Assembly music 2021 - 2022

Each week we listen to different music in assemblies and we learn a little about each piece - the music itself and the musician. Below you can read about the most recent music we have been listening to.

 Term 6 2022

 

Week 2: Curiosity

The Little Mermaid Part Of Your World HD 1080p - YouTube

 

 

 

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Term 6 2022

Changing Me - Enjoyment

On Friday 15th July the Assembly Music is D'lion's choice.

It has a positive message. Panic! At The Disco perform their hit song "High Hopes" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DULUw_2CC4Y&ab_channel=MTVUK

 
Musician: George Ezra 
Music: Shot Gun
 
 
George Ezra is one of Bristol's most loved musicians. He moved to Bristol in 2011 and studied at one of Bristol's music schools (BIMM) before touring the world with his music. The people of Bristol are proud of what Geoge has achieved and George says he felt "at home" when he studied in Bristol.
 

Week 3: Democracy

Musician: Terry Riley
Music: Riley in C
Written: 1964
 
In C consists of 53 short melodies. It is up to each individual musician to choose which melodies they want to play, how many times they play each melody and how loud they play it.  In C has no set duration; performances can last as little as fifteen minutes or as long as several hours.
No conductor is in charge of the musicians, only keeping the tempo (pulse). Musicians listen and work together to create a piece of music for others to enjoy.
 
In the video, the music is performed by the Africa Express. This is a collection of African, Middle Eastern and Western musicians who come together to combine their sounds and cultures.
 
 

 

Week 2: Space

Name of song: Mars
Composer: Gustav Holst
BORN: 1874 / DIED: 1934 / NATIONALITY: British
 
"Gustav Holst was a British composer living and working in London 100 years ago. He was a very interesting man. He was fascinated by space, astrology, religion, meditation and vegetarianism - in many ways he was completely ahead of his time. Music ran in Holst's family and so it wasn't a surprise to his parents when he decided to learn the piano. Sadly an injury to his arm meant that he had to give up and so he took up composing and, because it made more money, he played trombone in theatre bands. His biggest success came with his Planets Suite - a set of pieces for orchestra that describes the character of each planet. Holst didn't like the fame that this piece brought him. He wouldn't sign autographs, do interviews or accept awards and as the years went by he spent more and more time teaching. He inspired many young composers." - from BBC TEN PIECES CBBC - Ten Pieces - 'Mars' from 'The Planets' by Gustav Holst

 

 

Week 1: Our Wold

Name of song: What a Wonderful World
Composer: Louis Armstrong
 

In 1967, Louis Armstrong sung a song titled “What a wonderful world.” Louis sings of seeing various events and natural wonders that make him smile. He sings about blooming flowers, rainbows and day and night. He also sings about people who live on the world. All this makes the world wonderful. 

Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World - YouTube

 

Term 5 2022

Respecting Ourselves - Relationships

 

 

Week 5: Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Name of song: Zadok the Priest
Composer: Handel
 
Originally written for King George II for his Jubilee in 1727, Queen Elizabeth also had it performed at her own coronation.

Zadok the Priest, The Queens coronation - YouTube

 

Week 4: Love

Name of song: All You Need is Love
Composer: Beatles
 

This week’s music was composed by ‘The Beatles’. ‘The Beatles’ were one the most famous bands who performed during the 1960s. They were ordinary young men who shook the world with their music. They influenced and inspired many musicians. 

In this song, ‘The Beatles’ remind us that our loved ones can help support us through challenging and difficult situations.
 

Week 3: [No Theme- SATS week]

Name of song: Mery-Go-Rounf of Life
Composer: Joe Hisaishi

Week 2: Kindness

Name of song: Count on Me
Composer: Bruno Mars
 
In the song, Bruno sings about being a kind friend and letting others count of him when they are in need.  The song reminds us to be good and kind friend to anyone who is having a hard time.
Listen to the music- has it got a fast tempo? are there a lot of rhythms? is it major or minor?
When Bruno Mars wrote this song, he carefully thought about the different aspects of music so it would sound calming and comforting to those having a hard time. The music is major so sounds positive and uplifting. The tempo is andante (walking pace, not fast) and the rhythms are simple which makes the song feeling calming and reassuring.

 

Week 1: Ramadan and Eid Ul Fitr

Name of song: Ramadan Moon
Composer: Islam Yusuf
 
 
This song is written by a British composer called Yusuf Islam. Yusuf Islam was previously known as Steven Georgiou.  When he was still called Steven, he performed on stage as 'Cat Stevens'. Steven's music was very popular and he achieved many number 1s.
In 1977 Steven reverted to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Islams. He wrote music about his faith and Islam.
The song we are listening to this week is called 'Ramadan Moon'. The lyrics written by Yusuf sing about Ramadan and it's purpose, preparing for Eid and celebrating Eid. The song reminds us of what an exciting and spiritual time this is for Muslims.

 

Term 4 2022

Respecting Ourselves - Healthy Me

 

STEM Week: Science

(Week 6)

 
Assembly Theme: Science 
Composer: Wintergarten
 
This is the magically mesmerizing Marble Machine! 
This machine has been created using the science, math, technology, engineering and a lot of imagination. In fact, no instrument would exist without science, math, technology or engineering!
 
The Marble Machine creates each sound by dropping a marble which hits a glockenspiel or an electric drum pad.
However, it is a lot more complicated than this. The engineer had to make the marble machine to release each marble to hit the drum or glockenspiel at exactly the right time so the notes happen at the correct time in the melod

 

Week 5: Being Active

Les Percussions de Kouroussa - YouTube

This week’s is all about keeping active and what better way to do that than by dancing! One of the key elements of music is rhythm. This is the pattern of different note durations… it’s the part of music that makes your feet want to move!  

One important characteristic of African Drumming is the rhythm. The rhythm helps get people dancing, especially during celebrations!  

Listen to the music. Can you hear the many different rhythms? Sometimes each musician plays their own rhythm and sometimes they play the same rhythm. 

Did you notice how active the musicians were in the video? Not only are they moving their arms to play the drums, but they can’t help nodding and tapping their feet to the steady pulse (known as the beat). Can you listen to this music without tapping your foot? 

 

Week 4: Good Choices

The music needs to be skipped on to 1.38. 
 
 
Musician of the Week: Taylor Swift
 
Our musician of the week is Taylor Swift. She is an American singer-songwriter and is viewed as one of the best female musicians and writes, records and performs all her music. She has won 14 Music Grammy Awards.
 
Taylor Swift is known as one of the most charitable musicians and shares profits from her concerts with those who in need.
 
Despite this, Taylor Swift has received a lot of cyber bullying and have had journalists write unkind stories about her. However, Taylor Swift has not retaliated. She has continued to make right choices and deals with the abuse through her music. She uses her experiences to inspire new songs.

 

Week 3: Proud to be Me

 
Song: True Colours
Written by: Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly.
Performed by: Paraorchestra and Friends. (Originally performed by Cyndi Lauper)
 
The lyrics in this song remind us to be proud of who we are. We don't need to hide our personalities, we don't need to hide the things we need help with, we don't need to be afraid of others seeing who we are. We can be proud of who we are as we are all individual and special.
The group who are performing this week's music is called the 'Paraorchestra'. They are a group of very talented musicians who all have disabilities.  These musicians do not let their disabilities limit what they can do. None of them have hidden their disabilities. Instead, they have worked hard on their musical talents and now perform across the world. Their musical talents and their disabilities are what make them individual. They are proud to be them.

Week 2: Healthy Me

The Vegetable Orchestra - Green Days - YouTube 

To be healthy we need to look after our mind and our body. Listening to music helps to keep our minds healthy. Music can be mindful and relaxing or entertaining and fun. To help our bodies stay healthy we eat vegetables as part of our balanced diet. This week's assembly music combines these two things!!

Here is the Vegetable orchestra where all the instruments played have been made out of vegetables! What vegetables can you see? What instruments do the vegetables remind you of? 

 

Week 1: Favourite Books 

 BBC's Proms Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter - YouTube

Music Title: Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter

Composer: John Williams

Film Music

Written: 2002

This week we are celebrating books! You may recognise this music from the film Harry Potter. The film is based on a popular book written by the author J.K.Rowling.

A very famous film composer called John Williams was asked to create music for the film. Williams was already famous for composing the Star Wars music and other pieces. He also composed the music for the BFG which some of you will know.

When he was asked to create the music for Harry Potter, he needed to read the books. He used his imagination and described the characters with music. This piece is titled Hedwig's Theme. Hedwig is an owl from the Harry Potter books. How do you think Williams has describes the owl using music?

Can you hear the quick ascending and descending scales on the violins? These strings might represent the owl taking off and landing. Perhaps the grand tune played on the oboe and flute represent the owl soaring through the air? What do you think?

 

 

Term 3 2022 

Determination – Dreams and Goals

 

Week 1: Determination

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnfxDbjtfBM

Musician: Evelyn Glennie

This week’s artist is deaf musician called Evelyn Glennie. She loved music as a child but had lost her hearing when she was 12 years old. However, she was determined not to let this stop her from enjoying music. Evelyn found that she could still enjoy music by feeling the vibrations instruments create with different parts of her body.

Evelyn was determined to become a professional musician despite not being able to hear what she was playing. Her determination allowed to become an expert musician and percussionist.

Evelyn never wears shoes when she is playing. What do you think this is?

 

Week 2: Respect

Aretha Franklin R.E.S.P.E.C.T LIVE 1991 - YouTube

Composer: Otis Redding

Singer: Aretha Franklin

Song Title: R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Period: Contempoary/ soul

Written: 1965

Released by Franklin: 1967

Video: 1991

Aretha Franklin is one of the most popular and influential singers there has ever been. Many female and male singers take inspiration from her music.

In this week’s assembly, Aretha Franklin asks for respect. She says she doesn’t need anything else. Just respect.

Listen to the structure in the chorus. Can you hear the ‘call and response’ feature used?

Aretha solo sings, “All I’m asking for is some respect’. The chorus reply with “Just a little bit”.

This is a jazz feature and originates from African music.

 

Week 3: Openness

Buena Vista Social Club en concert au Printemps de Pérouges - YouTube 

Musicians: Buenos Vista Social Club

Song Title: Chan Chan 

Cuban Music 

Released: 1997

The assembly music this week was written and performed by Cuban and American musicians. These musicians had a goal to share the music and culture of Cuba with America and Britain. 

To achieve this goal, the American and Cuban Musicians needed to open to each other’s music and cultures. They respected and listened to each other and combined their ideas to create Cuban music which other cultures could understand and enjoy.  

 

Week 4: Nurture

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART: Minuet and Trio in G, K1 - YouTube

Composer: Mozart (Lived between 1756 - 1791)

Music Title: Minuet and Trio in G

Period: Classical

Mozart's talents as a musician and composer were recognised from a young age. He was nurtured by his family and teachers to reach his potential. He was supported and encouraged to do what he loved and Mozart became one of the best musicians in the world. His music is still enjoyed 200 years after his death.

The assembly Music today was written by Mozart when he was only 5 years old (that is the age of a child in reception). 

We need to nurture, support and encourage each so we too can exceed at our talents.

 

Week 5: Enjoyment

 Abba - Thank You For The Music - YouTube

Musicians: Abba

Song Title: Thank you for the Music

Period: Contemporary

Recorded: 1977

Abba was a band from Sweden who performed 50 years ago in 1970s.

In their song 'Thank you for the Music', they sing about enjoying their talent, enjoying writing music and singing, enjoying making others happy and enjoying life.

 

Week 6: Courage

Sheku Kanneh-Mason plays Cassado: Danze Final from Cello Suite at BBC Young Musician 2016 - YouTube

Musician: Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cellist) 

Music Title: Danze Suite by Cassado

This video shows the young cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason competing at the 'Young Musician of the Year' competition. The competition sees school aged children (including primary school aged children) perform in different music halls in front of large audiences. The final performances are shown on TV to thousands of people.

Sheki Kanneh-Mason started learning the violin from a very young age and by the age of 6 he switched to cello. Kanneh-Mason joined a youth orchestra for children from ethnic minorities. This helped him believe that all children can be part of the classical world.

 

The young teenager formed a classical music group with his brother and 4 sisters (who played instruments ranging from the piano, the cello, the violin, the viola and the guitar). They called themselves the Kanneh-Masons and competed on Britain's got Talent!

 

This gave Kanneh-Mason the courage to enter 'The Young Musician of the Year' Competition when he was 17. He was the first black musician to win the competition. Mason needed courage to play challenging music in front of strangers on TV! After winning the competition, he needed more courage when he was asked to perform at Prince Harry and Megan's wedding (in front of the queen!)

 

Term 2 

 

Week 3: Exploration

Terry Riley & Friends – 'A Rainbow in Curved Air' – Boiler Room Amsterdam Live Performance - YouTube

Music Title: A Rainbow in Curved Air

Composer: Terry Riley (American)

Period: Modernism: minimalism 

Written: 1969

Over thousands of years people have been exploring music. Over the years, different timbres and sounds have been explored, hundreds of instruments have been invented and many combinations of pitches have resulted in millions of songs. Our exploration of music and what we have discovered can be heard when ever we turn on a radio or tv.

The assembly music today is called ‘A Rainbow in Curved Air’ written by Terry Riley. His exploration of music led him to create a new sound and style of music called minimalism. He used a sequence of notes which no one had ever done before. His music inspired many musicians to come.

 

Week 4: Diversity

Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major BWV 1049 - Sato | Netherlands Bach Society - YouTube

Music Title: Brandenburg Concerto no. 4

 Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach (German)

Period: Baroque

Written: 1721

This piece of music is one of the most famous compositions in classical music ever written. It was written by a man named Johann Sebastian Bach. Listen to the music – you should be able to hear lots of different instruments. They all sound very different (violins, flutes, cello and harpsichord). Bach understood that all instruments have their own sound so he wrote a different part for each instrument. No instrument is playing the same tune but all instruments are working together to create one piece of music.

Each instrument’s individuality is celebrated but also equal to the other instruments.

 

Week 5: Unity

Dvorak - New World Symphony Part 1 - Proms 2010 - YouTube

Music Title: New World Symphony

Composer: Antonin Leopold Dvorak (Czech)

Period: Romantic

Written: 1893

Music can bring everyone together in unity. We come together to celebrate festivals, families or to remember loved ones and past events. As a school we come together every week and listen to special assembly music before we celebrate our learning and to look forward to our futures. The assembly music that has brought us together this week in unity was written by a man called Antonin Leopold Dvorak. The music is about America and many people come together to listen to his music to celebrate the country. It is one of the most popular pieces of music ever written

 

Week 6: Peace

 

Week 7: Christmas

WNO | Sleigh Ride | Leroy Anderson - YouTube

Song Titile: Sleigh Ride

Composer: Leroy Anderson (American)

Period: Mordern

Written: 1948

This orchestral music 'Sleigh Ride" is often associated with Christmas and paints a picture of a sleigh being pulled through snow by a horse. Can you hear the horse clip-clopping and a whip used to get the horse moving. In most performances, a percussionist provides these sounds on blocks and the side of a drum (drum rim). Toward the end of the piece, a trumpet imitates the sound of a horse whinnying.

 

 

Term 1

Week 7 - Harmony

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMGqdUqPnmo 

This week we have ‘The young person’s guide to the orchestra’ by Benjamin Britten. It was written for children to introduce them to the orchestra and the sounds each instrument makes.

BBC Symphony Orchestra play "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" by Benjamin Britten

 

Week 6 - Fairness 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak85S5KZoKE 

The composer has taken a very old traditional English tune, thought to date back to the Elizabethan times, and turned it into a piece of classical music.

Ralph Vaughan Williams "Fantasia on Greensleeves" 

 

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