Apply for instrumental lessons online:
https://www.telfordandwrekinmusic.co.uk/
Music at Holy Trinity Academy involves students in two lessons per fortnight at Key Stage 3 (Years 7 and 8), and five lessons per fortnight as an option at Key Stage 4 (Years 9-11). We are committed to developing creating and performance skills in all our young people, whilst also encouraging them to be self -analytical, through observing and listening to their own and others’ work.
In Music, all students experience music through the key areas of composing, performing and listening. There is the opportunity for students to learn to play an instrument and for students to develop their musical skills in a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
In Year 7 and 8, students embark on a diverse musical journey that builds foundational skills and explores various genres and techniques. The curriculum begins in the autumn term with Keyboard Skills, where students develop performance techniques and learn to read treble clef notation, including sharps, flats, and basic staff notation. They also explore melody and chord structures. This is followed by Voiceworks, where students engage in vocal warmups and exercises like call and response, while experimenting with vocal textures such as harmony, unison, and a cappella singing. They also study different voice types (SATB) and take part in the BIG CHRISTMAS SING.
In the spring term, students shift focus to instruments, beginning with a Ukulele Project. Here, they master basic ukulele performance techniques, concentrating on primary chords and chord sequences. They are introduced to the "four chord trick" and learn how to read TAB notation. Next, students dive into rhythm in the I’ve Got Rhythm unit, where they develop an understanding of pulse, beat, and rhythm through hands-on activities. This includes exploring ostinatos, cyclic and polyrhythms, and practicing rhythm grid notation.
During the summer term, students focus on musical forms and ensemble performance. In Form and Structure, they study musical structures like binary, ternary, and rondo, and create their own music using question and answer phrases. In Sonority City, students explore orchestral instruments and the role of the conductor, practicing ensemble performance with an emphasis on coordination and timing.
Moving into the next academic year, students continue to build on their skills with Hooks and Riffs, analysing and performing musical hooks across genres, while developing their ability to sing in parts and unison. Later in the term, they begin a Guitar Project, where they learn guitar techniques, including primary chords and fingerpicking, and practice reading TAB notation through three- and four-chord songs.
In the spring, students explore how music influences film in the Film Music unit, studying the use of music to create atmosphere and mood. They also learn about leitmotifs and their use in different film genres such as Sci-Fi, Horror, and Westerns. In the following unit, All About the Bass, students focus on reading and notating bass clef music, exploring bass line techniques like walking bass and pedal notes.
Finally, in the summer term, students are introduced to digital music composition with BandLab (DAW Composition). Using digital audio workstation software, they compose music within set constraints, experimenting with tempo changes and composing music for a video game trailer. The year concludes with Offbeat - Reggae, where students explore reggae music, focusing on offbeat chords, syncopation, and bass lines, gaining an understanding of the textures and rhythms that characterise music from the Caribbean.
Music is offered both at GCSE and A Level, from 2019 following the Eduqas specification, building on the three key areas of Appraising, Performing and Composing, through solo and ensemble work, free choice and composition to a brief, and appraising skills including general listening and exam board set works.
Instrumental lessons are offered to all students through weekly visits from peripatetic teachers through Telford and Wrekin Music Service. Currently, lessons are offered in Keyboard, Guitar, Drums, Strings, Singing, Woodwind and Brass.
Extra-Curricular Activities
This is a fundamental part of Music at Holy Trinity Academy and our students respond with great commitment and enthusiasm to the clubs we hold at lunch times and after school. We believe very firmly that the skills acquired in these clubs feed back into our lessons, enhancing the quality of outcomes and promoting a strong interest in the Arts. Students can use the department for individual and group practice at lunchtime, and rehearsals take place weekly after school.
As a result of these clubs we are able to hold music concerts, musicals and serious dramas. Most recently, we have staged the Wizard of Oz, Little Shop of Horrors, Gizmo, Private Peaceful, Disco Inferno and Songs from the Shows. These have been in addition to our Christmas Showcases and Carol Services, as well as performance opportunities in venues such as Oakengates Theatre and Lichfield Cathedral.