Main subject areas
The subject has been structured into main subject areas with competence aims.
The main subject areas are complementary and should be viewed in relation to one another. Goal attainment in one area thus also develops competence in the other areas.
Music has competence objectives after years 2, 4, 7 and 10 in primary and lower secondary school.
Overview of the main subject areas:
Years | Main subject areas | ||
1-10 | Playing music | Composing | Listening |
Playing music
The main area playing music refers to the experience of music, understood as both an aesthetic and existential experience. This main area comprises practical activities – singing, playing various instruments and dancing – within different musical genres and expressions in all years. This means applying the basic elements of music (beat, rhythm, tempo, sound, melody, dynamics, harmony and form), training in musical memory and performance skills and music orientation in practice. Important elements in this main area are practice, musical communication, playing music together, interaction and presentation.
Composing
The main area composing refers to the experience of music and creation of music and also refers to creative work with music and dance with varied expressions. This includes exploring and experimenting with the basic elements of music, exploring voice, combining musical sequences in sound and movement and creating personal musical expressions. This means applying the basic elements of music in various ways, training musical memory and performance skills and training in music communication and presentation. Different music instruments and digital tools will be applied to create music and to record and process audio and music into one’s own compositions. Composing also includes music orientation and reflection on music and musical experiences.
Listening
The main area listening refers to musical experience and reflection. The ability to listen is a fundamental part of both the experience of music and personal performance, alone and when playing with others. In a society with a surfeit of sound and music the listener needs to have a discerning ear and critical abilities. The main area refers to the development of sensitivity to the basic elements of music and various use of these as well as knowledge about and familiarity with different forms of music. This includes working with children's song culture, Sami music and folk music, classical music, improvisation and rhythmic music. Musical diversity and a wide range of genres which include the main characteristics and strains of the various musical genres thus constitute the core of this main area in all years. Music orientation is also part of the knowledge base in this main area, comprising both music-theory topic areas and music-sociology topic areas in connection with the use and function of music in different societies, past and present. Thus, the main area listening to music contributes to giving depth and perspective to the work involved in playing music and composing, and the main areas in the music subject complement each other in a dynamic whole, where goal attainment in one area also develops the competence in another area.
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