEAT IS NOW PLACED ON THE BEATS OF TWO AND FOUR. A PIECE OF MUSIC WHICH FEATURES SYNCOPATION IS THE ENTERTAINER BY SCOTT JOPLIN.


 
IMPROVISATION: A THIRD COMMON FEATURE OF JAZZ MUSIC IS IMPROVISATION. DURING A PERFORMANCE, INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IMPROVISED SOLO VARIATIONS OF THE PIECE OF MUSIC, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS BREAKS. WHEN IMPROVISING, PLAYERS OFTEN USE HEAD ARRANGEMENTS WHERE THE BASIC CHORD PATTERN AND OTHER ESSENTIAL FEATURES ARE WRITTEN DOWN. A PIECE OF MUSIC WHICH FEATURES IMPROVISTION IS WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN BY LOUIS ARMSTRONG.