Music

As contemporary music production continues to move towards digital creation, students should likewise be introduced to the fundamentals of arranging, recording and mixing a digital track from start to finish. This class is designed for both experienced and non-experienced musicians who are interested in music production and composition. In this course students will be working with a professionally used digital audio workstation (Logic Pro) to walk through the four stages of music production (Instrumental/Vocal Recording, Editing, Mixing, Mastering/EQ). Students will also learn about the history of musical production starting from the classical period to contemporary era. Assessments in this course will be based on the creative process and the students ability to utilize the taught technical skills. At the end of the semester students will have an opportunity to publish their
track on a digital music platform and finish the course with a final product. After this course
students should know how to create, produce and publish a piece of music on their own.

This course is for students who are looking to enhance their vocal techniques and broaden their cultural awareness through engaging and challenging choral repertoire. Choir also provides opportunities for students to develop their self-confidence, social awareness and leadership skills. Study includes vocal production, music literacy, communication, cultural and historical context, improvisation, composition, and artistry through a variety of genres and composers. Students will hone their listening skills and enhance their ensemble singing through performance in the Bangkok International Choir Festival and several other concerts throughout the year. Members are eligible to participate in the IASAS Cultural Convention as well as AMIS honor groups.

String Orchestra is a course designed for students who already have experience in playing a string instrument and who wish to play more string ensemble/ orchestra music. The String Orchestra represents ISB in the community and demands high standards both of playing and dedication. There may be opportunities to play orchestral music and also to play with students from other schools. The repertoire of the String Orchestra is wide-ranging and encompasses many styles. Students should
expect to practice extensively at home to prepare for performance assignments and concerts, both of which make up the main body of assessment. Students who participate in this class may be considered for Cultural Convention and also eligible to audition for AMIS. Students who have previously completed this course are encouraged to sign up again for further credit.

In Wind Ensemble, students experience collaborating with peers in a large wind and percussion ensemble (concert band), developing advanced musical skills and performing challenging yet exciting pieces for the ISB community. The band’s repertoire is wide-ranging and encompasses many styles,
including jazz, marching band arrangements, pop music, contemporary and standard band repertoire, and world music. Students have opportunities to build their skills in diverse areas including solo and jazz improvisation, ensemble playing, music theory, and cultural and historical understanding, as well as building confidence, adaptability, courage, and creativity through regular classes and concerts.
Students have many opportunities to share and celebrate their learning with audiences at various performances throughout the year. Students who participate in Wind Ensemble may wish to audition for co-curricular groups such as AMIS Honor Band and IASAS Cultural Convention. Students are highly encouraged to sign up for Wind Ensemble to further extend their band experiences and credit each year in high school.

The jazz band is a course designed to familiarize students with the theory, styles, performance practices and repertoire associated with jazz music. One of the major components of jazz is improvisation. This class will cover basic technique needed to become a competent improviser. This will require much diligence and practice on the part of the student. When appropriate, aspects of jazz arranging, orchestration, and history will be presented to help the student gain a better understanding
of the development of jazz style. Educational objectives will be accomplished through regular listening, analysis, and performance of various compositions for the big band jazz ensemble during weekly rehearsals and sectionals. Placement in this course requires at least 2 years of experience on an instrument.

This class is designed for guitar students who are interested in incorporating active musical
participation in their daily life experience. Students will develop competency in functional
guitar techniques, basic music theory fundamentals, and the use of the guitar as a solo, ensemble, and accompanying instrument.

Guitar Techniques include proper sitting and hand positions, tuning a guitar, stringing a guitar, hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, vibrato, alternate picking, strumming patterns, fingerpicking patterns, movable bar chords, chording in open and first position, using a capo. Music Theory Fundamentals are noted reading, reading tablature, understanding and counting rhythmic values, chord qualities, and relationships, blues form, scales, scale patterns for soloing, time signatures, key signatures. The course requires students to have a tunable guitar, notebook folder for all handouts and a pencil, an
electronic tuner is optional. A certain amount of dedication is needed to achieve our goals. In this case, that goal is to play well. This translates into practice time, which is about 30 minutes a day.

The IB Music course encourages inquiry into creative practices and performance processes. Music study develops listening, creative and analytical skills, as well as encouraging cultural understanding and international-mindedness. In this way, music is a catalyst for expanding critical thinking - a crucial life skill. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to explore music in varied and sometimes unfamiliar contexts and are challenged to engage practically with music as researchers, performers and creators.

Students who have studied at GCSE/ABRSM/Trinity level are well-prepared for the course and it will of course suit students who want to go on and study music in higher education as well as those who are seeking to broaden their musical and artistic perspectives. SL Music is adequate as a stand-alone music qualification for general higher education entry. For those seeking to study music as a major at university, HL is recommended.

The course consists of three, intrinsically linked aspects:
• Exploring music in context
• Experimenting with music
• Presenting music

Each of these components are studied in terms of the student as researcher, performer and creator.

IBDP Music Course Guide