Trevor Wharton (2)

If students are prepared to spend time creating and recording samples to use in a composition it is similar to a student setting up a prepared piano or a particular set of percussion instruments for a piece. This is a part of the creative process. The software is then a tool for realising what they are striving for and should be assessed as such. The use of samples from other sources eg existing pop records, has other implications including copyright and originality. If a student used a sample, such as the opening bass riff to 'Under Pressure', would this covered by the examination boards requirement to acknowledge sources of quotations in a composition? Trevor

Does anyone know of a Steel Pan tuner working in Kent, Surrey or Sussex? The nearest so far is North London and isn't prepared to come 'South of the River'. Trevor PS - any good sources of resources / music etc would be welcome.

We have been using Magix Music Maker with Y9 for film music and dance music/ video projects. Some of those opting for music have asked if they can use Music Maker. My response so far has been yes but only if all the samples have been generated / recorded by the candidate for the composition. All this to be backed up with record keeping in their composition log. I've asked the Board for a ruling but no reply has been forthcoming. Opinions please? Trevor Wharton

I've found that ploughing straight into notation can confuse some kids. Recently I've been using graphic score alot to show shape and duration as we all probably do. From this point, in in co-ordination with the Maths Dept, I've moved on to plotting pitches on a graph and replacing lines with traditional note value symbols. The final stage is removing the axis lines and substituing a treble clef. It seems to work and uses transfeable prior knowledge. Note, those who already read use standard scoring.

A colleague at a previous school and I compiled a group of songs to illustrate life during the industrial revolution. The titles and topics of the songs are below but if anyone would want a copy of words and music please contact me and I'll scan them for you. Industrial Revolution - Workers songs. Weavers The Four Loom Weaver - poverty Poverty Knock - Life as a weaver using an early mechanical 'Dobbie' Loom which seemed to make the sound 'poverty knock', hence the refrain. Miners Songs The collier's rant - a picture of 19th century mining life The Durham Strike - written in the 13th week of the 1892 strike not long before it collapsed The Collier Lass - Children in the mines (outlawed 1842) Haswell Cages - Pride in work & technical detail Jowl, Jowl and listen - passing on safety advice. The Greshford Disaster - 1934 mine accident Trimdon Grange Explosion - 1884 mine accident Navvies Poor Paddy works on the railway Nail Makers The nailmakers strike - references to conditions and comparision with the anti slavery movement The Knocker Up Once an important man in mining and mill towns, before alarm clocks! I wonder if someone has written a song 'The Ofsted Inspector'?

Here's a list of songs that I compiled for a History colleague at a previous school for use in the classroom. He tended to perfrom most of them himself with guitar accompaniment. Industrial Folksongs Weavers songs The Four Loom Weaver - conditions Poverty Knock - conditions Miners Songs The Collier's Rant - Fantasy of better working conditions The Durham Strike - The story of the Durham strike in 1892 The Collier Lass - Children in the mines The Haswell Cages - Pride in work Jowl, Jowl and listen - Pride in work The Greshford Disater - Mine Explosion 1934 Navvies Poor Paddy works on the Railway If anyone wants the music and lyrics, let me know and I'll scan them for you.

Apologies for the delay in responding, school show and various prize givings etc. The pans do have to be protected and we only let those who are members of the Steel Band use them in lessons. We did buy some of the small table top pans, I think from Omega. These we use in our world music units together with the steel pan sounds from keyboards to provide the lower parts. It's not ideal but does work for Y 7 & 8.

A previous HoD purchased as set and then left before they arrived. Unfortunatly in the period between her leaving and me taking up post 18 months later the pans had been left in the musicroom and had been badly treated. Its taken us nearly two years to get replacement parts, tuning and repairs done. Expensive it was, but now we have a growing steel band whose first performance should be soon. We hope to have a specialist tutor joining us next September to take the band on. We have already been apprached by a feeder school about playing at their next fete and offered cash!

Trevor Wharton Currently Head of Music at Mascalls School in Kent. Previously taught in Croydon and Surrey.

We did Fame last year very succesfully. The show only has one reference to the songs from the film / TV but after a while the cast really enjoyed the new songs. There's a lot of part work for the chorus which can go haywire. Set can be minimal and there is plenty of scope to adapt the script / characters to fit you cast. You may have to consider cutting 'Can't keep it down' and the dialogue around it depending on the sensitivities of your cast, audience and particularly your headteacher! Great fun when it all comes together!

We gave our Y10 the Shadows 'Apache' as a group arranging task, it went down very well and now one group is working on a heavy metal version of 'Foot tapper'!!