China 高二 Music

1. Selective modules

Choir · Ensemble · Dance performance · Drama performance · Music theory (notation, intervals, scales, keys, chords) · Sight-singing and ear training

• Singing Technique: Posture, Breathing, Voice and Choir – Good singing rests on five things: a tall, relaxed posture; low, steady breathing with the diaphragm; vocal folds that vibrate freely; clear vowels and consonants; and careful listening so you sing in tune. Faster vibration of the vocal folds gives a higher pitch, and each voice type (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) has its own comfortable range. In a choir the parts sing different notes that fit together in harmony, following the conductor's gestures. Warm up before singing, drink water and never shout or strain.
• Music Performance: Playing Solo and in an Ensemble – Performing music means playing or singing a piece for listeners. A good performance is accurate (right notes, right rhythm), keeps a steady tempo, uses dynamics and phrasing to show feeling, and fits the style of the music. In an ensemble, players also listen to each other, balance their volume and follow cues. Good preparation is slow, careful practice in small chunks, then speeding up and performing for others.
• Dance: Elements, Choreography and Forms – Dance is movement of the body, in space and time, with energy, used to express feelings, tell stories or celebrate. Every dance can be described with four elements: Body (what moves), Space (where: levels, directions, pathways), Time (when: tempo, rhythm, pause) and Energy (how: sharp or smooth, strong or light). Choreography is the art of arranging movement using devices such as motif, repetition, canon, unison, contrast and formations. Good performers train technique, safety and expression, and good audiences describe, analyse, interpret and judge what they see. Dance forms, from classical and folk to ballet and hip-hop, grow out of their culture and history.
• Acting: Bringing a Character to Life – Acting means showing a character truthfully to an audience. An actor first studies the given circumstances (who, where, when) and the character's objective (what they want). Then the actor uses the body (posture, gesture, levels, status) and the voice (volume, pace, pitch, pause) to show it. On stage, acting is action and reaction: you listen and answer your partner. Timing, pauses and tension shape a scene, and theatre can also explore real social issues.
• Music Notation: Reading and Writing Music – Notation writes music down so others can play it. Staff notation uses five lines: the higher a note sits, the higher its pitch, and a clef names the lines. A note's shape shows how long it lasts (whole = 4 beats, half = 2, quarter = 1, eighth = ½). A time signature such as 4/4 sets the beats in each bar. Sharps and flats raise or lower pitch, and scales, intervals and chords are built from these notes. Other systems, such as Indian sargam, tablature and Korean jeongganbo, write the same ideas in different ways.
• Aural Skills: Ear Training and Sight-Singing – Aural skills are listening skills for music. Ear training teaches you to hear and name pitch, intervals, rhythms and chords. Sight-singing is singing a written tune at first sight using solfa (do re mi or Sa Re Ga). Dictation is the reverse: you hear music and write it down. Both get better with short, daily practice.