Teaching the Junior &
Leaving Certificate courses
in Music
Kim Fallen Bailey
BMusEd
Kim Fallen Bailey
Teach Junior & Leaving Certificate course in Music
to 2nd, 3rd, 5th & 6th years in the Royal Irish
Academy of Music
Teach in a Special School for Students with
Emotional & Behavioural difficulties as well as
MGLD (mild general learning disabilities)
Teach Piano and Theory in my own Music school
in Donabate, Co. Dublin
Interesting Points to note when teaching students
with educational issues
If you have students with ADHD or ADD or any MGLD
 Clean tidy classroom or environment
 No clutter
 Change task every 10 minutes
 Keep lesson task focused
 Use various Teaching Methodologies
 Use a Traffic Light System
 Keep blu tac or stress balls ready
 Have a good supply of chewing gum!
 Can have calming instrumental music in the background
Music Technology Tips!
Useful tools that you can download for free to help with classes
Programmes
Uses
Musescore
Audacity
writing music/ scores/ themes/ dictations
Screen Hunter 6
take picture of score/ theme to embed into
PowerPoints
DVD Video soft
download videos from YouTube to use in class without
internet
Photo story 3
Prezi
upload pictures and music to make slide show for class
Van Basco’s
Karaoke
to find backing tracks for practical's
recording students/ shortening pieces of music into
themes etc.
interactive presentation but needs internet access
Junior Certificate course (until 2017)
3 years long
400 marks
100 for Practical + 300 for Terminal Written Paper
Rotational courses Set A, B & C change each year
Divided into the three core areas of music –
Listening, Composition, Practical
JUNIOR CERTIFICATE BREAKDOWN
Questions
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q5
Type
Listening
Listening
Listening
Listening
Listening
Q6
Q7
Q8
Q9
Q10
Composition
Composition
Composition
Composition
Project
Topic
Set Songs x8
Set Works x3
Irish Music
Dictation
Choice songs/ works &
Unseen Q
Triad Q
Melody
Harmony
Free composition
General Study
Marks
30 marks
30 marks
40 marks
40 marks
40 marks
20 marks
35 marks
45 marks
100 marks
20 marks
Junior Certificate Listening sections typical questions
Set songs
o Study 8 – 4 on exam
o Name & composer
o Type & explanation
o Rhythmic/ Melodic features
o Form
Set Works
o Study 3 large works – 1 on exam
o Name piece, movement, composer
o Type, section & explanation
o Texture
o Form
o Rhythmic/ Melodic features
o Identification of Instruments
o Compare & contrast Q
o Mood & how it is created musically
o Tonality & Time/ Tempo
Irish Music
o Dance identification, form, time &
rhythm
o Sean Nos & features
o Fusion of styles
o Traditional & Non Traditional features
o Instrument Identification
Unseen Question
o Instrument identification
o Time/ Tempo
o Tonality
o Rhythmic/ Melodic features
o Instrumental features
o Form
o Texture & changes
o Mood & how it is created musically
o Voice identification
o Compare & contrast Q
Composition section
Melody question
Option of 3 questions- only choose 1
(a) 4 bar melody to word rhythm
(b) Add 3 bars to the opening 1 bar
(c) Add 4 bar answering phrase to opening 4 bars
Harmony question
Option of 3 questions- only choose 1
(a) Add in treble and bass notes to a two part score for certain cadences named
(b) Add SATB to a four part score for certain cadences named
(c) Add chords to chord boxes above an 8-16 bar melody with two cadence points
Free composition Q9 is an optional question – you do NOT do Q6,7&8 if you do 9
General Study Project
(a) Name the project
(b) What style of music is it from
(c) Name two pieces studied and either performer or composer of them
(d) Name three musical features on the songs you have studied and write a paragraph
on each giving specific musical detail – approx 4-5 good strong points
Junior cert Practical = 100 marks = 25% of the course
• You must perform 4 pieces on one instrument
Or
• 2 pieces on 2 separate instruments
Or
• You can perform in a group with harmony – 2 people on each
harmony line
• You must also do an unseen test at the end –
• Best answered = sight reading (approx grade2 standard) or sight
singing
singing from memory or clapping from memory
for guitar or percussion players – improvisation
Leaving Certificate Music course
2 years long
400 marks
200 marks for practical 50%
200 marks for Terminal written paper 50%
Rotational course every three years – Set A runs for a
consecutive 3 years and then Set B runs for the next consecutive
3 years
Uses the three core areas – Listening, Composition, Performance
Questions
Section
Marks
Q1
Set Works
25 marks
Q2
Set Works
10 marks
Q3
Set Works
10 marks
Q4
Set Works
10 marks
Q5
Irish Music
25 marks
Q6
Unseen Q
20 marks
Questions
Section
Q1 (Ans 1, 2 or 3)
Melody with Moduation 40 marks
PAPER 2
Q2
Melody with lyrics
COMPOSING
Q3
Melody in style of dance 40 marks
Q4 (Ans 4, 5 or 6)
Harmony chords given
60 marks
Q5
Harmony add chords &
bass
60 marks
Q6
Harmony add chords &
descant
60 marks
PAPER 1
LISTENING
100 marks
25%
100 marks
25%
Marks
40 marks
LISTENING PAPER
Set works questions
 Name piece, section, theme
 Tonality
 Time/ tempo
 Instrument identification
 Texture
 Rhythmic/ Melodic features
 Explain any features named
 Instrumental techniques
 Compositional techniques
 Accompaniment
 Possible dictation of any theme
 Name and explain form
 What happens next in piece
Irish Music – Listening & Essay
 Name dance, time, rhythm, form
 Identify sean nos & 4 features
 Identify folk style singing
 Identify ballad style singing
 Identify slow air/ lament
 Identify instruments
 Traditional & non traditional
features
 Describe the performance
 Name the styles & fusion
 Answer one question of 4 and
write a short essay
Unseen Aural Question- can be 1 piece or 3 excerpts of 3 pieces or 3 versions of same piece
 Tonality, tempo, time, form, texture
 Instrument identification, features, techniques
 Compositional techniques, accompaniment/ harmonies etc
 Possibly connect the piece with one of the set works & give 2 reasons
Composing paper
Melody
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
You must choose ONE question to do on Melody – Q1 OR 2 or 3
Melody must have a modulation to a related key (dominant if major)
Usually upbeat
Can be 6/8,3/4, 4/4
Must add adequate phrasing over 16 bars
Must add dynamics that are musical
Must choose a suitable instrument
Harmony
o
o
o
o
Must choose ONE question to do on Harmony – Q4 OR 5 OR 6
Harmony in Q4 you are given chords and must add the melody & bassline
Harmony in Q5 you are given the melody and must add the chords & bassline
Harmony in Q6 you are given the melody and must add the chords & descant
Practical 50 %
 Divided into two sections = 25% performance is mandatory which is 4
pieces on one instrument
 The other 25% is an Elective – you must choose to do further study on
listening or composition or performance
 In order to achieve the best marks choosing the Performance elective is
the best option
 Performance Elective = 50%
 6 pieces on one instrument (approx. grade 5 standard) 25 minutes max
 8 pieces = 4+4 on two instruments of similar standard 25 minutes max
 Must do an unseen test – best is sight reading or sight clapping
You can opt to do
 25% Performance – 4 pieces on one instrument + unseen test
 AND
 25% Music Technology – write out a 16 bar 4 part score and make 3 musical
edits to it on the day of the examination
 Total of 25 minutes max
When teaching the Junior and Leaving Certificate course
Typical Exam Questions
Typical Answers
Rhythmic features
Syncopation, dotted rhythm
Melodic features
Sequence, triadic leaps
Texture
monophonic, homophonic or polyphonic
Tonality
major, minor, modal
Instrumental techniques
glissando, trill, pizzicato
Compositional techniques
canon, augmentation
Form
AABB, AABA, Sonata form or Rondo form
Tempo
Rubato
Compare & contrast
refer to both excerpts in answer
Accompaniment
alberti bass, sustained notes, pedal notes
Instrument identification
Mood
Berlioz – Movement 2 Un Ball
Waltz Theme = Subject 1
A major
Upbeat
Sigh Motif
Thank you for Listening
Any questions?