DP MUSIC COURSE - OUTLINE FOR TEACHING 

 
Course Timeline  Components  Connections to DP Core 
[Areas of Focus and Assessments]  Teaching/Learning & Journal 
Year 1: Term 1  Exploring ​- 11hrs  Core 
(September to Mid-November)  [Music listening skills, Elements of music for analysis]  Introduce ToK, CAS, and EE through the DP Music Course 
     
* Intro to Areas of Inquiry, Musical Roles and  Experimenting ​- 12 hrs  Teaching/Learning 
Contexts  [Intro to written commentaries, How to develop rationale for experimentations]  Gather student musical histories, assess prior knowledge, 
    student musical interests 
* Submit ​DRAFT​: CMM Project Plan  Presenting ​- 15 hrs   
  [Musical conventions in performance, Intro programme notes]  Journal 
    Effective journaling, different forms of the music journal, 
CMM ​- 22 hrs  digital options and sharing with teacher (formative 
[Music opportunities outside of class, Various contemporary settings, How to establish  assessments) 
artistic vision] 

Year 1: Term 2  Exploring ​- 12hrs  Core 

(Mid-November to January)  [Intro musical context, musical and extra-musical findings]  ToK: Research and analysis in music compared with other 
    disciplines, Differing interpretations of a piece of music 
* Submit D
​ RAFT​: “Exploring” Assessment  Experimenting ​- 11 hrs  CAS: What opportunities in the community can 
  [How to develop musical material, Use of composition, improvisation, arranging]  incorporate music? 
* Submit D​ RAFT​: “Presenting” Assessment    EE: Explore musical context to further depth with 
  Presenting ​- 15 hrs  genre/composer research 
  [Choosing appropriate repertoire, Studying various interpretations]   
    Teaching/Learning 
  CMM ​- 22 hrs  Focus on cross-curricular aspect with “Exploring” and 
  [Collaboration in music industry, Use of journal to log planning and rehearsal, Establish  “CMM” 
musical goals] 

Notes 
● Exploring Music in Context​: students will engage with a diverse range of music while further studying the 4 Areas of Inquiry (AoI) from a personal/local/global context 
● Experimenting with Music:​ students will link their research and theoretical knowledge to more practical activities to deepen musical understanding 
● Presenting Music​: students will act as “researcher, creator, and performer” to study, prepare and present full/complete musical works (performing, composing, and/or improvising 
● Contemporary Music Maker​: building on their leadership, collaborative, and organizational skills, students will plan and present a “real-life” musical project 
 
 Course Timeline  Components  Connections to DP Core 
[Areas of Focus and  Teaching/Learning & Journal 
Assessments] 
Year 2: Term 1  Exploring ​- 11hrs  Core 
(September to Mid-November)  [Performing adaptations, Musical intention and conventions]  ToK and EE: Explore “musical intention” to greater depth 
    and tie in the idea of emotion within various types of 
* Submit ​FINAL​: “Experimenting” assessment  Experimenting ​- 11 hrs  music 
(internal)  [Apply conceptual understanding to new music, How to articulate intention and   
  purpose in music]  Teaching/Learning 
* Submit ​FINAL​: “CMM” Assessment (internal)    Outline skills necessary to continue to engage with music 
  Presenting ​- 15 hrs  after they leave school 
* Finalize “Exploring” audio evidence  [Primary and Secondary Sources for study, Compositional technique]   
    Journal 
* Finalize “Presenting” audio evidence  CMM ​- 23 hrs  Collection of journal entries to support evidence of 
[Elements of effective leadership, Understanding your audience]  PROCESS for all components, What makes an effective 
journal entry? How to show refinement of musical ideas? 

Year 2: Term 2  Exploring ​- 11hrs  Core 

(Mid-November to January)  [Journal reflections, Collection of process evidence]  CAS: What opportunities are there to enhance skills in 
    music creation to a new medium or style, Planning and 
* Submit F​ INAL​: “Exploring” assessment  Experimenting ​- 11 hrs  leadership in CMM and how can this type of project act as 
(external)  [Reflect on musical decisions, refine commentaries]  “Service” to the community? 
     
* Submit F​ INAL​: “Presenting” assessment  Presenting ​- 15 hrs  Teaching/Learning and Journal 
(external)  [Solo vs. group performance, Live performance preparation]  Reflect on Social Skills and Self-Management Skills 
    during reflection activities from music journal 
  CMM ​- 23 hrs 
  [Reflection and revision during planning, Collection of Process evidence] 

Notes: 
● School follows a SEMESTERED timetable [5 month semester with 75 minute periods] 97 school days x 75 min = 121 hrs 
● DP Core consists of Theory of Knowledge (ToK) - Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) - Extended Essay (EE) 
● Approaches to Teaching and Learning - this program tries to encourage self-directed learning where appropriate and enabling the student to develop thinking, social, communication, 
self-management, and research skills throughout the course