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Music
Music
Personal Develop
men
tMathematics, Science and Technology
Socia
l Scie
nces
Languages
Uses information
Solves problems
Exercises criticaljudgment
Uses creativity
Adopts effectivework methods
Uses informationand communications
technologies
Achieves his/herpotential
Cooperateswith others
Communicatesappropriately
INTELLECTUAL COMPETENCIES
METHODOLOGICAL COMPETENCIESPERSONAL AND SOCIAL COMPETENCIES
COMMUNICATION-RELATEDCOM
PETENCY
Health andWell-Being
Personal and CareerPlanning
Environmental Awarenessand Consumer Rights and
Responsibilities
MediaLiteracy
Citizenship andCommunity Life
STUDENTConstructionof world-view
Constructionof identity
Empowerment
AppreciatesmusicalworksCross-Curricular Competencies
Subject Areas
Aims of the QEP
Broad Areas of Learning
Subject-Specific Competencies in Music
Making Connections: Music and the Other Dimensionsof the Québec Education Program (QEP)
PerformsmusicalworksCreates
musicalworks
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Québec Education Program
MusicArts Education
Music is the art of producing and combining sounds in acreative way. As the personal expression of the inner selfand the translation into sound of a sociocultural reality,it delivers a structured message using a system of codesthat allows expression of feelings and emotions. Strippedof its affective content and its expressive elements, musicceases to be an art and is reduced to a collection of mean-ingless sounds. Music has been associated with cere-monies, work and dances since the beginning of history.Such connections between musical genres and theirformer purposes have, however, become tenuous, result-ing in an art form that can either be practised indepen-dently or be combined with the human voice and bodymovements. Music plays an essential role in the arts, soci-ety and the economy in today’s culture. One aspect of itsimportance lies in its attraction for young people. It is thesource of special experiences that bring together sensa-tions, emotion and aesthetic judgment.
Music contributes to students’ overall development. Onthe psychomotor level, it requires flexibility and techni-cal agility, as well as visual and auditory discrimination.On the cognitive level, it solicits memory, creativity, obser-vation skills, analytical ability and the capacity for syn-thesizing, particularly with regard to the creation ofmusical works, in which ideas, notions, principles andrules are organized in a personal way. On the affectivelevel, it requires a serious commitment from students tocreate or perform a musical work. It allows students todevelop their sensitivity by exploring and expressing theiremotions, becoming aware of their values, beliefs andindividuality, and discovering their potential. On the sociallevel, group and individual work foster a sense of respon-
sibility. Creating, playing, understanding, appreciating andbeing sensitive to music represent a specific form of intel-ligence through which students acquire knowledge aboutthemselves and the world. Providing students with affec-tive, cognitive, psychomotor, social and aesthetic experi-ences gives them an opportunity to express their ideasand their world-view and to be sensitive to the ideas ofother students and composers.
Secondary music education builds on the learningacquired at the elementary level, regardless of the artis-tic disciplines introduced to the students. Music educa-tion at this level further develops and consolidates thebasic learning common to the arts subjects. Secondaryeducation encourages students to develop their creativepotential, artistic sensibility, performing and listeningskills, as well as the ability to express themselves andcommunicate through music. The secondary music pro-gram entails the development of three complementaryand interdependent competencies:– Creates musical works1
– Performs musical works– Appreciates musical works
These competencies are developed interactively, but theemphasis placed on the elaboration of each is dictatedby the particular nature of the subject. Learning whichfocuses on creating and performing musical worksrequires more time to acquire. Both of these competenciesinvolve a process of learning the language, rules, principles
Québec Education Program
Introduction to the Music Program
1. Throughout the music program, the word “work” is used in its broad-est sense; it refers both to the students’ productions and those of com-posers.
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and tools specific to music as well as developing com-plex psychomotor skills. This demands a considerableamount of time—roughly the same amount for eachcompetency. Building on rational and intuitive thinking atthe same time, the creation and performance of piecesof music gives students the opportunity to express anddevelop their artistic potential. The third competency,Appreciates musical works, is essential to the develop-ment of the students’ critical thinking and aesthetic sense.Closely connected with the two other competencies, itincreases in importance as students consolidate the learn-ing required for the creation and performance of musicalworks, in conjunction with their socioaffective and intel-lectual development.
To produce their own vocal and instrumental pieces usingvaried and meaningful stimuli for creation, students makeuse of the creative dynamic2 and the possibilities of soundsources and musical language. The creation of individualworks thus allows them to consolidate their musicallearning. In order to interpret a variety of musical selec-tions, students gradually make the transition from instru-mental performance to the interpretation of a work,thereby developing their musicality. Direct contact withvarious pieces of music enriches students’ culture. The pre-sentation of pieces in front of an audience3 allows thestudents to develop self-confidence and express who theyare. Finally, they learn to exercise their critical judgmentand develop their aesthetic sense by appreciating not onlytheir own productions and those of their classmates, butalso musical works from a variety of periods, cultures andartistic movements. They are also encouraged to use anddecode media messages conveyed by music and to iden-tify the values these messages transmit.
As was the case in elementary school, students inSecondary Cycle One are introduced to numerous refer-ences from their immediate cultural environment, refer-ences which relate to the works they are performing orappreciating. They acquire an openness to the world, dis-cover its particular features and diversity, and becomeaware of the distinct aspects of their own culture.Attending performances and meeting artists are culturalexperiences that give students an opportunity to carefullylisten to an entire work and better understand their cul-tural environment. This renewed and enriched perceptionof the world helps them construct their personal and cul-tural identity. This in turn contributes to their develop-ment as committed, sensitive and culturally active listenerswhose choices are based on their personal values.
2. The creative dynamic is described in the introduction to the ArtsEducation subject area.
3. In a school setting, the audience is generally limited; a performance canbe given for another student, a team, the class or other classes.Occasionally, it can be given in a larger auditorium, for the students ofthe school, their parents or the general public.
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The Music program has a special relationship to the aimsof the Québec Education Program. If the students them-selves are in some sense the primary material of theirartistic endeavours, then music may serve as a tool foridentity construction and empowerment. They use theirbody, voice, instrument, imagination and culture to conveywho they are and their world-view when they create orperform a musical work. They also compare their world-view with those of their classmates, composers or othermusicians. By means of symbolic language, they learnmore about themselves, others and the environment inwhich they are evolving and interacting, all of which con-tributes to their empowerment.
The Music program should not be implemented in isola-tion, as it is part of the greater Québec EducationProgram. Using a systemic approach makes it possible toestablish links with all the other elements of the Program:the cross-curricular competencies, the broad areas oflearning and other subject areas.
Connections With the Broad Areas of Learning
The stimuli for creation provide a useful introduction tothe broad areas of learning. Planning and producing artis-tic and interdisciplinary projects, appreciating artistic pro-ductions, working in teams, performing works andexpressing points of view are all activities that meet, ina practical way, the educational aims targeted by eachbroad area of learning. The problems or topics encoun-tered in the works that are performed or created can alsoserve as strategic links with the focuses of developmentof the broad areas of learning. From this perspective, all
the areas are likely to be touched upon, while some, suchas Media Literacy, Citizenship and Community Life, Personaland Career Planning, may be more directly targeted.
Connections With the Cross-Curricular Competencies
To develop their competencies in music, students makeuse of all the cross-curricular competencies. In particular,they must use creative thinking, especially when devel-oping stimuli for creation and participating in an indi-vidual or group musical creation. To carry out such aproject, they also need to use information and acquireeffective work methods in order to imagine differenthypotheses, plan the stages of their project and completeit. When they appreciate musical works, they exercise crit-ical judgment and communicate appropriately to sharetheir interpretation and record the stages of their expe-riences of creation, performance and appreciation. Inaddition, performance in secondary school increasinglyengages students’ musicality in the context of ensembleplaying, and enables them to solve problems of instru-mental technique and to cooperate with other students.When appropriate, they use new technological tools toenhance their creative methods. They also use informa-tion and communications technologies to discover newperformance situations and to consult electronic docu-mentary resources in order to enhance their communica-tion. Finally, the personal commitment that the creationand performance of musical works demands, and thedecisions that students have to make to produce artisticprojects help them learn more about themselves, becomeaware of their abilities and develop greater self-confi-
dence. Such practices are essential to helping studentsachieve their potential.
Connections With the Other Subject Areas
Music possesses great potential for making connectionswith other subjects, primarily by virtue of the symbolicnature of its language. Links can be made, in particular,with the other arts subjects, because they share the samecreative dynamic and similar competencies. Interdisciplinarylinks can also be created with other elements of theQuébec Education Program. A few examples will serve toillustrate this here, but many will become apparent simplythrough experience.
Examining the musical content of a work, its structure,and rhythmic and melodic organization provides anopportunity to draw on certain mathematical conceptsinvolving fractions and operations. The identification anduse of physical properties of various sound sources requireknowledge of a scientific and technological nature.
When students create a work with their classmates, par-ticipate in research on musicians or artistic periods, com-municate their appreciation of a work of art or report ontheir creation, performance or appreciation experiences,they must draw on the resources of language, bothspoken and written, as well as music-specific vocabulary.They can also do so using a second language.
By analyzing musical works from various societies andperiods, students are able to put them in their historicalcontext, thereby fostering links with the social sciences.For example, since music from the classical and roman-tic periods is connected with important historical events,
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students who appreciate the works from these eras ben-efit from historical knowledge and the ability to interpretsocial realities using historical methods.
Reflection, questioning and dialogue—practices tradi-tionally associated with moral education or religiousinstruction, and aimed at improving self-knowledge andpersonal fulfillment—can help students connect withtheir inner self. Such connection is essential for develop-ing any artistic language. Moreover, when they appreci-ate sacred musical works, students can elicit theknowledge they gained in moral and religious instruction,thereby enhancing their experience of the works while at
the same time enriching their perception of the great tra-ditions of humanity associated with them.
These examples show the many possible connectionsamong the different key features of the Québec EducationProgram. They also illustrate the added value to students’basic education. All these connections foster the transferand consolidation of students’ learning, help themdevelop their world-view and enrich the cultural dimen-sion of their education.
The Music Classroom: A Dynamic Place
The music classroom is an environment that fostersexpression, performance, communication and autonomy.Students feel comfortable expressing themselves andmeeting artistic challenges related to musical creationand performance. Risk-taking, a desire for authenticityand a sense of thoroughness and striving are emphasized.In working together on group artistic projects, studentsdiscover the importance of such attitudes as openness,tolerance, sharing, listening to themselves and others.They also learn about the perseverance and commitmentthat all creation and performance requires.
The physical setting of the classroom is functional andsuitable for the requirements of musical creation.Students have access to quality artistic and culturalresources as well as different documentary materials,such as encyclopedias, compact discs and CD-ROMs.
Nevertheless, in-class activities must be extended beyondthe confines of the classroom, enabling students to inter-act with their cultural environment. Visiting concert hallsand participation, at school or elsewhere, in activitiesinvolving musicians and composers are examples ofopportunities that exist for students to enrich their culturalexperiences and become aware of career opportunities.
Complex and MeaningfulLearning Situations
The learning situations presented must allow students toexplore the largest possible range of sensory, experi-mental and symbolic experiences. These become increas-ingly complex throughout the cycle, but always emphasizeauthenticity, originality and expressiveness4 in musicalcreation, performance and interpretation. The stimuli forcreation presented must be varied and meaningfulenough to meet the students’ interests and to elicit a per-
sonal response from each of them. Stimuli may be famil-iar, fictional, realistic or invented, and are drawn from aspecific historical context, students’ areas of interest, cul-tural references or other subject areas.
A situation is also meaningful when it is rich and varied,namely, not confined to a simple mechanical repetitionof motor skills and not merely calling for an unequivocalresponse. A meaningful situation offers the possibility ofchoosing among a variety of possible approaches, fosterscreative work that offers a reasonable challenge to stu-dents and requires their commitment in a process of per-ception, selection and decision. It results in a greatnumber of meaningful activities where links are made
Pedagogical Context
4. In schools, the process is considered authentic, original and expressivewhen it demonstrates a personal effort and commitment on the part ofthe students, and when it presents new ideas, which are not clichés orstereotypes, conveying a personal emotion.
MusicArts Education
among the three competencies. For example, studentsmay be asked to play the role of a critic on a creativeteam. After students learn an excerpt from a musicalwork, they may be inspired to do research on an artist orperiod, and the knowledge they acquire will be subse-quently applied to a creative activity.
The Teacher: Guide, Expert, GroupLeader and Cultural Mediator
Music teachers play a critical role in encouraging youthto become involved in their music education in a personaland meaningful way, and in developing the attitudes nec-essary to exercise creative thinking. They act as a guidefor their students, introducing them to the richness ofmusic, adjusting to their level of skills and needs, andsupporting them throughout the learning and evaluationprocess. They help students become aware of their ownlearning style and way of doing things, adapt their expec-tations to students’ viewpoints, and offer them, if neces-sary, a customized learning path in order to help themmake progress in the development, consolidation andmastery of their competencies. As pedagogical expertsand having a thorough understanding of adolescentdevelopment, teachers can focus on knowledge that ismeaningful to the students and help them to establishlinks between their school experiences and their areas ofpersonal and social interest. Teachers sometimes take ona group leadership role by encouraging reflection andcommunication among students, and by teaching themto be more attentive to the interaction that group musicactivities require. Finally, teachers are cultural mediators,5
able to communicate their passion for art and make con-nections between the past, present and future. Theyencourage students to make links among various musi-cal works and compare them with representations of cul-tural diversity.
Students: Active Participants Responsiblefor Their Own Learning
Students are primarily responsible for their learning.Supported by the teacher, who encourages them to beindependent and helps them engage in a reflectiveprocess, students explore the creative dynamic by plac-ing particular emphasis on authenticity and a search fororiginality and expressiveness in their responses. Theydemonstrate openness and perseverance in their searchand choices. However, they do not hesitate to assess theirdecisions when it is time to step back and reflect on theprocess and product of their creative acts. They record thestages of their creation, performance and appreciationexperiences. In so doing, they become aware of the strate-gies and methods used and anticipate their transfer tosimilar situations or other contexts.
Evaluation as Support for Learning
Evaluation must be considered as a support for learning.Each learning situation involves a system of regulation,which allows for adjustments to be made to help developcompetencies. For this reason, it is more accurate to speakof learning and evaluation situations. Regulation can beaccomplished through direct observation or throughobservations recorded by way of verification, self-evalu-ation or co-evaluation checklists. The use of other obser-vation tools, such as the electronic portfolio, isrecommended for recording significant creations or per-formances. Teachers and students will consequently beable to see progress in the development of competenciesand, if necessary, make adjustments to the methods usedto achieve the level of development expected by the endof the cycle.
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5. This expression is adapted from the French passeur culturel, a term coinedby Jean-Michel Zakhartchouk in his book L’enseignant, un passeur culturel,Paris, ESF, 1999.
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Creating vocal or instrumental pieces involves using thelanguage, rules and tools specific to music in order togive concrete and deliberate expression to an idea, feel-ings or emotions. By creating varied vocal or instrumen-tal pieces that reflect their personalities, experiences,aspirations and world-views, students develop their cre-ativity and apply it in different contexts. They engage inthe creative dynamic, mobilize their personal and culturalresources and, at the same time, activate their creativeimagination and divergent and convergent thinking. Theygradually expand the way they use musical language(sound and its parameters), rules (composition proce-dures and musical forms) and tools (voice and musicalinstruments).
The creative contexts, which become increasingly com-plex over the cycle, encourage students to create musi-cal works in a personal and authentic way by using avariety of stimuli for creation, which reflect their interestsand occasionally take into account a target audience.Students may be encouraged to try various approaches.They will sometimes employ expressive creativity, wherethe process is more important than the skills, technicalcontrol or the quality of the product. They may also applyproductive creativity, which stresses the development oftechnique and the quality of the final product. Finally, theywill make use of inventive creativity, which involves tryingout new materials or ways of doing things.
Focus of the CompetencyStudents’ creations will be of various types: melodic orrhythmic improvisations that spontaneously organizesounds within a specified or unspecified framework;arrangements for small groups, with sounds reorganizedby adapting one or several musical elements; composi-tions featuring sounds organized according to rules, tech-niques and predetermined principles; inventions in whichsounds are organized in unconventional, innovative ways.
Students use a variety of sound sources for their creations:voice, body, sound objects, percussion instruments, vari-ous melodic instruments and instruments from informa-tion and communications technologies. If appropriate,they graphically represent elements of musical languageusing a notation code (personal, traditional or nontradi-tional). The emphasis is on authenticity and the searchfor originality and expressiveness. Students usually workin groups, but can also work individually. They record thestages of their experience that reflect the creative processand its result.
Performing their musical creations, sharing aspects oftheir experience with classmates and reporting on howthey proceeded enable students to better appropriatetheir learning and apply it to other creative endeavoursand to the performance and appreciation of works orexcerpts.
The key features of the competency describe its principaldimensions. They combine to form a dynamic movementthat manifests itself at various stages of the creativeprocess. Throughout the process, students are required touse ideas for creating sound media, and to use elementsof musical language and subject-specific techniques. Theyare also expected to organize their creation, and reflectand report on their experience.
COMPETENCY 1 Creates musical works
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Key Features of Competency 1
Evaluation Criteria
End-of-Cycle Outcomes
– Coherent relationship between the stimulus for creation, the development of ideas, the development processand the result of his/her creation
– Varied use of elements of musical language– Effective use of sound sources– Original treatment of expressive elements– Coherent organization of musical elements– Integration of periods of reflection and review into the creative experience
By the end of Secondary Cycle One, the stu-dents make conscious use of the creativedynamic. Their productions convey their per-ception of reality, are authentic and reflect asearch for originality and expressiveness.During the creative process, students exploremusical ideas as well as elements of musi-cal language, element of techniques andsound sources in a personal and varied way,corresponding to their creative intentions.The production is the result of a coherentand complex organization of its components.Students make certain adjustments to refinetheir creations, which are usually producedby interacting and cooperating with otherstudents. Students describe and comment ontheir creative experience and identify whatthey have learned as well as the strategiesand methods they used. They anticipate thetransfer of learning to similar contexts orother subject-specific contexts.
Uses ideas to create a musical work
Is open to a stimulus for creation • Is receptive to images,emotions, sensations or impressions evoked by the stimulus • Keeps a record of his/her ideas • Explores various ways ofconveying creative ideas through sound • Chooses musicalideas that hold his/her interest and envisions his/her creativeproject
Uses sound sources, elements of
musical language and elements of
technique
Experiments with ways of making his/her ideaconcrete • Makes use of his/her auditory memoryand experiments with sound sources, elements ofmusical language and elements of technique• Chooses the most meaningful elements in relationto his/her creative intention and perfects methodsfor using these elements
Organizes his/her musical creation
Creates a series of sound sequences and experimentswith composition procedures • Organizes the contentof his/her experiments based on his/her creativeintention • Reviews his/her musical choices andmakes adjustments • Refines certain elements ofhis/her creation, if necessary
Shares his/her creative musical
experience
Analyzes his/her creative intention and progress• Identifies the important elements of his/herexperience and its characteristics • Identifieswhat he/she has learned and the methods used
Creates
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A musical work needs a performer to reveal its meaning.To perform a work means to bring a creation to life byplaying it with the intention of expressing and commu-nicating ideas, feelings, emotions or sensations, whetherthey be those of the performer or of others. Consequently,the performance of the musical phrases that make up awork requires an understanding of musical expression, inaddition to various technical skills.
One of the important aspects of the competency lies inthe assimilation of a work’s characteristic features,namely the musical content and the expressive charac-ter, as well as the preferred techniques and strategies toconvey them. When students perform a musical work,they integrate their way of using the language (soundand its parameters), rules (composition procedures andmusical forms) and tools (the voice and instruments) spe-cific to a composer’s music, whether the composer beanother student or a professional musician. This ventureinto the creative universe of another person allows stu-dents to explore and experiment with alternate ways ofmusical expression and representation. Performanceenriches students’ technical, linguistic and cultural expe-riences, and enables them to discover a variety of musi-cal works from various cultures and periods.
Focus of the CompetencyThe performance situations presented must be varied andmeaningful enough to attract the students’ interest andto elicit a personal response from each of them. The per-formance context becomes increasingly complex over thecourse of the cycle and introduces students to a varietyof performance opportunities: students may participate ina large performing group directed by a conductor of anorchestra, or in small groups, where a few students playtogether, in close aural and visual collaboration. Finally,students may occasionally participate in a solo perfor-mance situation within a group.
The musical works that students perform are drawn froma large repertoire. They include their own creations andthose of their classmates. When they perform a piece ofmusic, students can use their voice, an instrument or othersound sources in a variety of acoustic contexts. The per-formance, which usually takes place in groups, may bepresented in front of an audience. Participating occa-sionally in the different segments of a publicly presentedmusic concert, in which they are also a performer, helpsthem discover the world of musical production and thefeatures associated with it.
Students record the stages of their performance experi-ence, thus charting the course they have followed and itsend result. By reporting on their performance experienceand on how they proceeded, the students are able tobetter synthesize their learning and apply it to the per-formance, creation or appreciation of other musical works.
The key features of the competency describe its principaldimensions. They combine to form a dynamic movementthat manifests itself at various stages of the performanceexperience.
COMPETENCY 2 Performs musical works
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Key Features of Competency 2
Evaluation Criteria
End-of-Cycle Outcomes
– Smooth succession of the piece’s musical phrases– Appropriate use of the elements of technique specific to the sound sources used– Connection between the performance and the expressive nature of the piece of music– Consistent application of the conventions for group ensemble work– Integration of periods of reflection and review into the performance experience
By the end of Secondary Cycle One,the students connect the musicalphrases throughout in order to re-create the musical content of thechosen piece. They play or sing withan appropriate tone while demons-trating control of the elements of tech-nique specific to the sound sourcesused. They adapt their technicalknowledge to meet the requirementsof the piece of music.Their vocal or instrumental perfor-mance conveys personal expressiveintentions and highlights the expres-sive nature of the piece. They adjusttheir individual performance to thegroup in keeping with the conventionsof group ensemble work. Performanceusually takes place while interactingand cooperating with other students.Students describe and comment ontheir performance experience andidentify what they have learned fromit as well as the strategies and meth-ods they used. They anticipate thetransfer of specific learning to similar contexts or other subject-specific contexts.
Becomes familiar with the musical content of the work
Immerses himself/herself in the piece of music and, where applicable,decodes the elements of musical language, the structure of the piece andthe graphic representation • Recognizes the meaning and, if applicable,the historical aspects that may affect the performance • Experiments with musical phrases in various ways while at the sametime taking into account sound sources • Uses decoding andmemorization strategies
Applies elements of vocal or instrumental
technique
Experiments with vocal or instrumental techniques basedon the piece being performed • Makes the most ofresources and sensory and kinesthetic experiences, takinginto account the voice or the instrument in question • Uses appropriate posture, form and tone • Specifies,where applicable, elements of technique in relation to thevoice, gestures and coordination of movements requiredto execute a passage and connect the musical phraseswhile respecting the structure of the piece
Becomes familiar with the
expressive nature of the piece of
music
Experiments with the expressive elementsconveyed by the piece • Adapts theseelements to the performance or to thecomposer’s intention, if applicable • Makesuse of expressive resources while taking intoaccount the nature of the piece and itscommunicative purpose
Respects group ensemble
performance conventions
Follows the leader’s indications and listensto others • Puts established conventionsinto practice • Adapts his/her voice orinstrumental equipment to those of others
Shares his/her musical
performance experience
Analyzes his/her communicative pur-pose • Identifies the elements ofhis/her performance experience and itscharacteristics • Identifies what he/shehas learned and the methods used
Performs
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The appreciation of a musical work involves exploring itsdiverse meanings and examining it from a critical andaesthetic standpoint. It also entails a willingness to com-municate with the work and to be moved by it in orderto subsequently judge the impact it has on oneself andothers. Contact with various musical creations—be ittheir own, those of their classmates or works by com-posers from other historical periods or cultures—enablesstudents to develop their artistic awareness and their sen-sibility to the expressive, symbolic, technical and aestheticqualities of a piece of music. In so doing, they develop agreater understanding of music. They also develop theirself-knowledge, enrich their cultural identity and acquirean openness to other cultures. This enables them to cul-tivate an interest in listening to musical works and visit-ing cultural sites, and to develop personal appreciationcriteria that will guide their choices in order to becomesensitive and informed listeners.
When students approach the work to analyze it, they areasked to focus on their emotional and aesthetic reactions.They then identify the components of the work and itsstructure, taking into account the historical context of itscreation. They also identify expressive and symbolic ele-ments that they find meaningful and relate these to thefeelings elicited in them by the work. They draw on theirown experience, aesthetic sensibility and musical knowl-edge. They must also take into account the criteria deter-mined by the students or teacher beforehand, and usethese criteria to support their point of view. During theappreciation process, students are encouraged to showrespect for each other and for the works. By comparing
Focus of the Competencytheir perception of the work with that of others, studentsdevelop their understanding and refine their judgment.
When appreciating musical works, students refer to anage-appropriate cultural experience, to the content ofworks or excerpts they have listened to and to differentvisual, sound or electronic documentary sources. These cri-teria may relate to the development of the stimulus forcreation and to the use of elements of musical language,sound sources or elements of technique. The criteria mayalso relate to the emotions, feelings or impressions stu-dents have experienced, as well as to historical aspectsof the work. When they communicate their appreciationorally or in writing, they are encouraged to use subject-specific vocabulary. Students are asked to record the stepsof their appreciation experience, thus charting the coursethey have followed and its end result. Students explainwhat they have learned about themselves, the works andthe artists. In sharing their appreciation experience, stu-dents integrate their learning more effectively and learnto apply it in other situations of creation, performance orappreciation.
The key features of the competency describe its principaldimensions. They combine to form a dynamic movementthat manifests itself at various stages of the appreciationexperience.
COMPETENCY 3 Appreciates musical works
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Key Features of Competency 3
Evaluation Criteria
End-of-Cycle Outcomes
– Coherent relationship between components of the work or production, what he/she has felt and his/her appreciation
– Relevance of historical aspects identified
– Consideration of the appreciation criteria retained
– Effective use of subject-specific vocabulary to communicate his/her appreciation
– Appropriate use of spoken and written language to communicate his/her appreciation
By the end of Secondary Cycle One, studentsidentify components of a piece of music, aswell as the symbolic and expressive elementsthat solicit a personal aesthetic response.They make connections between these ele-ments, historical aspects and their emotivereactions to works. In this way, studentsdevelop their ability to appreciate a workand communicate their appreciation toothers. Their communication reflects theirpersonal interpretation of the work, based onpreviously defined criteria, a search forcomplementary additional information anddiscussions with their classmates andteacher. Their appreciation incorporatesaspects of the expressive and symbolic qual-ities of the piece, and takes into account thecontext in which it was conceived. Studentsdescribe and comment on their appreciationexperience and identify what they havelearned as well as the strategies and meth-ods they used. When they describe theirappreciation experience, they make ade-quate use of the English language andappropriate subject-specific vocabulary. Theyshow an interest in the comments of otherstudents and in the diversity of ethical, aes-thetic and critical opinions expressed.
Analyzes a work or production
Immerses himself/herself in the musical piece and identifies itscomponents • Identifies significant elements, based on a variety ofcriteria • Identifies historical aspects, if applicable, using availableinformation • Makes connections between these elements
Interprets the meaning of
the work or production
Identifies expressive and symbolicelements and establishes arelationship with what he/she felt • Makes connections betweenthese elements
Makes a critical and aesthetic judgment
Reviews his/her prior appreciation of the work inrelation to the historical context • Builds his/herarguments taking criteria into account andcommunicates his/her point of view
Shares his/her appreciation experience
Identifies the important elements of his/her experienceand its characteristics • Identifies what he/she haslearned and the methods used
Appreciates
musical works
CREATES
musical
works
PERFORMS
musical
works
LEARNING CONTENT RELATED TO COMPETENCIES AND TO ELEMENTS COMMON TO ALL ARTS SUBJECTS
MU
SIC
APPRECIATES
musical works
■ MUSICAL REPERTOIRE
SOUND SOURCES AND TECHNIQUES
■ CULTURAL REFERENCES
■ STRUCTURE ■ MUSICAL LANGUAGE
GRAPHIC NOTATION
■ STRATEGIES
COMPOSITIONALTECHNIQUES
MUSICAL ENSEMBLECONVENTIONS
■ VOCABULARY
BASICLEARNIN
G BASIC
LEARNIN
G
BASIC LEARNING
ATTITUDES
CREA
TIVE
DYNAMIC
STIMULI FOR
CREATION
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■
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MusicArts Education
The program content6 reflects all the resources that stu-dents assimilate in order to create, perform and appreci-ate musical works. By the end of the cycle, students canindependently use these elements in complete, complexand meaningful learning situations. In addition to the ele-ments listed below, the elements common to the subjectsin Arts Education must be taken into account.
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Program Content
Voice
Strings
Winds
Percussion
Body percussion
Information and communicationstechnologies (sounds produced usinga sequencer or synthesizer)
Vocal techniqueBreathing, intonation,posture, energy,pronunciation
Inhaling, exhaling, soundproduction, attack, pro-jection, care of the voice
Instrumentaltechniques
Posture, form
Breathing(inhaling/exhaling),sound production,attack, articulation,intonation, other appro-priate techniques
Techniques
Sound sources7 Techniques
Strategies
– Use appropriate methods to decode musical scoresbased on the different musical notation codes (tra-ditional, nontraditional and individual)
– Use various techniques for memorizing rhythmsand melodies
– Use various techniques for auditory discrimination– Use varied means to become familiar with ele-
ments of vocal and instrumental technique– Use operating procedures specific to group work
(ensemble music)– Use relaxation techniques to manage stress
6. The elements of program content in italics represent new additions tosecondary school content. Elements in normal font serve as a reminderof the essential knowledge acquired in elementary school that can besubsequently applied in secondary school.
7. According to the instruments used in the class.
Conventions for group ensemble work
Compositional techniques
– Responding to the sound or visual cues indicatingthe beginning or ending of a piece, dynamics, thebeat and changes in tempo, phrasing, expressionand balance between the parts
– Continuously adjusting to the group (tuning,rhythmic playing, dynamics, etc.)
– Question/answer, contrast, reproduction of sound,repetition, collage, ostinato, mirror
– Augmentation, permutation, integration, manipu-lation of tone colours
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Language of musicGraphic representation
(traditional code)Graphic representation(nontraditional code)
Intensity and dynamics
Forte, piano, crescendo, decrescendoPianissimo, fortissimo, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, subitopiano
Duration
Whole note, half note, quarter note, rest, two eighth notesEighth note, sixteenth note, whole rest, half rest, eighthrest
Dotted notes and rests, tie, fermata
Pitch
Register (high, medium, low)
Pitches from the diatonic scale
Intensity and dynamics
Forte, piano, crescendo, decrescendoPianissimo, fortissimo, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, subitopiano
Duration
Whole note, half note, quarter note, rest, two eighth notesEighth note, sixteenth note, whole rest, half rest, eighthrest
Dotted notes and rests, tie, fermata
Pitch
Intensity and dynamics
Loud Soft
Duration
Very short • Short LongVery longRest (expandable rectangle)
Pitch
High
Medium
Low
Ascending sounds
Descending sounds
Concepts
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Musical language (cont.) Graphic representation (cont.)
(traditional code)Graphic representation (cont.)
(nontraditional code)
Pitch (cont.)
Notes on the staff and ledger lines in the clef that theinstrument uses
Accidental signs (sharp, flat, natural) and key signatures
Tone colour
Different musical instruments, according to the repertoireutilized
Voice (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) and families of instruments
Quality of sound
Articulation signs (staccato, legato, accent, sforzando, etc.)according to the instrument utilized
Pitch (cont.)
Notes on the staff and ledger lines in the clef that theinstrument uses
Accidental signs (sharp, flat, natural) and key signatures
Tone colour
Quality of sound
Crisp/resonant, coarse/smooth
Articulation signs (staccato, legato, accent, sforzando, etc.)according to the instrument utilized
Pitch (cont.)
Highest note or lowest note
E.g.:
Glissando orE.g.:
Linear notation E.g.:
Modification of the pitch
E.g.:
Tone colour
Quality of sound
Crisp Resonant
Course
Smooth
gliss.gliss.
418
StructureGraphic representation (cont.)
(traditional code)Graphic representation (cont.)
(nontraditional code)
Form
Personal, AB, ABA, canon in two voices, rondo
Canon, theme and variations
Repeats (repeat sign, Da Capo, first and second endings,Dal Segno, Coda, Al Fine)
Tempo
Lento, moderato, allegro, accelerando, rallentando
Change in tempo, ad libidum, a tempo, ritenuto
Rhythmic organization
Unmeasured or based on a definite number of beats
Simple rhythmic units, simple duple or triple metre
Melodic organization
Musical phrase, series of ascending and descendingsounds, conjunct/disjunct motion, series of sounds repeatedat a fixed pitch, glissando
Series of chromatic and diatonic pitches (ascending anddescending)
Harmonic organization
Tone cluster, major and minor chords
Form
Repeats (repeat sign, Da Capo, first and second endings,Dal Segno, Coda, Al Fine)
Tempo
Lento, moderato, allegro, accelerando, rallentando
Ad libidum, a tempo, ritenuto
Rhythmic organization
Simple time signatures
Melodic organization
Harmonic organization
Major and minor chords
Tempo
Accelerando
Rallentando
Rhythmic organization
Melodic organization
Single sound
Harmonic organization
Tone cluster
Cluster
E.g.:
Graphic representation (other codes)
Graphic representation invented by the student, if applicable
Repeat sign
First and secondendings
Coda
Da Capo
Dal Segno
al Fine
Theme andvariations
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The knowledge of the subject-specific vocabulary is particularly useful for appreciating musical works andfor communicating this appreciation.
Intensityand dynamics
Duration Pitch Articulation
Pianissimo
Fortissimo
Mezzo Piano
Mezzo Forte
Subito Piano
Eighth note
Sixteenth note
Whole rest
Half rest
Eighth rest
Dotted notes and rests
Fermata
Tie
Sharp
Flat
Natural
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Accent
Legato
Staccato
Sforzando
Form
Tempo Rhythmic organization Melodic organization Harmonic organization
Ad Lib
A tempo
Ritenuto
Time signatures Series of diatonic pitches
Series of chromatic pitches
Chord
Single sound
Clusters
Tone clusters
Voiceranges
Vocabulary
Sound sources
Names of the instruments used
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Excerpts from works may be drawn from the fol-lowing artistic periods and styles: contemporarymusic (new, serial, electroacoustic, aleatoric, pop-ular, chansonnier, blues, jazz, country, rock, musi-cal comedy, movie music, etc. including musicused in the mass media), folk music, music of areligious nature from the present and past, musicfrom the Impressionist, Expressionist, Neoclassical,Romantic, Classical and Baroque periods, theRenaissance and the Middle Ages. These excerptsmay come from the musical repertoire of Québecand the repertoire of other cultures. The teachercan also refer to musical works presented at con-certs or shows that the students have attended.
Types of excerpts
– Students’ excerpts or productions related to thesubject-specific content
– Students’ excerpts or productions related to theeducational aims of the broad areas of learning
– A minimum of 15 excerpts of works from differentcultures and periods
Music appreciation repertoire
Music history: composers, sociocultural context, historical context, artistic periods, styles, genres, historical figures,celebrities, etc.
Cultural experiences: concerts presented at the school or in cultural venues, contact with professional composers ormusicians, exhibitions (music history, musicians, singer-songwriters, opera, musicals, etc.), conferences on music, par-ticipation in music festivals, visits to cultural sites (concert halls, recording studios, training schools, resource centres, etc.).
Careers related to music: author, composer, instrumentalist, singer, chorister, arranger, recording studio technician,critic, cultural activities organizer, columnist, music teacher, etc.
Media: musical scores, televised musical programs, documentaries or stories about music, sound or visual record-ings of concerts or musical shows, film scores, cultural programs, advertising media for a show (press releases andreviews, publicity, interviews, programs, posters, invitations), books or Web sites on composers and musicians, showsor venues, etc.
Cultural venues: Theatres, concert halls, recording studios, rehearsal rooms, music schools, heritage sites, etc.
Works from the musical repertoire: see the section Music appreciation repertoire.
Cultural references
Cultural references are important aspects of culture related to the subject. Their use in class enriches thestudents’ perception and understanding of the world around them. They enable students to make concreteconnections with the subject, to recognize its reflections and living presence in their environment, and tounderstand the dynamic influence of the arts in society. The selection of these resources must take intoaccount regional differences and the local community.
Attali, Jacques. Bruits, Paris: Fayard, 2001.
Farber,Anne. “Speaking the Musical Language,” Music Educators Journal. December 1991:31-34.
Herzfeld, Friedrich and Thomas Wimmer-Ring. L’encyclopédie de la musique, [CD-ROM].Alsyd Multimédia, 1995.
Honegger, Marc. Dictionnaire usuel de la musique. Paris: Bordas, 1995.
———. Connaissance de la musique. Paris: Bordas, 1996.
Jensen, Eric. Teaching With the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, Virginia: Association forSupervision and Curriculum Development, 1998.
Kalman, Helmut, Gilles Potvin and Kenneth Winters. Encyclopédie de la musique auCanada. Montréal: Fides, 1983.
Kratus, John. “Structuring the Music Curriculum for Creative Learning,” Music EducatorsJournal. May 1990: 33-37.
Leonhard, Charles and Robert W. House. Foundations and Principles of Music Education(2nd ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill, 1972.
Ley, Marcel. La mise en scène du conte musical: Éveil esthétique et thèmes d’ateliers.Paris: Fugeau, 1985.
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Québec. Ministère de l’Éducation. Direction de la formation générale des jeunes. Commentfaire parler les sons (working document). Québec: Gouvernement du Québec, 1990.
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Québec. Ministère de l’Éducation. Direction de la formation générale des jeunes. QuébecEducation Program: Éducation préscolaire, enseignement primaire, Québec:Gouvernement du Québec, 2000.
Québec. Ministère de l’Éducation. Direction de la formation générale des jeunes. On peutparler de création sonore et/ou musicale. On peut aussi parler de composition expéri-mentale et/ou musicale (working document), Gisèle Ricard. Québec: Gouvernementdu Québec, 1990.
Paré, André. Créativité et pédagogie ouverte. Laval: NHP, 1977.
Reimer, Bennet. Une philosophie de l’éducation musicale. Québec City: PUL, 1976.
———. A Philosophy of Music Education (2nd ed.) Englewood Cliffs (New Jersey):Prentice Hall, 1989.
Renard, Claire. Le geste musical. Paris: Hachette, 1982.
Schafer, R. Murray. L’oreille pense. Toronto: Berendol Music, 1974.
———. Creative Music Education: A Handbook for the Modern Music Teacher. New York:Schirmer Books, 1976.
———. Le paysage sonore. Paris: Lattès, 1979.
———. The Thinking Ear: Complete Writings on Music Education. Toronto: Arcana, 1988.
Self, George. Make a New Sound. London: Universal Edition, 1976.
Sloboda, John A. L’esprit musicien: La psychologie cognitive de la musique. Bruxelles,Pierre Mordaga, 1988.
Snyders, Georges. La musique comme joie à l’école. Paris: L’Harmattan, 1999.
Sousa, David A. How the Brain Learns. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, 2000.
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