Welcome to Music

We know that many of our students are passionate about music before they even arrive at BDA. Music plays a significant role in the lives of young people: it can influence the formation of their identity, their friendships, and even their aspirations in life. It is essential, therefore, that we harness our students’ interest in music and give them the opportunity to develop their musical skills and knowledge. This, in turn, enables them to actively participate in music-making activities, to have an awareness of a wide variety of musical genres, and to make critical judgements about the music they are hearing.   

By learning music at BDA, our students will develop a lifelong enrichment that music can offer: the ability to form friendships through music-making, the satisfaction of continuing to learn and develop their musical skills long after they have left BDA, and the foundations to pursue a career in music, should they choose to do so. 

We have created a pathway that progressively builds upon pupils’ existing musical skills and knowledge.   Music lessons mostly contain practical music-making activities rather than written or theoretical tasks; often the theoretical concepts will be taught through practical means.  

Skills are broken down into performing, composing and critical listening.

Knowledge is split into musical ‘elements’ which are linked to the language used by Edexcel at GCSE & A-Level: structure; pitch and melody; harmony and tonality; texture; tempo, metre and duration; dynamics and articulation; performing forces and playing techniques.

All Year 7 subjects Next Year 7 Subject - Art Education

All Year 8 subjects Next Year 8 Subject - Art Education

All Year 9 subjects Next Year 9 Subject - Art Education

All Year 10 subjects Next Year 10 Subject - Art Education

All Year 11 subjects Next Year 11 Subject - Art Education