IB Music has been a new course at Scarborough College since September 2020. The aim is for the music course to reflect contemporary music practices worldwide, as well as to bring it more in line with the other Group 6 subjects. This means there are no examinations in music – the assessment will all be done through internally and externally marked coursework submissions.
Throughout the course, students will take three roles: Researcher, Creator and Performer.
The course is built around three musical processes: Exploring Music in Context, Experimenting With Music and Presenting Music. Within these areas, students and teachers have the flexibility to personalise the approach to the work. Students taking music at Higher Level will also complete a fourth project: The Contemporary Music Maker.
The exploration of musical material is focussed through four Areas of Inquiry.
AoI 1: Music for sociocultural and political expression
Examples may include protest songs, religious music, national anthems, etc.
AoI 2: Music for listening and performance
This may include cool jazz, chamber music of the western art tradition, experimental music, etc.
AoI 3: Music for dramatic impact, movement and entertainment
This may include music for film, dance and musical theatre, etc.
AoI 4: Music technology in the electronic and digital age
This may include electronic dance music, technology in popular music production, etc.
While learning about these AoI’s, the student is encouraged to think about them in three different contexts:
Component 1: Exploring music in context (SL / HL) – 30% SL / 20%HL. Externally marked
Students select Samples of their work for a portfolio submission (max 2,400 words). The submission will contain:
Exploring as a researcher
Written work demonstrating engagement with, and understanding of, diverse musical material.
Exploring as a creator and performer
1 practical creating exercise
1 performed adaptation of music from a local or global context for the student’s own instrument
Component 2: Experimenting with music (SL / HL) – 30% SL / 20% HL. Internally marked
Students will experiment with creating and performing, submit a report which details their process through at least 2 AoI’s. The submission will contain:
Experimenting as a researcher
A written experimentation report (max 1,500 words)
Experimenting as a creator and a performer
Practical musical evidence of experimenting.
3 related excerpts of creating
3 related excerpts of performing
Component 3: Presenting Music (SL / HL) – 40% SL / 30% HL. Externally marked
Students submit a collection of works demonstrating engagement with diverse musical material from all four AoI’s. The submission will contain:
Presenting as a researcher
Programme notes (max 600 words)
Presenting as a creator
Composition and/or improvisation (max 6 mins)
Presenting as a performer
Solo and/or ensemble performing.
Excerpts, where applicable.
Component 4: The Contemporary Music Maker. (HL) – 30% HL. Internally Marked
Students submit a continuous multimedia presentation documenting a real-life project. The submission will contain:
A Multimedia presentation showing the project proposal, the process and evaluation and the realised project (or curated selections of it).
